It has long been recognized that dietary restriction (DR) can inhibit carcinogenesis. Recent work has not only clarified the mechanisms involved, which involve the effects of DR on circulating hormones and cytokines, but also demonstrated molecular characteristics of tumors that determine the extent to which they are influenced by variation in host energy intake. Importantly, we and others have...

Metformin, an inhibitor of OXPHOS, is widely used for treatment of type II diabetes (T2D). A key site of action in diabetes treatment is liver, where the drug achieves a relatively high concentration following oral administration, leading to inhibition of gluconeogenesis and reduction of the hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia of T2D. As high levels of insulin have been associated with poor prog...

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a disease effecting people of every age, ethnicity, and gender and rates of the disease do not appear to be declining in the near future. The road to T2D is characterized by the combination of peripheral insulin resistance and inadequate insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells. Although the factors that contribute to the development of T2D are complex and...

An accumulating body of epidemiologic and laboratory evidence suggests that insulin and insulin-like growth factors influence both the risk and the prognosis of cancer. In this brief review, I highlight topics covered in my lecture on research directions in this field, including the view that metformin deserves investigation as a potential adjunct in the treatment or prevention of cancer in per...

OBJECTIVES Polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with insulin resistance and obesity. Previous studies suggest that metformin by reducing hyperinsulinemia is clinically useful in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. This study's Objective is to observe the role of metformin in omentin1, ghrelin, and other biochemical, clinical features within three months in hyperinsulinemic women with...

Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia accelerate both aging and cancer. Antidiabetic biguanides such as metformin decrease glucose, insulin and IGF-1 level. Metformin increases lifespan and prevents cancer in mice, although its effects vary, depending on mice strain and gender. Here we showed that chronic treatment of female outbred SHR mice with metformin started at the age of 3, 9 or 15 months d...

Both diabetes and hyperinsulinemia are confirmed risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. Some researchers proposed that antidiabetic drugs may be used as disease-modifying therapies, such as metformin and thiazolidinediones, although more evidence was poorly supported. The aim of the current study is to investigate the role of metformin in Aβ-induced cytotoxicity and explore the underlying mechan...

BACKGROUND The prevalence of childhood obesity and insulin resistance is rising, increasing the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2. To prevent these complications, lifestyle intervention is the corner stone in treatment. However, long-term efficacy of lifestyle intervention is questionable. In addition to lifestyle intervention, pharmacological treatments have been explored. Metformin has been sh...

OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy and safety of using metformin in overweight and obese adolescents without related morbidity. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials published until June 2011, comparing metformin to placebo or other interventions. Our primary variables were baseline BMI changes and development of adverse effects. RESULTS Nine...

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a common disorder of the endocrine system, is diagnosed based on inclusion criteria of an ovulation or oligo-ovulation, clinical signs of hyperandrogenism, and/or presence of polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. Many women with PCOS also have hyperinsulinemia, leading to over production of ovarian androgens. Due to this differential, the use of the insulin-sensi...