Metformin is already being taken by longevity hackers in the hopes that it will prolong their lives. It remains to be seen and luckily there is a large trial underway to determine if it will help.
Metformin does interfere with your body’s adapatation to physical activity. In other words, it interferes with the hormesis of physical exercise.
As readers know, I’m laser focused on methods to enhance your life, mood and longevity that rely on your body’s own systems rather than pills, procedures, or surgeries. It’s the best way to ensure that all systems are improving. Sure, it might take longer, but that’s only at first. It you work with your body it will work for you in the long run giving an incredible investment on your return of time and effort.
Kulkarni AS, Gubbi S, Barzilai N. Benefits of Metformin in Attenuating the Hallmarks of Aging. Cell Metab. 2020 Jul 7;32(1):15-30. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.04.001. Epub 2020 Apr 24. PMID: 32333835; PMCID: PMC7347426.
SUMMARY
Biological aging involves an interplay of conserved and targetable molecular mechanisms, summarized as the hallmarks of aging. Metformin- a biguanide that combats age-related disorders and improves healthspan, is the first drug to be tested for its age-targeting effects in the large clinical trial- TAME (Targeting Aging by MEtformin). This review focuses on metformin’s mechanisms in attenuating hallmarks of aging and their interconnectivity, by improving nutrient-sensing, enhancing autophagy and intercellular communication, protecting against macromolecular damage, delaying stem-cell aging, modulating mitochondrial function, regulating transcription, and lowering telomere attrition and senescence. These characteristics make metformin an attractive gerotherapeutic to translate to human trials.
