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Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain

  • Authors:
    • Sara Shreen
    • Mazher Ali
    • Syeda Lubna Eram
    • Mahreen Baig
    • Mohammed Abdul Nayeem
    • Waheed Fatima Asna Omer
    • Minhajzafar Nasirabadi
    • Syed Altaf Hussain
  • View Affiliations / Copyright

    Affiliations: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Deccan School of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, Telangana 500001, India, Department of Psychiatry, Neelima Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana 500088, India, Department of Psychiatry, Owaisi Hospital and Research Centre, Hyderabad, Telangana 500058, India, Department of Pediatrics, Owaisi Hospital and Research Centre, Hyderabad, Telangana 500058, India
    Copyright: © Shreen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY 4.0].
  • Article Number: 28
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    Published online on: March 30, 2026
       https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2026.312
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Abstract

Psychiatric disorders are commonly treated with antipsychotic medications; however, their use is frequently complicated by antipsychotic‑associated weight gain (AAWG), which contributes to reduced treatment adherence and an increased cardiometabolic risk. Metformin, an insulin‑sensitizing agent widely used in the management of diabetes, has emerged as a potential adjunctive therapy for mitigating AAWG, although real‑world clinical data remain limited. The present prospective observational study evaluated the effectiveness of adjunctive metformin therapy in the management of AAWG in a routine psychiatric care setting. The present study was conducted over a period of 6 months and included 100 adult patients receiving antipsychotic treatment. Participants were allocated into two groups based on routine clinical practice: A test group receiving metformin in addition to antipsychotic therapy and lifestyle modifications (n=50), and a control group receiving antipsychotic therapy with lifestyle modifications alone (n=50). Changes in body weight and body mass index (BMI) were assessed as primary outcomes. The study population predominantly comprised younger adults aged 18‑29 years, with a higher proportion of female patients. Olanzapine was the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic, and schizophrenia was the most common psychiatric diagnosis. The test group demonstrated a reduction in mean body weight and BMI over the study period, whereas the control group exhibited an increase in both parameters. Female patients reported a greater adherence to metformin therapy; however, adherence was assessed using self‑reports and pill counts. These findings suggest that adjunctive metformin therapy may be associated with improvements in weight‑related outcomes among patients receiving antipsychotics. Given the observational and non‑randomized design, the results should be interpreted with caution, and further randomized controlled studies are warranted to confirm the long‑term metabolic benefits.
View Figures

Figure 1

Potential interacting factors in the
etiology of psychosis. The image was taken from a previous study
(CC BY license (22).

Figure 2

Comparison of mean body weight before
(WTB) and after (WTA) the intervention in the test group (metformin
+ lifestyle modifications) and the control group (lifestyle
modifications alone). The test group demonstrated a reduction in
mean body weight following the intervention, whereas the control
group exhibited an increase in mean body weight over the study
period. Values are expressed as mean body weight (kg).
View References

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
Spandidos Publications style
Shreen S, Ali M, Lubna Eram S, Baig M, Abdul Nayeem M, Fatima Asna Omer W, Nasirabadi M and Altaf Hussain S: Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain. Med Int 6: 28, 2026.
APA
Shreen, S., Ali, M., Lubna Eram, S., Baig, M., Abdul Nayeem, M., Fatima Asna Omer, W. ... Altaf Hussain, S. (2026). Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain. Medicine International, 6, 28. https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2026.312
MLA
Shreen, S., Ali, M., Lubna Eram, S., Baig, M., Abdul Nayeem, M., Fatima Asna Omer, W., Nasirabadi, M., Altaf Hussain, S."Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain". Medicine International 6.3 (2026): 28.
Chicago
Shreen, S., Ali, M., Lubna Eram, S., Baig, M., Abdul Nayeem, M., Fatima Asna Omer, W., Nasirabadi, M., Altaf Hussain, S."Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain". Medicine International 6, no. 3 (2026): 28. https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2026.312
Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Shreen S, Ali M, Lubna Eram S, Baig M, Abdul Nayeem M, Fatima Asna Omer W, Nasirabadi M and Altaf Hussain S: Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain. Med Int 6: 28, 2026.
APA
Shreen, S., Ali, M., Lubna Eram, S., Baig, M., Abdul Nayeem, M., Fatima Asna Omer, W. ... Altaf Hussain, S. (2026). Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain. Medicine International, 6, 28. https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2026.312
MLA
Shreen, S., Ali, M., Lubna Eram, S., Baig, M., Abdul Nayeem, M., Fatima Asna Omer, W., Nasirabadi, M., Altaf Hussain, S."Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain". Medicine International 6.3 (2026): 28.
Chicago
Shreen, S., Ali, M., Lubna Eram, S., Baig, M., Abdul Nayeem, M., Fatima Asna Omer, W., Nasirabadi, M., Altaf Hussain, S."Metformin for the management and prevention of antipsychotic‑induced weight gain". Medicine International 6, no. 3 (2026): 28. https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2026.312
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