September 23, 2024 · 10:05 AM
If reminiscence serves, after I began my medical profession in 1981 we solely had three lessons of medication for treating diabetes: insulin, sulfonylureas, and metformin. We now have so many choices now, that I’ve misplaced observe. From On a regular basis Well being earlier this yr:
Metformin, a decades-old generic drug for sort 2 diabetes, may additionally assist deal with COVID-19, a brand new research suggests.
Scientists on the College of Minnesota randomly assigned greater than 1,300 adults with COVID-19 to take metformin or a placebo capsule. The entire contributors took nasal swab exams for viral ranges after 1, 5, and 10 days.
Lab exams confirmed that metformin considerably decreased the quantity of COVID-19 virus circulating within the physique and likewise decreased the percentages that virus ranges would rebound after an preliminary discount throughout therapy, in response to research outcomes revealed in Scientific Infectious Illnesses.
Among the many key analysis outcomes:
- On common, metformin decreased the quantity of virus within the physique virtually 4 occasions greater than the placebo capsule.
- Individuals taking metformin have been 28 % extra more likely to have undetectable ranges of the virus of their physique at both day 5 or day 10 of the research.
- Individuals on metformin have been 32 % much less more likely to expertise what’s often called rebound — when ranges of the virus initially lower however then develop into larger once more.
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Steve Parker, M.D.
