Metformin’s real power may be in the gut
Northwestern UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
For decades, physicians and scientists thought metformin, the leading Type 2 diabetes medication taken by millions worldwide, mainly targets the liver to suppress glucose production. But a new Northwestern University study in mice has found this “wonder drug” instead focuses primarily on the gut, acting to prevent glucose levels rising in the blood by driving glucose utilization inside cells lining the intestine.
The study found metformin slows mitochondrial energy production in gut cells, forcing the intestine to metabolize extra sugar.
The findings also reveal unexpected parallels with berberine, a popular plant-derived, over-the-counter supplement often used to control blood sugar. Berberine has recently gained attention on social media as “nature’s Ozempic,” though experts caution that evidence is still limited, and it should not be used as a substitute for approved medications. The study found berberine appears to engage the same pathway as metformin in the intestine.
“Metformin has decades of clinical evidence behind it, whereas supplements like berberine are far less rigorously tested,” Chandel said. “If you're going to use berberine, you may as well use the real deal.”
- Journal
- Nature Metabolism
- Funder
- Northwestern University Pulmonary and Critical Care Division Cugell Predoctoral Fellowship, Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease, NRSA Training Program in Signal Transduction and Cancer, Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Postdoctoral Fellowship in Aging Research, Simpson Querrey Fellowship in Data Science, Training Program in Lung Sciences, Medical Sciences Training Program, Stand Up 2 Cancer Convergence 3.1416