Reduces insulin resistance
Decreases pancreatic stress
Promotes fat storage
Increases inflammation
Accelerates metabolic disease
Worsens insulin resistance
By lowering insulin demand, metformin helps break this vicious cycle.
7. Effects on Muscle Tissue: Better Glucose Uptake
Your muscles are the largest glucose-using tissue in your body.
Metformin helps muscles:
Use glucose for energy rather than storage
Improve insulin sensitivity during activity
This is why metformin often works best when combined with physical activity. Exercise and metformin activate overlapping pathways that reinforce each other.
8. What Happens to Fat Storage and Weight
Metformin is not a weight-loss drug, but many people experience modest weight reduction.
Why?
Lower insulin levels reduce fat storage
Reduced appetite from gut hormone changes
Less glucose available for conversion into fat
Weight loss is usually:
Gradual
Mild to moderate
More pronounced in insulin-resistant individuals
Importantly, metformin does not cause weight gain—unlike some other diabetes medications.
9. Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Cellular Aging
Metformin reduces chronic low-grade inflammation, a key driver of:
Diabetes complications
Cardiovascular disease
Neurodegenerative disorders
Aging
It also:
Reduces oxidative stress
Improves mitochondrial efficiency
Enhances cellular repair pathways
These effects have made metformin a major focus of longevity research, with studies examining its role in extending healthspan—not just lifespan.
