Diabetes Drug May Offer Exercise-like Benefits for Prostate Cancer Patients

A new study suggests metformin can raise levels of a molecule linked to exercise's metabolic effects, even without physical activity.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 7:23am

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An abstract, ghostly X-ray image revealing the intricate internal structure of a prostate gland, conceptually representing the study's findings on how a diabetes drug may provide exercise-like metabolic benefits for prostate cancer patients.A groundbreaking study suggests a diabetes drug may mimic the metabolic benefits of exercise for prostate cancer patients, offering new hope for maintaining health during treatment.Today in Miami

Researchers at the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that the diabetes drug metformin can increase levels of the molecule N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe) in men with prostate cancer, even when they are not physically active. Lac-Phe is typically produced during exercise and is associated with changes in energy use and appetite regulation. This discovery suggests metformin may be able to activate pathways typically linked to exercise, potentially supporting metabolic health in prostate cancer patients whose treatments limit physical activity.

Why it matters

For many cancer patients, regular exercise can be difficult due to fatigue, hormone therapy, pain, or advanced disease. This study offers hope that a diabetes drug like metformin could provide some of the metabolic benefits of exercise, even when patients are unable to be physically active. Maintaining metabolic health is crucial for prostate cancer patients, as hormone-based therapies are known to disrupt metabolism and contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk.

The details

The study, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, found that metformin can raise levels of Lac-Phe, a molecule that spikes after intense exercise and is involved in energy use and appetite regulation. Interestingly, the increase in Lac-Phe levels was not associated with the drug's anti-tumor effects, suggesting metformin may support broader metabolic health during cancer treatment, even if it doesn't directly change tumor growth. The researchers also compared Lac-Phe to another metabolic signal, GDF-15, and found Lac-Phe was more closely tied to weight changes, indicating metformin affects weight through multiple pathways.

  • The study was published in April 2026.

The players

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

A cancer research and treatment center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

A medical school and academic health center located in Miami, Florida.

EMBO Molecular Medicine

A peer-reviewed scientific journal published by EMBO Press.

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What’s next

Researchers plan to further investigate how metformin's effects on Lac-Phe and other metabolic signals could be leveraged to support prostate cancer patients' overall health and resilience during treatment.

The takeaway

This study suggests a diabetes drug like metformin could provide some of the metabolic benefits of exercise for prostate cancer patients whose treatments limit physical activity, potentially helping to maintain strength, resilience, and quality of life throughout their care.