Authors: Barry Scott, Emily A. Day, Katie L. O’Brien, John Scanlan, Grace Cromwell, Aine Ni Scannail, Marie E. McDonnell, David K. Finlay, Lydia Lynch
Published: 2024-03-18
DOI: 10.1038/s42255-024-01018-7
Source: Full article
AbstractMetformin, a widely used first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D), is known to reduce blood glucose levels and suppress appetite. Here we report a significant elevation of the appetite-suppressing metabolite N-lactoyl phenylalanine (Lac-Phe) in the blood of individuals treated with metformin across seven observational and interventional studies. Furthermore, Lac-Phe levels were found to rise in response to acute metformin administration and post-prandially in patients with T2D or in metabolically healthy volunteers.