Two cures from one pill.
A widely used diabetes medication may offer a new treatment option for knee osteoarthritis in overweight and obese individuals, according to a recent study. Researchers found that metformin, commonly prescribed for managing type 2 diabetes, significantly reduced knee pain over six months and may delay the need for knee replacement surgery. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Flavia Cicuttini, a health policy professor at Monash University in Australia and the study’s senior author, explained that metformin impacts low-level inflammation and metabolic processes related to knee osteoarthritis. These mechanisms provide a novel approach to managing joint pain beyond standard treatments.
The study involved 107 participants with excess weight and chronic knee pain. About half of the group received metformin, while the others were given a placebo. After six months, those taking metformin experienced a greater reduction in pain—31 points compared to 19 in the placebo group—suggesting the drug could serve as an effective and affordable option for symptom relief.
Traditional management of knee arthritis often emphasizes weight loss and physical activity, which many patients find challenging. Current pain relief methods such as over-the-counter medications and topical treatments provide only limited benefits. Consequently, many patients opt for knee replacement surgery sooner rather than later, even though outcomes can be disappointing, particularly in early-stage osteoarthritis.
Cicuttini emphasized that metformin is a safe, low-cost medication already familiar to many healthcare providers. She suggested that its use could postpone the need for joint replacement surgery, allowing patients to maintain activity levels longer with less pain. However, she also stressed the need for larger-scale research to confirm these early results.
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