The widely used diabetes drug metformin changes blood metal levels in humans, according to a new study from Kobe University.
This finding marks an important step in understanding the drug’s various effects and could help in designing more effective medications in the future.
Metformin, the most commonly prescribed diabetes drug globally, is known not only for lowering blood sugar levels but also for offering protective effects against tumors, inflammation, and atherosclerosis.
Despite over 60 years of use, its precise mechanisms remain unclear, limiting the development of even more effective therapies.
Dr. Wataru Ogawa, an endocrinologist at Kobe University, noted that diabetes patients often experience fluctuations in blood metal levels such as copper, iron, and zinc.
Metformin has been chemically shown to bind metals like copper, and recent studies suggest this property might underlie some of its benefits. To investigate, Ogawa’s team analyzed blood serum from about 200 diabetes patients at Kobe University Hospital, half of whom were taking metformin.
Published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, the results showed that patients taking metformin had significantly lower levels of copper and iron and increased levels of zinc.
These shifts are noteworthy, as decreased copper and iron, along with increased zinc, are associated with improved glucose tolerance and fewer complications, possibly linking them to metformin’s efficacy.
Japan recently approved a new diabetes drug, imeglimin, derived from metformin but believed to lack its metal-binding ability. Studies comparing the two drugs are already underway, aiming to distinguish their mechanisms.
Dr. Ogawa emphasized the broader implications of the findings. Continued research through clinical trials and animal experiments could eventually lead to the development of new drugs that specifically regulate metal concentrations in the body, enhancing treatment for diabetes and related complications.
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The study is published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research.
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