Key points from article :
A new clinical study has found that metformin, a drug often touted for potential anti-aging benefits, does not improve walking ability in people with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who do not have diabetes. The research, led by Mary M. McDermott, MD of Northwestern University and presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions—and published simultaneously in JAMA—followed 202 adults with PAD over six months. PAD reduces blood flow to the legs, making walking painful and limiting mobility, so researchers hoped metformin might help by improving mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either metformin or a placebo, but the primary outcome—change in 6-minute walk distance—showed no difference between the two groups. In fact, walking distance slightly declined in both groups by almost the same amount. The drug also failed to improve any secondary measures, including treadmill performance, patient-reported walking ability, blood vessel dilation, or short physical performance tests.
The trial also looked at safety. Rates of serious adverse events and cardiovascular events were similar between groups, and stomach upset—commonly associated with metformin—occurred in both groups. Researchers suggested that metformin may not help in PAD because the key enzyme it activates (AMPK) may already be maximally stimulated in patients with chronically low leg oxygen levels, and new studies even hint that metformin could interfere with exercise-related cardiorespiratory improvements.
Overall, the findings do not support using metformin to enhance walking performance in people with PAD who do not have diabetes.
