Key points from article :
A recent study suggests that the inexpensive diabetes drug metformin may slow the aging process, particularly in the brain, of male monkeys. Conducted by Guanghui Liu, a biologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, and published in Cell, the research tracked 12 elderly monkeys over three years. Those given daily doses of metformin experienced slower brain aging, enhanced cognition, and better liver function compared to untreated monkeys. Their brain activity resembled that of monkeys six years younger, equivalent to about 18 human years.
Metformin has been used for over 60 years to treat type 2 diabetes, but researchers have long suspected it might also have anti-aging effects. Liu’s study is the first to test the drug’s impact on aging in primates, showing that it slowed biological aging across several tissues, including the brain, lungs, liver, and skin. The drug also appeared to reduce chronic inflammation, a key marker of aging, potentially through the activation of the protective protein NRF2.
While these results are promising, Liu cautions that further research is needed before metformin can be confirmed as an anti-aging treatment in humans. His team has launched a trial with 120 human participants to explore this possibility, while larger efforts, like those led by geroscientist Nir Barzilai, aim to test metformin’s effects on aging in a broader population. If successful, the drug could one day help doctors focus on extending healthspan—keeping people healthy for longer—as they age.
