Metformin is a oral drug (pill) that is most often prescribed to people who have type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. It helps control sugar levels in the blood. However, more recently, it has also been used to treat "metabolic syndrome" which is a more general diagnosis for people who have trouble losing weight.

Metformin has been shown to help people lose weight. There's even some indication that it helps with some mental health symptoms.

Recent research has shown that high levels of insulin can trigger "metabolic syndrome". Metabolic syndrome is a general description for a number of symptoms including (excess abdominal weight, blood fat disorders [high triglycerides/ high LDL], high blood pressure, insulin resistance or glucose intolerance, a prothrombotic state, and a proinflammatory state). It is believed that up to 75 million Americans may have metabolic syndrome. It could be the cause behind the recent obesity epidemic. Metformin is one of the drugs that seems to help treat this syndrome.

For women, metabolic syndrome is also associated with infertility, excess hair, and "Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome" (PCOS). Metformin can restore or reverse these symptoms.

Metformin has been shown to descrease abdominal fat, and supress appetite. It helps people lose weight who are trying to make diet and exercise changes in their lives.

Metformin is also sold under the names: Fortamet and Riomet.