A 20-cent diabetes drug could be the key to living longer, scientists say.
A series of studies from the American Federation for Aging Research are investigating whether metformin – the world’s most common treatment for type 2 diabetes – could protect against age-related diseases such as heart disease, cancer and cognitive decline.
The team thinks this may be due to the drug’s anti-inflammatory properties, which aim to reduce the amount of glucose circulating in the blood.
At a time when biohackers are promoting anti-aging treatments worth thousands of dollars, the low cost of metformin could be a more accessible way to add a few years to your lifespan.
Metformin has been used to treat type 2 diabetes since the 1950s and costs as little as 20 cents per pill. Researchers are now investigating whether this can lead to a longer lifespan
The researchers have launched the Targeting Aging with Metformin (TAME) Trial, a series of nationwide, six-year studies at 14 institutions in the US. The flagship institution will be Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina.
The team plans to recruit more than 3,000 patients between the ages of 65 and 79 to “test whether those taking metformin slow the development or progression of age-related chronic diseases – such as heart disease, cancer and dementia,” the team said. website.
These proposed benefits are based on previous research in animals, such as: Study from 2013 who found improved lifespan in mice.
“Studies have already shown that metformin can delay aging in animals,” the TAME researchers wrote. ‘It may also influence fundamental aging factors that underlie several age-related conditions in humans.’
The team said metformin is the focus because of its low cost, which is about $1 per day with insurance. The goal is to get metformin approved by the FDA for aging, “to indicate that aging can be ‘treated’.”
Dr. Steven Austad, senior scientific advisor at the American Federation for Aging Research, said NPR: ‘I don’t know whether metformin extends lifespan in humans, but the existing evidence suggests it is very possible.’
Metformin was first used to treat type 2 diabetes in the 1950s in France and the FDA approved the condition in the US in the 1990s. It is generally so effective and affordable that the World Health Organization considers it an ‘essential’ medicine for pharmacies around the world.
Since then, recent studies have pointed to a host of other benefits, including weight loss and a reduced risk of a long Covid-19 bout.
The mechanism by which metformin causes weight loss is unclear, but doctors have several theories.
Because it reduces the amount of glucose circulating in the blood, it can also reduce the amount of excess glucose stored as fat.
It has also been shown to reduce hunger signals, which can suppress appetite and thus lead to weight loss.
It lowers plasma glucose and this has been proven increasing the levels of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1).
GLP-1 affects parts of the brain that regulate appetite and reward. A weaker appetite often translates into lower calorie intake, which can lead to weight loss. GLP-1 is also believed to increase the body’s own levels sensitivity to leptina hormone produced by fat cells that plays a role in regulating body weight.
A January meta-analysis in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute also found that the drug reduced the risk of several types of cancer, including colon, bladder and blood cancers.
In terms of people and aging, a British study found a lower risk of dementia and mild cognitive decline in type 2 diabetics taking metformin, although Dr Austad cautions that much of the evidence is observational, and the TAME study will try to find out how exactly this can happen. metformin can reduce age-related diseases.
The researchers are currently raising money to fund the TAME study.