Woman on Metformin shares changes she noticed in three weeks as new study finds unexpected benefit

A woman taking Metformin has revealed some of the changes that she's noticed after three weeks on the drug.

The medication is one of the most prescribed in the world, with over 120 million people thought to be taking it, but it's only recently that scientists have worked out a huge potential benefit of the diabetes treatment.

Although side effects have long been recognised, with many people deciding to drop it because of them, it was actually a beneficial side effect on the brain that researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Centre recently found.

They suggest that taking the drug could impact the brain in a similar way to exercise, something which could prove to be life-changing for people who are no longer able to exercise regularly, such as cancer patients.

"It’s been widely accepted that metformin lowers blood glucose primarily by reducing glucose output in the liver. Other studies have found that it acts through the gut," Dr Makoto Fukuda, Associate Professor of Paediatrics-Nutrition at Baylor said.

"We looked into the brain as it is widely recognised as a key regulator of whole-body glucose metabolism. We investigated whether and how the brain contributes to the anti-diabetic effects of metformin."

First author Dr Marijo Bilusic added: “From a clinical standpoint, seeing a metabolic signal that mirrors what we associate with intense exercise was striking.

“For patients whose treatments or symptoms limit physical activity, that kind of effect could be especially meaningful.”

While side effects might remain a worry for many, one TikTok user has now shared her experience after three weeks taking the medication as a way of easing her Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) symptoms.

She said: "I still have lots of energy. I still am waking up with that motivation to go get up and do stuff. I have found it easier to achieve my 10,000 step goal every day.

"I don't know if that's linked, but whether it's sort of coincides with having more energy it might do. I have found it a lot easier to hit my 10,000 step target every day."

Although Metformin isn't licensed to treat PCOS in the UK, it is commonly given 'off-label' to help regulate insulin and blood sugar levels in women with PCOS, while also improving fertility.

However, the medication hasn't been without its issues for the user, who admitted that she has 'broken out' on her jaw and chin, while she also experienced some diarrhoea as her body adjusted to the new medication.

But it's certainly been a positive change for this one user, and if the scientist's study proves to be completely accurate, then it's likely that her brain will be getting a beneficial boost as well.