343 citations
,
December 2008 in “Endocrine Reviews” This review discusses the various evidence-based and potential applications of metformin in treating and preventing symptoms and complications associated with polycystic ovary syndrome but reports no new clinical results.
200 citations
,
October 2009 in “European journal of endocrinology” This review discusses the multifaceted actions of metformin in polycystic ovary syndrome and reports no new clinical results; the authors emphasize metformin's potential benefits in both cardiometabolic and reproductive aspects of PCOS.
192 citations
,
September 2003 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” This study suggests that metformin may be more effective than Dianette in treating moderate to severe hirsutism in women with PCOS, while also reducing markers of insulin resistance.
116 citations
,
December 2013 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that combining liraglutide with metformin led to greater weight loss and waist circumference reduction than either treatment alone in obese women with PCOS resistant to metformin monotherapy.
105 citations
,
March 2006 in “Human reproduction” This study found that metformin treatment improved health-related quality-of-life, emotional well-being, and sexual satisfaction among women with PCOS, correlated with weight loss and menstrual cycle normalization.
91 citations
,
November 2007 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that metformin improved insulin resistance, hyperandrogenemia, anovulation, and acne in PCOS patients, regardless of their level of obesity or initial insulin resistance.
90 citations
,
August 2002 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that metformin treatment significantly improved hair growth in women with PCOS and hirsutism compared to a placebo.
75 citations
,
July 2013 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found that combining low-dose spironolactone with metformin provided greater clinical benefits and improved treatment compliance in women with PCOS compared to either drug alone.
60 citations
,
February 2010 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” This study suggests that adding metformin to diet and exercise improves insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in women with PCOS, though lifestyle changes alone may enhance menstrual cycles.
56 citations
,
July 2008 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that a 6-month treatment with either metformin or rosiglitazone significantly improved endothelial function in young women with PCOS without any one drug being superior.
51 citations
,
February 2013 in “JEADV. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology/Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” This review examines evidence on metformin's use in treating various skin disorders and discusses associated cutaneous side-effects; it reports no new clinical results.
50 citations
,
August 2017 in “Diabetologia” This review discusses genetic factors that may influence the effectiveness of metformin in treating polycystic ovary syndrome and emphasizes the need for further research to establish clear benefits.
40 citations
,
April 2008 in “European journal of endocrinology” In this study, treatment with insulin sensitizers significantly increased adipose tissue GLUT4 mRNA expression and improved insulin resistance, menstrual patterns, and androgen profiles in PCOS patients, with rosiglitazone being more effective than metformin.
38 citations
,
January 2011 in “Endocrine Journal” This study found that serum vaspin levels were elevated in women with polycystic ovary syndrome compared to controls, but treatment with metformin or weight loss did not significantly change these levels.
35 citations
,
December 2009 in “Human reproduction” This study found that metformin treatment during pregnancy in women with PCOS was associated with higher SHBG levels in newborns, but did not affect androgen or estrogen levels at birth.
33 citations
,
January 2018 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” Metformin improves menstrual cycles and hormone levels in women with PCOS, mostly within the first 6 months.
26 citations
,
January 2016 in “Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism” In this randomized trial, metformin and pioglitazone both improved certain clinical and metabolic indices in women with PCOS, with pioglitazone showing potential as an alternate treatment for those intolerant to metformin.
26 citations
,
September 2014 in “Neuroscience Letters” This study found that metformin did not prevent gentamicin-induced hearing loss and even worsened auditory threshold shifts and caused adverse effects at higher doses in guinea pigs.
24 citations
,
January 2020 in “JAAD Case Reports” This article discusses the staging of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia in women of African descent and reports no new clinical results.
19 citations
,
August 2016 in “Health and Quality of Life Outcomes” This study found that metformin treatment may improve health-related quality of life in ethnic Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome, particularly in aspects of physical health, acne, and infertility, especially for those who are overweight and have hyperandrogenism.
19 citations
,
March 2007 in “Journal of diabetes science and technology” This study found that both metformin and rosiglitazone improved ovulation and insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS, with rosiglitazone showing a more pronounced increase in adiponectin levels.
18 citations
,
September 2015 in “Clinical Endocrinology” This study found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome have higher serum VEGF-B levels, which are linked to insulin resistance and decrease after metformin treatment.
18 citations
,
March 2014 in “Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology” This review discusses metformin's use in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, focusing on benefits during pre-conception and pregnancy, but reports no new clinical results.
17 citations
,
July 2016 in “The Prostate” This study found that metformin is inversely associated with serum PSA levels in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting further research is needed on its potential impact on prostate cancer progression.
17 citations
,
December 2008 in “Dermatology” This study found that adding metformin to IPL therapy in women with PCOS significantly improved insulin sensitivity and reduced hirsutism compared to IPL therapy alone.
16 citations
,
March 2011 in “Pediatric diabetes” Metformin helps manage diabetes, PCOS, and weight in kids but needs more research for long-term safety.
15 citations
,
August 2010 in “Fertility and sterility” This study found that girls with polycystic ovary syndrome and longer SHBG and AR gene repeats experienced greater improvements in lipid and androgen levels after one year of metformin treatment.
14 citations
,
May 2020 in “Drug Testing and Analysis” This study reports that hair analysis could potentially monitor metformin use in diabetic patients, suggesting a possible correlation between daily dose and concentration in dark hair but not in light hair.
14 citations
,
October 2016 in “Physiological Research” In this study, vitamin D supplementation showed no significant effect on androgen levels or clinical hyperandrogenism in PCOS women, but when combined with metformin, it improved testosterone levels.
14 citations
,
January 2008 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” This study reports that in women with non-tumor hyperandrogenism, a decrease in serum testosterone from insulin-sensitizing therapy like metformin may indicate a low likelihood of having an androgen-secreting tumor.