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By 2028 the number of people aged 65 years or older in New Zealand is likely to hit 1 million.
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Living better for longer is becoming a key issue in today’s world. There has been extensive research in how we can live longer, with more years in good health. A new study investigated the potential anti-aging affects of the medicine metformin has had promising results.
Metformin is a common medicine typically used to treat high blood sugar levels caused by type 2 diabetes. It is prescribed to people at high risk of diabetes to help prevent it from developing. A doctor may prescribe metformin when diet and exercise alone have not been enough to control blood sugar levels. Metformin is also sometimes used to manage the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
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The reason metformin is used for diabetes is that it reduces sugar or glucose production in the liver and enhances glucose uptake by the muscles. This helps control blood sugar levels and improves how the body handles insulin.
Over a 40-month study researchers evaluated the geroprotective (anti-aging) effects of metformin on adult male cynomolgus monkeys – which are physiologically similar to humans.
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The monkeys in the study were between 13 to 16 years old, which is roughly equivalent to 40-50 years old in humans. The 40-month period that the monkeys were observed was equivalent to 10 human years. The monkeys received 40mg of metformin per five pounds of body weight daily, which is the standard human dose.
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To evaluate the anti-aging effects researcher conducted a broad spectrum of analytical techniques including physical and cognitive tests, blood tests, medical imaging and more.
After the 40-months researchers found a significant slowing of aging indicators with the group given metformin. Evidence of slowed biological aging was observed in multiple organs including the liver, lungs, kidneys, muscle tissue and skin.
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The most significant impact was on the brain, with a roughly 6-year regression in brain aging. This would be the equivalent of 18 years in humans. It was found that metformin exerts a substantial neuroprotective effect, preserving brain structure and enhancing cognitive ability. Monkeys who were given metformin had superior cognitive function, both in learning and memory exercises.
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It was found that monkeys taking metformin had minimal change in their blood glucose levels, and researches suggest that the anti-aging effects may be due to metformin acting directly on neurons.
Historically there has been suggestions that metformin may have anti-aging benefits in humans. The significant results observed in this study with monkeys are great evidence to add. Cynomolgus monkeys are physiologically like humans. Of note are the similarities in the areas of cellular function and metabolic health.
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While there are some limitations to this study, if these findings do translate to humans, it would represent an important advancement in the field of anti-aging research. By targeting the aging mechanisms of organs with medicines like metformin we may be able to benefit from their anti-aging properties and lower our risk of age-related diseases.
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More research is needed to find out if these results do translate to humans, therefor the researchers have launched a 120-person phase II clinical trial testing similar effects in humans.
References:
Yang Y, et al. Metformin decelerates aging clock in male monkeys. Cell. 2024 Sep 12:S0092-8674(24)00914-0. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39270656.
