Normally, comparison is rarely done because the two drugs are different and have different mechanisms of action. Now that I have answered it, I will try my best to explain the question clearly and thoroughly.

Blood sugar is glucose in the blood. This glucose comes from the starch and other foods we eat are digested into glucose in the gastrointestinal tract and absorbed into the body. Part of it remains directly in the blood and becomes blood sugar. , part of which is metabolized into liver glycogen and muscle glycogen.

When the body requires energy for exercise, etc., the pancreatic islet cells in the pancreas in the body will secrete insulin to break down blood sugar and produce energy; when blood sugar is not enough, liver glycogen and muscle glycogen will It will decompose glucose into the blood and replenish blood sugar; when blood sugar is too high, it will also promote the production of insulin and convert blood sugar into liver glycogen and muscle glycogen for storage.

So there are two sources of blood sugar, one is food absorption; the other is the decomposition of liver glycogen and muscle glycogen.

The consumption or excretion of blood sugar is the breakdown of blood sugar to produce energy and convert it into glycogen.

The reason for high blood sugar is insufficient consumption of blood sugar or excessive production of blood sugar, or both at the same time.

Metformin has many functions, including three main ones. One is to promote the body’s uptake, utilization, and absorption of blood sugar; the other is to increase the sensitivity of insulin to blood sugar; and the other is to inhibit the decomposition of glycogen. , that is, reducing the production of blood sugar.

Metformin promotes the body's absorption of blood sugar by consuming blood sugar; increasing insulin's sensitivity to blood sugar means enhancing the efficiency of breaking down blood sugar; inhibiting glycogen decomposition means reducing the source of blood sugar in the body.

In this way, both aspects of production and excretion are taken into consideration. This is also the reason why metformin is widely used now.

The food eaten is digested into glucose and is mainly absorbed in the intestines. When absorbing glucose, the intestines need to secrete an enzyme called a-glycosidase. Only with this enzyme can glucose be absorbed into the body.

Acarbose is a drug that inhibits the production and activity of this enzyme. When this enzyme is inhibited, the absorption of glucose is affected, so blood sugar no longer rises rapidly after meals.

After understanding the effects of the two medicines, the answer is actually relatively clear.

It depends on what is the cause of high blood sugar.

If your blood sugar is relatively high throughout the day, you need an internally regulated hypoglycemic drug like metformin.

If blood sugar fluctuates greatly only after eating, and blood sugar is relatively stable at other times, it is because too much glucose is absorbed after eating, causing blood sugar to rise sharply. At this time, acarbose is the best way to lower blood sugar. Obvious.

No matter what kind of anti-diabetic drugs are used, they only treat the symptoms. Abnormal blood sugar will occur. The most fundamental reason is that the body's functions have lost their normal use and normal connection. There is something wrong with this person, and it is the internal environment. If there is a problem, on the basis of maintaining blood sugar stability with anti-diabetic drugs, combined with treatment from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, a macro perspective, and a holistic perspective, the effect may be better.