Metformin and Longevity in Older Women
Research suggests that metformin, a medication commonly used to manage type 2 diabetes, could enhance the chances of older women reaching the age of 90. This finding, which emerged from a study published in 2025, indicates that the drug may have various anti-aging benefits.
Researchers from the US and Germany analyzed data from a long-term American study focused on postmenopausal women, examining records from 438 participants. Of these, half were on metformin, while the other half were treated with a different diabetes medication, sulfonylurea.
Interestingly, the study indicates that those taking metformin had a 30 percent lower chance of dying before 90 compared to their counterparts on sulfonylurea. Yet, it’s important to note some reservations regarding the study’s findings.
“Metformin has been associated with targeting several aging pathways, leading to speculation that it could extend human lifespan,” the researchers stated in their paper. They concluded that starting metformin treatment was correlated with greater longevity among women battling type 2 diabetes.
Having been in use for decades, metformin is categorized as a gerotherapeutic, meaning it has the potential to slow down various aging processes. Research shows it can limit DNA damage and enhance gene activity linked to longevity.
Previous studies have suggested that metformin could slow brain aging and even reduce long COVID risk. However, there’s still uncertainty on whether the drug actually extends human lifespan, particularly, which prompted the new study.
This research cannot fully establish causation like a randomized controlled trial might, as participants weren’t randomly assigned to treatments but instead followed medical advice. Additionally, there was no control group receiving placebo treatment and the overall sample size was relatively small.
On the plus side, the average follow-up period for the study was 14 to 15 years, significantly longer than most randomized trials, providing valuable insights into how interventions may affect lifespan.
“One significant advantage of our analysis was the extensive follow-up following treatment initiation,” the researchers noted. They emphasized that examining an extensive cohort from midlife to age 90 offers insights not typically available in randomized trials.
The researchers suggest that future randomized controlled trials could further explore these findings. Meanwhile, as the global population ages, there’s an ongoing pursuit to discover ways to maintain health longer and reduce age-related bodily damage.
Finally, the researchers mention the geroscience hypothesis, which posits that biological aging can be altered. Slowing biological aging may prevent the onset of various age-related diseases and disabilities. Identifying new therapeutic and preventive strategies to decelerate biological aging remains a primary aim in geroscience.
The findings of this research were published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.
