Here are eight recent discoveries about metformin that will surprise you:
1) Improved male fertility
Metformin improves sperm motility and reproductive function in males with diabetes. Additionally, in labs, incubating sperm with metformin increases their ability to fertilize eggs after cryopreservation (freezing during sperm donation).
2) Improved female fertility
In patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), adding metformin to clomiphene increases the chances for women with unexplained infertility to conceive compared to using clomiphene alone.
3) Longer lifespan
It is now widely accepted that metformin prolongs lifespan and improves immunity…in mice. Does metformin increase lifespan in humans? We don’t know yet, but metformin, which reduces blood sugar and insulin levels by improving insulin sensitivity, has been shown in rodents to extend lifespan and prevent cancers from forming.
4) Colon cancer prevention and treatment
Benefits of metformin for the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer have been shown in several studies. Metformin improves overall survival rates of diabetic patients with colorectal cancer.
5) Prostate cancer treatment
A very recent study in mice with prostate cancer found that adding metformin to traditional chemotherapy inhibited cancer progression. This could mean that metformin may add some benefit to androgen deprivation therapies like Lupron during prostate cancer treatment in humans.
6) Ovarian cancer treatment
Metformin has shown anti-tumor effects when used in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
7) Enhanced gut bacteria
Recent studies have revealed that metformin influences the gut microbiome, the good bacteria that live in our gut. In fact, many believe metformin helps with weight loss by altering the composition of the gut bacteria.
8) Dementia prevention
People with diabetes who take metformin have been shown to have a lower risk of dementia that those who take other diabetes medications, like glipizide or glyburide.
Dr O.
Source: Read Full Article