Metformin has exercise-like effect in prostate cancer patients, study finds

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By Olivia Bowthorpe

A common diabetes drug may help prostate cancer patients gain some of the benefits of exercise without taking part in physical activity, according to a small study.

The research suggests that metformin, one of the most widely prescribed drugs for type 2 diabetes, can increase levels of a molecule called N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe), linked to energy balance and weight control.