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Diabetes Drug Halves Long Covid Risk
4 Feb
Summary
- Early metformin use reduces long Covid risk by up to 50%.
- COVID-OUT and ACTIV-6 trials confirm metformin's preventive benefits.
- Metformin is safe but not for those with severe kidney/liver issues.

Long Covid, characterized by persistent fatigue, brain fog, and breathing difficulties, affects millions globally for months or years post-infection. Recent findings suggest that metformin, a widely used type 2 diabetes medication, can significantly lower the risk of developing these prolonged symptoms. When started early during an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, metformin has been shown in clinical trials to reduce the likelihood of clinician-diagnosed long Covid by approximately 40% to 50%.
The COVID-OUT trial indicated a 41% reduction in long Covid risk with metformin, with even greater benefits when initiated within three days of symptom onset. Further bolstering these findings, the ACTIV-6 trial reported about 50% lower rates of long Covid among metformin recipients. These consistent results from multiple studies highlight metformin's potential as a preventive measure against long Covid.




