Some exciting research from the University of Montreal has found that the drug metformin, commonly prescribed for diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), has the potential to reduce multiple cancers by roughly 30% – an effect unique for any drug currently on the market. The study, published in Aging Cell, found that metformin reduces the body’s production of inflammatory cytokines, which accelerate aging.
Metformin is the generic name for an oral drug that was approved by the FDA in 1994 to lower blood sugar. Brand names include Glucophage and Glucophage XR (Bristol-Myers Squibb), Fortamet (Shionogi), Glumetza and Glumetza XR (Santarus), and Riomet (Ranbaxy). Metformin was later found to stimulate ovulation, regulate periods, and increase fertility in women with PCOS and is now commonly prescribed for women whose PCOS hasn’t responded to hormonal treatment alone.
Read more at forbes.com
