Diabetes Drug Metformin May Increase Life Span, Decrease Aging

A new study testing a Type 2 diabetes drug in mice could potentially delay the effects of aging and increase overall lifespan in humans.

Researchers fed mice the drug metformin, finding that the animals lived approximately 5 percent longer than those that were not fed the drug. The treated mice lived 160 weeks, while those not taking the drug lived around 10 weeks less.

They also found that mice on the drug were more likely to be physically fit and aged less quickly, showing slower signs of cataract development than those who did not receive the medication.

In some ways, researchers believe that metformin appears to mimic the effects of caloric restriction through reduction of cholesterol levels and an increase of certain genes that help keep skin healthy and vital.

However, study authors point out that it's too early to tell whether these results will be applicable in humans.

According to WebMD, metformin is one of the originally prescribed medications to treat diabetes. However, it has also been used to help aid in the treatments of certain types of cancer, including ovarian cancer.

It has been approved to control blood sugar in the United States since the mid-1990s and it has been used in Europe for more than 50 years to do the same. Yet side effects associated with the medications can be dangerous, especially when too much is ingested. 

These recent findings in the mice that lived longer show blood levels of metformin that were 10 times higher than those seen in humans taking the drug to treat diabetes, according to researchers. Yet mice put on an even higher dose of the drug actually had a decreased life span as too much of the medication can be toxic, and may cause kidney failure.

Thus, with these findings, researchers are uncertain what levels would be appropriate for humans and further studies are needed.

More information regarding the study can be found in the journal Nature Communications.