Overview

• A randomized clinical trial published in JAMA found metformin reduced knee pain by 31.3 points over six months compared to 18.9 points for placebo.
• The study enrolled 107 overweight or obese participants with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, using a telehealth approach for treatment and monitoring.
• Metformin’s benefits are linked to its activation of AMPK, which reduces inflammation and supports joint integrity, according to researchers.
• Researchers highlight the need for larger, more diverse trials to confirm efficacy and explore long-term safety and disease-modifying effects.
• The findings suggest metformin, a low-cost and widely used drug, could be repurposed off-label to delay knee replacements and improve patient outcomes.