Common drug reverses aging in monkeys, potential breakthrough in longevity
An anti-aging elixir has been available to experts for over 70 years and used by 80 million Americans.
Scientists have discovered a cheap and common diabetes drug that has been in use since the 1950s that can help monkeys speed up their aging process, in a move that could be a major breakthrough in longevity research.
Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Institute of Genomics found that metformin, a pill used to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, “significantly” slows the aging process in monkeys.
It reduced brain deterioration and improved cognitive ability. In addition, it slowed bone loss and contributed to the ‘rejuvenation’ of various tissues and organs.
According to the researchers, all the findings led to the conclusion that “metformin can reduce biological age indicators by up to six years” and that the drug could pave the way for reversing aging in humans.
Metformin is a prescription 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 topic has only been conducted in mice. However, the monkeys used in the study, cynomolgus monkeys or crab-eating macaques, are similar to humans both physiologically and functionally.
This often makes them ‘excellent models for aging research’.
Metformin has been hailed as a “miracle drug” by biohackers and longevity researchers. The drug’s potential as an anti-aging drug has captured the attention of both scientists and laypeople around the world.
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 lifespans of both species.
Researchers administered the standard human dose of the drug daily – 40 mg per five pounds of body weight. Typical daily doses range from 500 mg to 2,550 mg
The team conducted extensive testing on the monkeys every three months throughout the study, including imaging, blood tests and physical examinations, as well as tissue and cell analyses.
The animals also underwent a cognitive test that evaluated memory and learning abilities.
The team used these measurements to develop ‘innovative monkey aging clocks’ that allowed them to measure how much effect metformin had on their biological age.
The monkeys were observed for almost 3.5 years, which is equivalent to 10 human years.
The results showed “a significant slowing of indicators of aging,” including improvements in cognitive ability and a six-year regression in brain aging — the equivalent of 18 human years.
Monkeys given metformin performed better on memory tests and had better learning ability than primates that did not receive the drug.
The study also found that the liver, heart, lungs, intestines and muscle tissue improved.
The researchers said: ‘Our study pioneers the systematic reduction of multidimensional biological age in primates using metformin, paving the way for advanced pharmaceutical strategies against human ageing.’
The most significant improvements were seen in the liver and the frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for language, reasoning, problem solving, memory, movement and personality.
MRIs showed that the frontal lobe retained its thickness, indicating that it did not undergo age-related decline. Parts of the brain actually became thicker, which could indicate improved cognition.
Further research revealed that the primates’ frontal cortex was thicker, an area that typically thins out in monkeys as they age.
The studypublished in the journal Cell, concluded that the combination of improved performance on memory and learning problems and MRI imaging “suggests that metformin may delay aging-related brain decline.”
In one monkey kidney damage did occur, but at the end of the study no significant side effects were observed in the test results with analysis of 68 biological factors. This indicates that 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 commonly prescribed medication for people with diabetes.
However, researchers say metformin’s protective effect against aging may be entirely separate from its effect on blood sugar levels, because it acts directly on neurons.
In monkeys given metformin, blood sugar levels changed very little.
The drug activates a gene linked to stress, inflammation, metabolism and maintaining homeostasis, the body’s self-regulating ability to maintain balance and function properly.
Researchers said: ‘[The study] represents a major step forward in the quest to slow the aging process in humans, with research in geriatric medicine gradually shifting from the treatment of individual chronic diseases to systemic intervention against aging.’
The discovery could be a major breakthrough as the U.S. population continues to age and aging-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease become more common.
While an estimated 6.9 million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s disease, that number is expected to nearly double to 13 million by 2050.
The team added: ‘The observed reversal of ageing biomarkers in primates indicates that it is feasible to target key ageing mechanisms in organs. This provides a strategy to improve chronic conditions and prevent age-related diseases.’
However, the researchers noted that the study had limitations: they did not follow the monkeys after the animals stopped taking the drug and did not examine mortality among the monkeys.
