Does Metformin Help Slow Aging and Prevent Disease?

There are many who tout the benefits of metformin, which is an old, cheap drug known to lower blood sugar for those with Type 2 diabetes. It is thought to have possible anti-inflammatory effects, which help protect against cancer, diabetes, dementia, and heart disease. It is an insulin sensitizing, anti-diabetic drug, which for most patients is the first line of treatment for Type 2 diabetes.  It was first made in 1922 and came into production over 60 years ago. As for safety, 150 million people use it on a daily basis. The major side effects are GI — bloating, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting — which tend to be dose dependent. Long-term use can cause issues with B12 levels, which should be monitored.

Metformin’s effects are on the liver glucose and lipid metabolism. It helps with insulin resistance. It is also thought to contribute in the gut, acting on GLP-1 levels in the intestine. (GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide are commonly known as the Ozempic weight loss drugs.) The positive effects of metformin: weight reduction (average 2.1kg over 10 years), reduces HbA1c, and prevents the development of diabetes in those with pre-diabetes.

We know metformin helps those WITH diabetes. A 20-year randomized multicenter study published in 1998 showed the cardiovascular benefits of metformin use in diabetics. But can it be used for those who are not diabetic? Is there a benefit?

This is a new way of thinking about aging and disease. Instead of waiting til there is an issue and treating that singular issue, it is trying to target the “fundamental processes”- low grade inflammation unrelated to infection, cellular breakdown and damage to DNA and proteins, and the failure of cells to function properly.

In our rabbit hole of research, we found a “Critical Review of the evidence That Metformin is a Putative Anti-Aging Drug that Enhances Healthspan and Extends Lifespan,” in the Insights in Endocrinology of Aging, 2021. It discusses the clinical trials, MILES and TAME, which have not published yet.

• The MILES trial, Metformin in Longevity Study was constructed to assess benefits of metformin specifically as an anti-aging drug. Preliminary analysis shows it may induce anti-aging transcriptional changes, but it’s controversial as to whether it protects those who are disease free.
• The TAME trial is a placebo controlled six year trial at 14 research institutions nationwide. They are testing 3,000 people ages, 65-79. The study has not produced information yet. They picked metformin for many reasons:
  • It has been around for 60 years
  • Animal studies show delay in aging
  • It may influence fundamental issues which affect multiple different age related conditions leading to dementia, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart disease
  • Studies show metformin may influence metabolic and cellular processes.

After doing critical analysis of the studies out there — quality of data, the strength and reproducibility of data — they conclude despite data supporting its anti-aging, its ability to increase lifespan is controversial. They do conclude:

Based on the available evidence, “the beneficial effects of metformin on aging and healthspan are primarily indirect via its effects on cellular metabolism and result from its anti-hyperglycemic action, enhancing insulin sensitivity, reduction of oxidative stress, and protective effects on the endothelium and vascular function. “

So we await the final results of these trials. There is clearly something here. Blood sugar and insulin resistance may be a root cause of many issues. We see affirmation of this. Those on metformin have lower skin cancer rates, lower breast cancer recurrence. The studies on semaglutide, a GLP-1 agonist which significantly lowers insulin resistance, are showing large reductions in heart disease and dementia progression.

We will keep you updated. We like metformin as a healthspan and lifespan treatment. It is cheap. It is a well-tolerated medication. It has been around for 60 years, so if there were bad long-term effects we would have seen them by now. Millions and millions of people have taken it.

How Can Biohackr Health Help?

• TEST. What is your insulin resistance? HbA1c? Are you at risk?
• BIOHACKR PROBIOTIC +. We specially formulated a probiotic with strains of bacteria known to help with insulin resistance.
• EDUCATE. Read our blogs on diabetes and insulin resistance
• STAY TUNED. This is an area we will be expanding at Biohackr Health. We agree that blood sugar and insulin resistance is a root cause of many aging and disease processes.