Treating COVID with Metformin Lowers Long COVID Rates

Health News -- June 9, 2023: A new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases has revealed significant findings regarding the potential benefits of metformin in reducing the occurrence of Long COVID.

The study highlights a 41% reduction in Long COVID rates among individuals who were using metformin at the time of their COVID-19 infection. Furthermore, the research also demonstrated a noteworthy 42% decrease in emergency room visits, hospitalizations, or mortality among COVID-19 patients who initiated metformin treatment. These findings provide a glimmer of hope in the battle against the long-term effects of COVID-19.

“The results of this study are important because Long COVID can have a significant impact on people’s lives,” said Carolyn Bramante, MD, principal investigator and an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School. “Metformin is an inexpensive, safe, and widely available drug, and its use as a preventive measure could have significant public health implications.”

Over 6.8 million people have perished from the pandemic, and many more are still infected. Metformin, the first COVID medication to reduce Long COVID in a randomized controlled trial, is safe, affordable, and accessible. More than 150 million Americans and individuals worldwide take metformin. About one in three patients cannot use Paxlovid, Pfizer's pioneering COVID treatment, due to conflicting drugs or health problems.

Access to affordable COVID treatment is a global justice issue. We hope the U.S. and other nations update their guidelines to include metformin as a treatment option for people with COVID-19,” added Elaine Lissner, founder, and trustee of the Parsemus Foundation, a research funder part of the nonprofit coalition funding the trial. “This would be the first universally available treatment, giving more people a tool to combat the disproportionate impact of this disease.”

WNCTimes

Source: Parsemus Foundation

The Lancet Infectious Diseases