ArticleBMJ open diabetes research & care2025
Association of metformin treatment with changes in metal dynamics in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Article in BMJ open diabetes research & care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Copper dysregulation in cardiometabolic disease: copper deficiency versus cuproptosis.Apoptosis : an international journal on programmed cell death · 2026Review
- Article
- The role of dysregulated copper metabolism in diabetes and its complications: a review.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe metal-chelating activity of metformin, which has long been known but of unclear clinical relevance, has recently been implicated in the pleiotropic effects, including antitumorigenic and anti-inflammatory actions, of the drug. However, whether metformin actually influences metal dynamics in humans has remained unknown. We here investigate whether metformin influences serum metal levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND
methodsIn this cross-sectional study, individuals with type 2 diabetes treated or not treated with metformin for at least 6 months were recruited. The primary outcome was the difference in serum copper concentration between metformin users and non-users. Secondary outcomes included differences in serum levels of iron, zinc, and vitamin B
resultsA total of 189 individuals (93 metformin users and 96 non-users) were analyzed. Metformin users showed significantly lower serum copper (16.0 vs 17.8 µmol/L, p<0.001) and iron levels (16.3 vs 17.3 µmol/L, p=0.02) and higher zinc levels (13.3 vs 12.5 µmol/L, p=0.01) compared with non-users. Copper-related and iron-related parameters for metformin users were consistent with latent deficiencies of these metals. Serum homocysteine levels (12.2 vs 11.2 µmol/L, p=0.03) were significantly higher, whereas vitamin B
conclusionsMetformin use was associated with reduced serum levels of copper and iron, as well as with increased serum zinc levels. These changes in metal dynamics may be related to the pharmacological effects of this widely administered drug.
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