Trending Now - Metformin's Surprising Brain Effects Uncovered After 60 Years
WHO:
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in the US
Makoto Fukuda, pathophysiologist at Baylor College of Medicine
WHAT:
Metformin has been prescribed for over 60 years to manage blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
A 2025 study identified a brain pathway through which metformin works.
Metformin was shown to travel to the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) in mice, where it helps tackle type 2 diabetes by turning off a protein called Rap1.
Mice bred without Rap1 showed no impact from metformin on a diabetes-like condition.
Metformin is known to reduce the risk of dying before the age of 90 by 30% compared to sulfonylurea in a study of over 400 postmenopausal women.
Side effects of metformin can affect up to 75% of users, including gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort.
WHERE:
Baylor College of Medicine, United States
WHEN:
The study identifying the brain pathway was conducted in 2025.
An earlier version of the article was published in September 2025.
WHY:
The research aims to understand how metformin works in the brain to potentially develop new diabetes treatments and improve its safety.
HOW:
The study involved testing on mice to observe the effects of metformin on glucose metabolism in the brain.
Researchers investigated which cells in the VMH were involved in mediating metformin's effects, finding that SF1 neurons are activated by the drug.
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 03:54 UTC)
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have made significant strides in understanding how metformin, a medication prescribed for over 60 years to manage blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, works in the brain. Their study, conducted in 2025, revealed that metformin travels to the ventromedial hypothalamus in mice, where it helps combat diabetes by turning off a protein called Rap1, and they found that mice lacking this protein showed no benefits from the drug. While metformin is known to reduce the risk of dying before the age of 90 by 30% compared to sulfonylurea, it can also cause gastrointestinal side effects in up to 75% of users, highlighting the need for further research to improve its safety and effectiveness.