343 citations,
December 2008 in “Endocrine Reviews” Metformin helps with menstrual cycles and insulin levels in PCOS but is less effective for hair growth, diabetes prevention, and weight loss, and may improve fertility and reduce diabetes risk.
200 citations,
October 2009 in “European journal of endocrinology” Metformin helps manage polycystic ovary syndrome by improving insulin resistance and ovulation, but more research is needed on its full effects.
192 citations,
September 2003 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” Metformin is effective for treating excessive hair growth in women with PCOS and may work better than the standard treatment in some ways.
116 citations,
December 2013 in “European journal of endocrinology” Combining liraglutide and metformin helps obese women with PCOS who didn't lose weight on metformin alone to lose more weight.
105 citations,
March 2006 in “Human reproduction” Metformin improves quality of life, emotional health, and sex life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
91 citations,
November 2007 in “European journal of endocrinology” Metformin helps with PCOS symptoms no matter the patient's initial insulin resistance or weight.
90 citations,
August 2002 in “European journal of endocrinology” Metformin improves hair growth and menstrual frequency in women with PCOS and hirsutism.
75 citations,
July 2013 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Taking low-dose spironolactone and metformin together works better for PCOS symptoms than either drug alone.
60 citations,
February 2010 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” Metformin combined with lifestyle changes improves insulin resistance and reduces testosterone levels in women with PCOS more than lifestyle changes alone.
56 citations,
July 2008 in “European journal of endocrinology” Metformin and rosiglitazone improve blood vessel function in women with PCOS, with metformin also reducing insulin resistance and testosterone levels.
51 citations,
February 2013 in “JEADV. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology/Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Metformin is effective for various skin disorders but may cause skin side effects.
50 citations,
August 2017 in “Diabetologia” Metformin has limited effectiveness for improving PCOS symptoms and lacks clear benefits, needing more research to confirm its efficacy.
40 citations,
April 2008 in “European journal of endocrinology” Metformin and rosiglitazone both improved insulin use and hormonal symptoms in women with PCOS.
38 citations,
January 2011 in “Endocrine Journal” Weight loss and metformin don't significantly change vaspin levels in women with PCOS.
35 citations,
December 2009 in “Human reproduction” Metformin taken during pregnancy increases SHBG in newborns but doesn't change other hormone levels in mothers or babies.
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” Both metformin and pioglitazone improve PCOS symptoms, but pioglitazone is a good alternative for those who can't take metformin.
24 citations,
January 2020 in “JAAD Case Reports” Topical metformin helped regrow hair in two women with a hard-to-treat scarring hair loss condition.
22 citations,
July 2014 in “Hormones” Metformin may help treat neuroendocrine tumors.
19 citations,
August 2016 in “Health and Quality of Life Outcomes” Metformin helped improve the quality of life for Chinese women with PCOS, especially in physical health and symptoms like infertility, acne, and hair loss.
19 citations,
March 2007 in “Journal of diabetes science and technology” Rosiglitazone may be better than metformin for insulin resistance in PCOS, but more research is needed on certain biomarkers.
18 citations,
September 2015 in “Clinical Endocrinology” Women with PCOS have higher levels of a certain growth factor, which can be reduced by taking metformin.
18 citations,
March 2014 in “Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology” Metformin helps regulate menstrual cycles, induce ovulation, and improve pregnancy outcomes in women with PCOS.
17 citations,
December 2008 in “Dermatology” Taking metformin with intense-pulsed-light therapy improves hair removal for people with PCOS.
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” Metformin works better for adolescent girls with PCOS who have certain genetic variations.
14 citations,
June 2020 in “Drug Testing and Analysis” A new method was created to measure metformin in hair, showing potential for monitoring treatment and medical investigations.
14 citations,
October 2016 in “Physiological Research” Alfacalcidiol and metformin together lowered testosterone in women with PCOS, but did not significantly improve acne, hair growth, or pregnancy rates.
14 citations,
January 2008 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” High levels of male hormones in women without tumors are linked to metabolic problems and can be treated with metformin.
14 citations,
August 2021 in “Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy” Metformin, a diabetes drug, may help prevent and treat various cancers, but more research is needed.