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Ozempic has received a lot of hustle and bustle in recent years after researchers have learned that its active substance can help treat a variety of health. But now the researchers have been looking at another medicine initially for type 2 diabetes: metformin.
Although it was once a “only” medicine for people with type 2 diabetes, metformin is now considered a “wonderful medicine with many potentials” says David Cutler, Md., Family Medicine Physician Providence Saint John’s Health Center Santa Monica, California. In fact, recent studies have found that this could help reduce the risk of long rope patients with type 2 diabetes.
Long Covid is just the latest opportunity to get the potential benefits of drugs. “It opens the door for more research,” says Corewell Health, a clinical pharmacy specialist, a clinical pharmacy specialist.
But Metformin is not new – in fact it has been for decades. “Metformin is so much interested because it has existed for some time,” she says. “In addition to a long story, it is also common, accessible and easily accessible.”
So what can metformin be used to treat and how it works? That’s all you need to know.
What is metformin?
Metformin is a remedy in a compound class called biguanids US National Medical Library; These drugs reduce the amount of glucose that the body absorbs from food and the fact that the liver produces. Metformin also helps the body use an insulin, a hormone that escorts glucose (blood sugar) to cells where it is used for energy, in the US National Medical Library.
Diabetes management is the most common use of metformin and what is currently medicine The FDA has been approved for. Metformin helps control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes in several different ways: it helps the body better respond to the insulin that it does naturally, reduces the amount of sugar produced by the liver, and reduces the sugar levels absorbed by the intestines from the food. Cutler.
“Metformin is very interesting because it has many ways it works in the body,” says Jamie Alan, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Michigan State University. “As long as you have a good kidney function, the side effects are slightly limited.”
According to the US National Medical Library, metformin can treat type 2 diabetes, and is also used with other drugs to treat diabetes.
Why is it called a “magic drug”
Metformin has many potential uses. The keyword is Potential; Because it works differently in the body, it is a “good candidate for several states of different diseases,” says Alan.
Long Covid
A study published last year in a magazine Diabetes care Analyzed the health records of nearly 76,000 adults who took metformin for type 2 diabetes and compared them to more than 13,000 adults who took other types of diabetes. Researchers found out that patients who took metformin, up to 21% less prone to long Covidides or death of Covidid-19 complications than those who did not take medication.
But it seems to be able to help people as well without Diabetes also avoids long covids. In the next 2023. The published clinical study found that metformin reduced the risk of long Covido to 40% of adults with overweight or obesity, most of which did not have diabetes.
“Metformin has some immunomodulatory actions,” says Alan, which means that the immune system may prevent too much react. But the exact reason for metformin can help long -term Covid is “a bit unclear,” says Alan.
Weight management
Although it has no weight loss, just as medicines such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound, metformin can help. “Metformin helps a modest weight throwing that differs for every person,” says Anupam Ohri, Md, Associate Professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
A study published earlier this year shows that metformin can reduce hunger for people due to medication. This can force patients to lose about 2% to 3% of their body weight in the first year when they used drugs.
Healthspan and durability
Dr Ohri emphasizes that this use of metformin is “controversial” and requires more research, but “increases interest,” says Inseo, using metformin to slow down the aging process and increase life expectancy. Animal studies have linked medicines to a longer life expectancy of mice, says Inseo. “Although it is in the preliminary stage, this may be due to increased insulin resistance, antioxidant and blood vessels,” she says.
Longevity is one of the potential advantages, but there is also a longer Healthspan, which is a period that a person enjoys good health. “It is likely that insulin alarms,” says Alan. “Metformin restores sensitivity to insulin, and it was associated with weight loss and increased health. There are probably other things.”
Heart disease
Although this is still applied only by people with diabetes, research has identified a link between metformin and lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Among other things, medicines can help lower blood fat, human body weight and its blood pressure.
It can be associated with Metformin’s ability to lower blood sugar, says Alan, but it is still not quite clear. “There may be several mechanisms and there is no consensus at the moment,” says Alan.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal condition that can cause many health problems, including unwanted facial hair, acne, irregular periods, weight gain and infertility. “It seems that the improvement of these symptoms due to metformin due to its metabolic effect at the cellular level,” says Dr. Cutler. “But it’s not a medicine and not everyone works.”
Early studies for women with PCOS found that metformin helped to bring small benefits to insulin sensitivity, decreased weight and helped restore periods, says Dr. Ohri. For this reason, Metformin is used “outside the label” when people can’t take other medicines, she says. “It can be used as an addition to lifestyle interventions for adults with PCOS,” Ohri adds.
Depression
Numerous studies published over the past few years have indicated metformin as potential antidepressant, especially in people with type 2 diabetes. We do not know the exact mechanism of this mental health benefit, but in a study review earlier this year, researchers said “metformin helps reduce the symptoms of depression by directing several ways, including neurotransmitter regulation, reinforced neurogenesis, anti -inflammatory effect and intestinal microbiota changes.”
Skin cancer
Early studies show that people who use metformin are less likely to develop non -melanoma skin cancer. The study found that people taking the drug were 67% less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and 55% lower risk of flat cell carcinoma (SCC) compared to people with no metformin. This is to adjust how to take other drugs that can increase risk such as hydrochlorothiazide, photosensitizing medicines, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors and statins.
However, it is worth noting that the protective effect of the SCC was not significant on black persons, perhaps because SCC is usually associated with scars and inflammation in this group that may not affect metformin. The scientist says there are several other ways to reduce the risk of cancer, including several mechanisms that inhibit cancer cell growth.
Who should consider using metformin?
If you have type 2 diabetes and do not use metformin yet, doctors say it is worth asking your health care provider about medication. “Metformin is a prescription drug and one of the most commonly used drugs in the world,” says Dr. Cutler.
Alan agrees. “It’s cheap with a usually favorable side effect profile,” says Alan. (Gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are the most common potential side effects.)
This said: “It is important to note if you have kidney disease or reduce kidney function, you should not take metformin, or take this medicine under a health care professional,” says Alan.
The essence
Metformin has long been a reliable drug to help control type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes or prediabetes, ask your doctor if you are a prescription candidate. While this can help people without diabetes under certain other conditions, more research is needed to find out if it should be even more beneficial to others.
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