$20 Pill vs $20,000 Surgery? Popular Diabetes Drug Metformin Found To Relieve Osteoarthritis Knee Pain
By Monash University May 14, 2025
Metformin may reduce knee pain in overweight patients with osteoarthritis, offering a low-cost alternative to early knee replacement surgery, according to a Monash University trial.
A widely used diabetes medication may help relieve knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain in people who are overweight or obese, potentially delaying the need for knee replacement surgery, according to new research led by Monash University.
The study, published in JAMA, investigated the effects of metformin, a drug commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, on knee pain. Over a six-month period, researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial comparing metformin to a placebo in adults with symptomatic knee OA and no history of diabetes.
Conducted entirely via telehealth, the community-based trial enrolled 107 participants (73 women and 34 men) with an average age of 60. Participants received either a daily dose of up to 2000 mg of metformin or a placebo. None had diabetes.
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Obese patients have to delay surgery anyways since they have to lower their weight (BMI) to qualify for surgery. |
