Combination therapy shows promise in reversing frailty in older veterans
NCT ID NCT04221750
First seen Jan 09, 2026 · Last updated Jun 19, 2026 · Updated 27 times
Summary
This completed phase 3 trial tested whether a lifestyle program (diet and exercise) plus the drug metformin could reverse frailty and sarcopenic obesity in 114 older veterans aged 65-85. Participants followed a weight-loss diet and exercised three times a week, while taking metformin daily. The main goal was to see if their physical performance improved, measured by tasks like walking and climbing stairs.
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX
Houston, Texas, 77030-4211, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Metformin hydrochloride
What this could lead to
If successful, this combination of diet, exercise, and metformin could offer a practical way to reduce frailty and improve physical function in older adults with obesity.
What could go wrong
This is a completed phase 3 trial with 114 participants, so results are limited in size. The intervention requires significant lifestyle changes, which may not be sustainable for everyone. Metformin can cause gastrointestinal side effects.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.