An anti-aging elixir may have been under experts’ noses for more than 70 years and is already being taken by 80million Americans.
Scientists have found a cheap and common diabetes drug used since the 1950s can de-age monkeys, in what could be a major breakthrough for longevity research.
Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Institute of Genomics discovered metformin, a pill used to lower blood sugar in diabetics, ‘markedly’ slowed down aging in monkeys.
It reduced deterioration of the brain and boosted cognitive abilities while also slowing down bone loss and aiding in the ‘rejuvenation’ of several tissues and organs.
Researchers said all of the findings led to the conclusion that ‘metformin can reduce biological age indicators’ up to six years and the medication could pave the way for aging reversal in humans.
Metformin is a doctor-prescribed pill used to control high blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes
The results represent a potential breakthrough as previous research on this matter has only ever been performed in mice, but the monkeys used in the study – Cynomolgus monkeys, or crab-eating macaques – are both physiologically and functionally similar to humans.
This often makes them ‘excellent models for aging studies.’
Metformin has been hailed by biohackers and longevity researchers as a ‘wonder drug’ and the possibility of the medication working as an aging reversal agent has caught the attention of both scientists and laypeople across the globe.
In the 40-month study published earlier this month, the monkeys were between 13 and 16 years old, equivalent to 40 to 50 human years, based on the rate of aging and lifespan of both species.
Researchers administered daily the standard human dose of the drug – 40 mg per five pounds of bodyweight. Typical daily doses range from 500 mg to 2,550 mg
The team performed extensive testing on the monkeys every three months throughout the study, including imaging, blood tests and physical exams, as well as analysis of tissues and cells.
The animals were also given a cognitive test that evaluates memory and learning skills.
The team used these measurements to establish ‘innovative monkey aging clocks’ to gauge how much of an effect the metformin had on their biological age.
The monkeys were observed for nearly 3.5 years, the equivalent of 10 human years.
Results showed ‘a significant slowing of aging indicators,’ including an enhancement in cognition and a six-year regression in brain aging – the equivalent of 18 human years.
Monkeys who were given metformin performed better on memory tasks and showed superior learning abilities compared to primates not given the drug.
The study also showed improvement of the liver, heart, lungs, intestines and muscle tissue.
The researchers said: ‘Our research pioneers the systemic reduction of multi-dimensional biological age in primates through metformin, paving the way for advancing pharmaceutical strategies against human aging.’
The most significant improvements were seen in the liver and frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for language, reasoning, problem solving, memory, movement and personality.
MRIs showed the frontal lobe maintained its thickness, indicating it did not suffer age-related deterioration. Parts of the brain even grew in thickness, which could indicate improved cognition.
Further exams showed enhanced thickness in the primates’ frontal cortex, an area that typically thins out in monkeys as they age.
The study, published in the journal Cell, concluded that the combination of superior performance on the memory and learning challenges and the MRI images, ‘suggest metformin might postpone aging-associated deterioration of the brain.’
While one monkey did develop kidney damage, no significant side effects were seen at the end of the study in test results analyzing 68 biological factors, indicating metformin has a high safety profile.
Researchers used Cynomolgus monkeys, or crab-eating macaques, because the primates are physiologically similar to humans, making them ‘excellent models for aging studies’
Metformin, sold under several brand names, including Fortament, Glucophage and Riomet, is used to control high blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
It can be taken in pill or liquid form and must be prescribed by a doctor. It was approved by the FDA in 1995 and is the most widely prescribed medication for people with diabetes.
Researchers, however, said metformin’s protective effect against aging may be entirely separate from the effect it has on blood sugar as it acts directly on neurons.
Monkeys taking metformin showed minimal change in their blood sugar.
The drug activates a gene related to stress, inflammation, metabolism and sustaining homeostasis, the body’s self-regulating ability to maintain equilibrium and function properly.
Researchers said: ‘[The study] represents an important advance in the quest to delay human aging, with geriatric medicine research gradually shifting its focus from treating individual chronic diseases to systemic intervention against aging.’
The discovery could be a major breakthrough as the aging and senior population in the US surges and old-age related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease increase.
While an estimated 6.9million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s disease, that number is expected to nearly double to 13million by 2050.
The team added: ‘The observed reversal of aging biomarkers in primates indicates the feasibility of targeting core aging mechanisms in organs, offering a strategy to improve chronic conditions and prevent age-related diseases.’
However, the researchers did note that limitations of the study were that they did not follow the monkeys after the animals stopped taking the drug and did not examine monkey mortality.
