Short-Term Metformin Protects Against Glucocorticoid-Induced Toxicity in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective: Glucocorticoids (GCs) are potent anti-inflammatory drugs, but strategies to prevent side effects are lacking. We investigated whether metformin could prevent GC-related toxicity and explored the underlying mechanisms.

Research Design And Methods: This single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial compared metformin with placebo during high-dose GC treatment in 18 lean, healthy, male study participants.