A new study has found that a widely used diabetes drug, metformin, may produce some of the same effects in the body as exercise, especially in men undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
The research, published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, offers new understanding of how the body manages energy and weight during cancer treatment, even when patients are unable to stay physically active.
Exercise is well known for its many health benefits. It helps control weight, improves blood sugar levels, supports heart health, and boosts overall wellbeing. For people with cancer, exercise can also help reduce side effects from treatment and improve recovery.
However, many patients find it difficult to stay active. Treatments such as hormone therapy can cause fatigue, weakness, and discomfort, making regular exercise hard or even impossible.
Because of this, scientists have been asking an important question. If exercise works by triggering certain biological processes in the body, could those same processes be activated in other ways?
Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine explored this idea by studying metformin, a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. They focused on a molecule in the body called N-lactoyl-phenylalanine, or Lac-Phe.
This molecule is usually produced during intense physical activity. It forms when lactate, which builds up during exercise, combines with phenylalanine, a building block of proteins.
Previous studies have shown that Lac-Phe is linked to reduced appetite and better weight control. These are key benefits of regular exercise. In this new study, researchers discovered that metformin can raise levels of Lac-Phe in prostate cancer patients, even when they are not exercising. fileciteturn1file0
This finding is important because it suggests that metformin may activate some of the same pathways that are normally triggered by physical activity. For patients who are unable to exercise, this could provide a way to support their metabolic health during treatment.
The study focused on men receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer. This type of treatment can disrupt the body’s metabolism, often leading to weight gain, insulin resistance, and increased risk of heart problems. Maintaining metabolic health during this time is very important for both short-term wellbeing and long-term outcomes.
Researchers found that the increase in Lac-Phe levels in patients taking metformin was similar to levels seen after intense exercise. This happened even though the patients were not physically active when the measurements were taken. The effect also continued after hormone therapy began.
However, the study also found that higher Lac-Phe levels were not linked to changes in tumor growth. This means that while metformin may help with metabolic health, it does not directly affect the cancer itself in this way.
The researchers also noted that metformin influences other pathways in the body. For example, it increases a hormone called GDF-15, which is also related to appetite and weight. However, Lac-Phe appeared to be more closely connected to actual changes in body weight.
When reviewing these findings, the study provides valuable insight into how the body responds to treatment and how existing drugs may support patients in new ways. It highlights the importance of looking beyond cancer itself and focusing on overall health and quality of life.
At the same time, there are limitations. The study does not suggest that metformin can replace exercise. Physical activity still offers many benefits that cannot be fully replicated by medication. In addition, more research is needed to confirm these results in larger and more diverse groups of patients.
Overall, this research represents an important step forward. It shows that a well-known and widely available drug may help support metabolic health in cancer patients who are unable to exercise. This could improve how patients feel during treatment and help them maintain strength and resilience.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that a low-carb diet could increase overall cancer risk, and vitamin D supplements could strongly reduce cancer death.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how drinking milk affects the risks of heart disease and cancer and results showing higher intake of dairy foods linked to higher prostate cancer risk.
Source: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
