A recent study from Northwestern Medicine has unveiled that metformin, a commonly prescribed medication for Type 2 diabetes, lowers blood glucose levels by inhibiting mitochondrial complex I, a crucial element in cellular energy production.

This research marks a significant advancement in understanding how metformin functions, providing direct evidence of its mechanism of action.

Navdeep Chandel, the study's corresponding author and a professor at Northwestern University, highlighted that this research clarifies metformin's action, addressing a long-standing mystery that has seen numerous proposed mechanisms over the years.

Chandel emphasized that this study enhances the understanding of metformin's effects, which have historically been debated among scientists.

The findings suggest that while mitochondrial complex I is a primary target of metformin, the drug may also influence other metabolic pathways, as indicated by experiments with mice expressing a yeast enzyme resistant to metformin.

Chandel and his team have previously connected metformin's anti-cancer properties and its ability to reduce inflammation to the inhibition of mitochondrial complex I, suggesting a potential unifying mechanism for its various health benefits.

The research, led by Navdeep Chandel and Colleen Reczek, was published on December 18, 2024, in the journal Science Advances.

This study received support from multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health and other funding bodies, underscoring the importance of this research.