Metformin News and Research

RSS

Metformin is the active ingredient in a drug used to treat diabetes mellitus (a condition in which the body cannot control the level of sugar in the blood). It is also being studied in the treatment of cancer. It decreases the amount of glucose (a type of sugar) released into the bloodstream from the liver and increases the body’s use of the glucose. Metformin is a type of antidiabetic agent.

Diabetes drug linked to lower risks of dementia and early death

New research in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism reveals that metformin, a medication traditionally prescribed to treat diabetes, is linked to lower risks of dementia and early death.

6 Aug 2025

Understanding the importance of B vitamins for health

Eight different vitamins make up the B complex, and they all play crucial roles in the body, such as producing energy, keeping our nervous system healthy, and supporting cell development.

4 Aug 2025

Metformin’s blood sugar control starts in the brain, not just the liver, study finds

Low, clinically relevant doses of metformin lower blood glucose by inhibiting the Rap1 protein in specific neurons of the hypothalamus, revealing a brain-first mechanism. This action is essential for metformin’s effect at therapeutic doses and highlights new directions for diabetes treatment.

3 Aug 2025

Metformin lowers blood sugar by acting on brain pathways

Although metformin has been the go-to medication to manage type 2 diabetes for more than 60 years, researchers still do not have a complete picture of how it works.

31 Jul 2025

Commonly used type 2 diabetes medication linked to higher rate of heart-related conditions

New research from investigators at Mass General Brigham suggests that a commonly used type 2 diabetes medication is linked to a higher rate of heart-related conditions compared to medications that hit other targets.

24 Jul 2025

New redox-sensitive pathway reveals how cells activate AMPK in response to metabolic stress

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a central role in maintaining energy balance in cells, especially under energy stress.

24 Jul 2025

GLP-1 receptor agonists linked to lower dementia risk in type 2 diabetes

GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, likely trump the widely prescribed metformin for curbing dementia risk in people with the condition, finds the largest study of its kind, published in the open access journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.

22 Jul 2025

Mapping metformin’s kidney effects through spatial multi-omics

Metformin is a widely used first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes, and studies increasingly point to its protective effects on the kidney.

22 Jul 2025

New guideline recommends proper preconception care for women with diabetes

A joint guideline released today from the Endocrine Society and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) recommends women with diabetes receive proper preconception care and access to emerging diabetes technology and therapeutics to manage their blood sugar before, during and after pregnancy.

13 Jul 2025

Retinal organoid model advances understanding of dry age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), classified into dry and wet types, poses a significant threat to the vision of the elderly population globally.

9 Jul 2025

Tirzepatide tops the charts for blood sugar and weight loss in type 2 diabetes

A large network meta-analysis ranked eight GLP-1 receptor agonists for glycemic, weight, and safety outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide demonstrated the greatest efficacy for glucose control and weight loss, while liraglutide offered the lowest hypoglycemia risk.

7 Jul 2025

Long-term study confirms lasting benefits of lifestyle changes in preventing diabetes

In the early 2000s the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a large randomized clinical trial, showed that intensive lifestyle modification was better than a medication called metformin at preventing at-risk patients from developing Type 2 diabetes.

3 Jul 2025

$Newer, more effective diabetes drugs reach only a fraction of patients$

Newer, more effective diabetes drugs reach only a fraction of patients

A UCSF analysis has found that the newer generation of much more effective diabetes medications are reaching only a fraction of the patients who are recommended to take them based on new guidelines.

1 Jul 2025

Coffee’s hidden compounds could help fight type 2 diabetes

A comprehensive review of nearly 150 studies reveals that coffee polyphenols may help regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation linked to type 2 diabetes. However, most evidence comes from preclinical research, and robust clinical trials are needed to confirm benefits.

29 Jun 2025

Rapamycin offers life-extending benefits comparable to eating less

The anti-aging drug Rapamycin has the same life-extending effect as eating less, according to new research from the University of East Anglia and University of Glasgow.

19 Jun 2025

Unlocking the secrets of human longevity and healthy aging

Human healthy aging and longevity are complex phenomena influenced by a dynamic interplay of genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, immune, and environmental factors.

22 May 2025

Researchers establish a new golden standard for human lactation studies

Women who choose to stop treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding are putting their health at risk, and have to weigh their desire to have children and breastfeed against a risk that we know very little about.

22 May 2025

Exploring the link between microbial balance and aging mechanisms

Aging is a multifaceted process driven by interconnected biological mechanisms, among which genomic instability and telomere attrition stand as primary hallmarks.

20 May 2025

Common diabetes drug can reduce the pain of people with knee osteoarthritis and obesity

A common diabetes drug can reduce the pain of people with knee osteoarthritis and overweight or obesity, possibly delaying the need for knee replacements, Monash University-led research has found.

24 Apr 2025

Diabetes drugs GLP-1RA and SGLT2i lower dementia risk in older adults, study finds

A large population-based study found that GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), two classes of glucose-lowering drugs used in type 2 diabetes, were associated with a significantly reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). These findings suggest potential neuroprotective benefits and highlight drug repurposing as a promising strategy for ADRD prevention.

21 Apr 2025