Can This Common Medication Help Reduce The Risk Of Long COVID? (Metformin)

[LetMyPeopleVote]

I have been on metformin for a very long time.

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https://www.huffpost.com/entry/metformin-long-covid_l_64edff32e4b0fcbba8997137

According to Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, a board-certified internist specializing in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, approximately 10% of people who get COVID (even a mild case) come down with long COVID. The condition is exactly what it sounds like — symptoms of the infection linger for days, weeks, months and even years.

These complications may include chronic pain, brain fog, shortness of breath, chest pain and intense fatigue. Other common symptoms include nausea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, heartburn and constipation.

Now, doctors are hoping metformin might be a solution after a recent study suggests that the popular prescription may reduce a person’s risk for developing the condition following a COVID infection. Here’s what experts want you to know......

“Metformin has been identified as a COVID-19 therapeutic agent due to its in vitro antiviral activity, its antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory activity, and its work against protein production,” said Jennifer Bourgeois, a health and pharmacy expert at SingleCare who was not affiliated with the study. In other words: Metformin may have properties that can reduce clotting, protein production and inflammation – issues that can be part of long COVID.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. I am seeing some recommendations that people who test positive for COVID take Paxlovid AND Metformin

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[Greybnk48]

2. Metformin may also be beneficial to people with M.S.

https://www.mssociety.org.uk/research/explore-our-research/emerging-research-and-treatments/explore-treatments-in-trials/metformin#:~:text=In%20MS%2C%20cells%20of%20the,re%20better%20at%20repairing%20myelin.

[stopdiggin]

3. so we're knocking down a 10% risk (of long Cov) - to something like 4% ?

(approximately what are we spending for a 3 week script of Metformin ?)

[AZSkiffyGeek]

5. Metformin should be dirt cheap

It's one of the most common prescription drugs out there. It's available OTC in Mexico IIRC.

[stopdiggin]

8. and I didn't mean to sound (quite) so skeptical

as I maybe came off.
Glad there's something that proves helpful. But the people that are really in the market for help - are the people that have come down with the long Covid. This sounds more like a preventative or prophylactic - and I guess that's good for what it's meant to be ...

[UTUSN]

4. Metformin here, too

[AZSkiffyGeek]

6. I wonder if that's why my COVID was so mild

I've had some brain fog since, but nothing compared to the Long COVID horror stories.

[Arthur_Frain]

7. Yeah I don't think you want to take metformin Willy Nilly

NT

[AZSkiffyGeek]

10. Unless you really like spending time on the toilet

[roamer65]

9. Been on metformin for nearly 3 years.

So far it is stopping full blown Type2 for me.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

11. These are amazing stats

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