The brain aged more slowly in monkeys given a cheap diabetes drug. Daily dose of the common medication metformin preserved cognition and delayed decline of some tissues.

This is a big deal because this drug is already FDA-approved, widely-prescribed with a safety profile that's well-documented, and cheap. Note that this experiment was only conducted in 12 male monkeys (primate studies are very expensive), but it's promising data that could help launch the first clinical trials to investigate metformin's use as an anti-ageing compound.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02938-w

The brain aged more slowly in monkeys given a cheap diabetes drug

The brain aged more slowly in monkeys given a cheap diabetes drug. Daily dose of the common medication metformin preserved cognition and delayed decline of some tissues.  This is a big deal because this drug is already FDA-approved, widely-prescribed with a safety profile that's well-documented, and cheap. Note that this experiment was only conducted in 12 male monkeys (primate studies are very expensive), but it's promising data that could help launch the first clinical trials to investigate metformin's use as an anti-ageing compound.  https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02938-w

Bobby

It seems to me that there is an argument for studies of these old cheap drugs to see if there are longitudinal benefits to them. the patents are gone so there is no money to be made on them, so the drug companies are not going to do the studies, like we could trust them anyway. i dont actually know who id trust to do the studies!

ive read about metformin before in this context. others say we should all be taking a baby aspirin every day. more controversial drugs like ivermectin etc could undergo trials to see if these is any thing there. we should study vegan v vegatarian v keto etc also. the science is screaming out to be done, so as to silence the quacks once and for all.

cant see it happening.

It seems to me that there is an argument for studies of these old cheap drugs to see if there are longitudinal benefits to them. the patents are gone so there is no money to be made on them, so the drug companies are not going to do the studies, like we could trust them anyway. i dont actually know who id trust to do the studies!  ive read about metformin before in this context. others say we should all be taking a baby aspirin every day. more controversial drugs like ivermectin etc could undergo trials to see if these is any thing there. we should study vegan v vegatarian v keto etc also. the science is screaming out to be done, so as to silence the quacks once and for all.  cant see it happening.

Nate

Jason Fung recently did an article on Metformin and other glucose-lowering drugs, pointing out they lower the glucose, but not the insulin, which is the cause of many problems.

Todd Smith

Human data has been pretty mixed, at risk people didn't have enough of a benefit to reach any statistical significance in longevity outcomes https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/44/12/2775/138471/Effect-of-Metformin-and-Lifestyle-Interventions-on even over a long time period

Then there's the fact that it reduces the benefits of exercise https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6351883/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9321693/

and lowers testosterone https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740051/

I'm more interested in other blood glucose management drugs like acarbose or SGLT2 inhibitors right now

Which were both successful independently in the interventions testing program unlike metformin https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/dab/interventions-testing-program-itp/supported-interventions which was only beneficial in combination with rapamycin

Human data has been pretty mixed, at risk people didn't have enough of a benefit to reach any statistical significance in longevity outcomes https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/44/12/2775/138471/Effect-of-Metformin-and-Lifestyle-Interventions-on even over a long time period  Then there's the fact that it reduces the benefits of exercise https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6351883/  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9321693/  and lowers testosterone https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740051/  I'm more interested in other blood glucose management drugs like acarbose or SGLT2 inhibitors right now  Which were both successful independently in the interventions testing program unlike metformin https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/dab/interventions-testing-program-itp/supported-interventions which was only beneficial in combination with rapamycin

OBJECTIVE. To determine whether metformin or lifestyle modification can lower rates of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the Diabetes Prevention Pr

Effect of Metformin and Lifestyle Interventions on Mortality in the Diabetes Prevention Program and Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study

Sam Mendoza

Not a scientific answer but from a diabetic: it causes some malabsorption so can cause deficiencies in some cases, especially B12. It also can give you gut issues and rather urgent bowel movements. 

when I investigated my symptoms I recall for women, there are more relating to their ovulation, food aversion / vomiting, and body flushing.

Not a scientific answer but from a diabetic: it causes some malabsorption so can cause deficiencies in some cases, especially B12. It also can give you gut issues and rather urgent bowel movements.   when I investigated my symptoms I recall for women, there are more relating to their ovulation, food aversion / vomiting, and body flushing.

This isn’t the first study claiming anti-aging benefits of Metformin. Usage actually goes back hundreds of years. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-gravity-weight/202204/metformin-rejoicing-in-the-lost-lilac?amp

French lilac led to the development of metformin, one of the most commonly prescribed medications with fascinating therapeutic potential.