A commonly prescribed diabetes medication could potentially help slow some of the health problems associated with ageing. Researchers are investigating whether metformin, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, could delay several age-related conditions.
The Targeting Aging with Metformin (TAME) trial is designed to investigate whether the drug can delay conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, cognitive impairment and dementia. The trial aims to include around 3,000 adults aged 65–79 who do not have diabetes.
Researchers became interested in metformin after previous studies suggested that people taking the drug may have lower rates of some age-related diseases. However, these findings do not prove that metformin slows ageing.
The research is focused on healthspan – the amount of time people can live in good health – rather than simply extending lifespan. If metformin is shown to delay several age-related conditions, it could change how researchers approach ageing and disease prevention.
For now, metformin remains a treatment for conditions such as type 2 diabetes, rather than an established anti-ageing medication. Further research is needed to determine whether it can provide these benefits in people without diabetes.
Read the full article: Can a diabetes pill slow aging? 2 experts weigh in on the TAME trial – Medical News Today