Closing
Does metformin improve body weight & composition versus placebo?
Mostly studied in coronary & atherosclerotic disease. Also asked against other treatments.
Not modeled yetTrial evidence exists, but no mechanistic model yetWithout a model there is no decisive experiment to propose. Help build it. →
Where the evidence stands
A coin flip. So far, the results disagree.
NoUnsureYes
- Belief
- 0.50 (range 0.00–0.55)
- Trials for
- 8
- Trials against
- 4
- Inconclusive
- 3
Already under way
- Dietary Fish Oil and Metformin Intervention for Heart Health in PCOSNCT06424860 · recruiting · started 2025
- A Randomized, Open-label, Clinical Trial Evaluating the Anti-atherosclerotic Efficacy of Selected Antidiabetic Drugs in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease…NCT07254572 · recruiting · started 2025
- Effect of Metformin Use on Weight Loss in Obese, Non-diabetic PeopleNCT07297290 · recruiting · started 2025
- Pioneering and Affordable Strategies to Prevent Progression of Prediabetes, Obesity and CV Risk in HispanicsNCT06446531 · recruiting · started 2024
The evidence so far
- Registered trials
- 457
- With posted results
- 154
- Published papers
- 30
Of 38 decided analyses: 14 favor metformin, 17 find no difference, 7 favor the comparator.
Papers
- Effects of metformin on body weight and body composition in obese insulin-resistant children: a randomized clinical trial.Trial report · 2011
- Outcomes in children of women with type 2 diabetes exposed to metformin versus placebo during pregnancy (MiTy Kids): a 24-month follow-up of the MiTy randomised controlled trial.Trial report · 2023
- Effects of metformin on the body composition in subjects with risk factors for type 2 diabetes.Trial report · 2005
- Metformin for weight loss and metabolic control in overweight outpatients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.Trial report · 2013
- A randomized, 48-week, placebo-controlled trial of intensive lifestyle modification and/or metformin therapy in overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot study.Trial report · 2004
- Efficacy and safety of ipragliflozin as an add-on therapy to sitagliptin and metformin in Korean patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled trial.Trial report · 2018
Trials
- A Randomized, Double-Blind, 5-Arm, Parallel-Group, 26-Week, Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Canagliflozin in Combination With Metformin as Initial Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus With Inadequate Glycemic Control With Diet and ExerciseNCT01809327 · 4 posted results
- Metformin and Muscle in Insulin-resistant Older VeteransNCT01804049 · 2 posted results
- A Randomized Trial of Metformin as Adjunct Therapy for Overweight Adolescents With Type 1 DiabetesNCT01881828 · 4 posted results
- A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Active Controlled, Parallel Group, Phase 3 Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Dapagliflozin 10 mg in Combination With Metformin as Initial Therapy as Compared With Dapagliflozin 10 mg Monotherapy and Metformin Monotherapy in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes Who Have Inadequate Glycemic ControlNCT00859898 · 2 posted results
- A Randomised Placebo Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Early MEtformin in Addition to Usual Care in the Reduction of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Effects (EMERGE)NCT02980276 · 6 posted results
- The Impact of LY2189265 Versus Metformin on Glycemic Control in Early Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (AWARD-3: Assessment of Weekly AdministRation of LY2189265 in Diabetes-3)NCT01126580 · 18 posted results
- A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Active Controlled, Parallel Group, Phase 3 Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Dapagliflozin in Combination With Metformin as Initial Therapy as Compared With Dapagliflozin Monotherapy and Metformin Monotherapy in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes Who Have Inadequate Glycemic ControlNCT00643851 · 4 posted results
- A Double-blind [Sponsor Unblinded], Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Staggered-parallel Study to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacodynamics of GSK2890457 in Healthy Volunteers and Subjects With Type 2 DiabetesNCT01725126 · 5 posted results