If you were given a pill and told it could make you live a longer and healthier life, would you take it? This once would have sounded like the plotline to a fantasy novel, but thanks to modern-day science, it could become a reality sooner than you think. In fact, this pill may already exist! Metformin is the pill I am referring to. It has incredible anti-aging powers that can extend your life, and there is promising new research on the horizon with the Targeting Aging with Metformin (TAME) trial.
This trial could provide evidence that aging can, in fact, be treated. Research has already shown (see below) that Metformin influences metabolic and cellular processes associated with age-related conditions. Therefore, Metformin is able to delay the onset of major diseases, including dementia, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. The primary goal of the upcoming trial is to earn a treatment indication from the FDA. In doing so, rather than treating age-related conditions separately, they could be treated together by targeting aging.
Dr. Barzilai, the Metformin expert leading the TAME trial, recently spoke about the upcoming trial. He said the study would be a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, with half the population receiving Metformin and half receiving a placebo. To account for the side effects that can be felt during the first week of taking Metformin, the study will provide all trial participants with Metformin for the first three weeks. Participants will consist of 3000 people between ages 65 and 79 and aims to show that Metformin attacks a cluster of age-related diseases, not just one specific disease. In the trial, the participants will be given 1500 milligrams of Metformin a day.
Although trials and research are ongoing, this drug is by no means new. There are over 60 years of experience and research studying the incredible benefits of Metformin. What is different about this upcoming trial versus those that have already been done is that it will look at age-related diseases as a whole, where others have addressed the longevity benefits of Metformin individually.
Previous Research and Uses of Metformin
Metformin currently sits on the World Health Organization’s Model List of Essential Medicines, which is a catalog of the most effective, safe, and cost-effective therapies. It is an FDA-approved drug when used as an oral diabetes medication to control blood sugar levels. A UK study published in 2014 found that Metformin reduces overall mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. The study took 78,000 individuals with type 2 diabetes and compared them to a control group of 78,000. The diabetic patients who took Metformin had a longer survival rate.
Not only is Metformin used as a treatment, but it is also effective in reducing the risk of other diseases. The risk of cognitive impairment, specifically dementia, increases with age. Additionally, those with diabetes are further at risk for cognitive decline. A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that, in people over age 55, Metformin reduced the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Metformin can also reduce the risk of pancreatic, colon, gastroenterological, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Further, another study looked at 1300 cancer patients and found that Metformin lowered cancer mortality when compared to those who were not taking Metformin. Longevity benefits also include reducing the risk of macrovascular disease and weight loss.
The Magic Behind Metformin
This pill is both affordable and accessible and is derived from a compound found in French lilac. Although it is the topic of many scientific studies, it has been used as an herbal remedy for centuries. Metformin works by targeting complex one of the mitochondria. It limits the metabolic reactions, slowing processes that convert macronutrients into energy. This means less ATP production, which activates AMPK. AMPK is an enzyme that senses when a cell has low energy and activates multiple pathways to implement biology austerity measures, including decreased insulin level, reduced accumulation of oxidative damage and chronic inflammation, and the slowing down of DNA damage.
There are minimal side effects when taking Metformin, and if they do occur, they are mild. Side effects can include some gastrointestinal challenges like bloating and diarrhea for the first week. It is important to note that these side effects do not occur in most people, remaining relatively rare. Metformin is also extremely affordable and accessible. In fact, those looking to receive the longevity benefits can buy Metformin online through AgelessRX.com. AgelessRx is an online telehealth longevity platform focused on anti-aging therapies. If you are looking for the anti-aging benefits this pill provides, you can visit their website and start the process of ordering Metformin directly to your home.
Walk through the aisles of a pharmacy, cosmetics retailer, or health food store, and you will see an abundance of creams and supplements that have anti-aging written all over. These products may hydrate your skin, but they are not making any changes on a cellular level, which is needed to truly be anti-aging. Aging is more than skin deep, and our lifespan can be determined by how well we age. As the years pass, the chances of acquiring diseases like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s increase. News of the Targeting Aging with Metformin (TAME) trial has spread, and many are anxiously awaiting the outcome. It is an exciting trial that will likely only confirm what other studies have suggested – Metformin is longevity in a pill.
