Study Shows Metformin Decreases Long COVID Rates

Several people infected with COVID-19 who have used Metformin experienced reduced rates of Long COVID, according to a recent study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The study found a 41% reduction in Long COVID rates among those who used metformin at the time of COVID infection. In addition, the study shared there was a 42% reduction in emergency room visits, hospitalizations and death among COVID patients who started metformin treatment.

In efforts to find the effectiveness of metformin, ivermectin and fluvoxamine, researchers of the study observed the medications in adults aged 30 to 85 years who were overweight or obese and had been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last three days.

The clinical trial was the first in the country to study whether these medications could prevent severe outcomes and Long COVID, according to a release by the Parsemus Foundation in support of the study.

Between Dec 30, 2020, and Jan 28, 2022, 6,602 people were assessed for eligibility and 1,431 were enrolled and randomly assigned.

Previous data suggested that metformin's anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious properties could treat COVID-19 infection.

Data from the study published in The Lancet revealed that people who took metformin within seven days after the onset of COVID symptoms were 41% less likely to experience Long COVID than those who had placebo—with a 63% reduction if metformin was started within four days.

"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, in the release. "Metformin is an inexpensive, safe and widely available drug, and its use as a preventive measure could have significant public health implications."

Three years into the pandemic, more than 6.8 million people worldwide have died from COVID, and many still suffer from Long COVID. As the first COVID treatment proven to reduce Long COVID in a randomized controlled trial, authors of the study confirm metformin is safe, accessible and low-cost.

In addition, Metformin is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the U.S. and globally, taken by more than 150 million people each year.

This new treatment option is quite significant as approximately one in three patients who cannot take Paxlovid because of conflicting medications or health conditions, the release said.

"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," said Elaine Lissner, founder and trustee of the Parsemus Foundation, in the release.