Quick facts

Safety: Metformin has been used for over 50 years to treat diabetes. While its off label use for longevity has no conclusive trials or approvals, it’s considered safe with proper dosage and medical follow-up.

ITP results: only positive when combined with rapamycin.

Metformin could only demonstrate positive effects within the ITP when combined with rapamycin, not alone (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27312235/)

(The Interventions Testing Program (ITP) is a peer-reviewed program designed to identify agents that extend lifespan and healthspan in mice)

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Key trials: TAME. Might be the one that unlocks treating aging as a disease and treating it.

https://www.afar.org/tame-trial

Also MILES : https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02432287

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Some studies and publications: 

• 2013 Metformin improves healthspan and lifespan in mice https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736576/
• 2017 Metformin extends C. elegans lifespan through lysosomal pathway https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29027899/
• 2020 Benefits of Metformin in Attenuating the Hallmarks of Aging https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(20)30183-2
• 2021 A Critical Review of the Evidence That Metformin Is a Putative Anti-Aging Drug That Enhances Healthspan and Extends Lifespan https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34421827/

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Overview: Many substances aim to reduce glucose levels, ranging from natural supplements like berberine to trendy state-of-the-art semaglutide (Ozempic).

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Type of substance: Drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes. Its use for longevity is off-label. As such, it cannot be acquired without medical prescription.

Metformin is a biguanide, which is an oral diabetes medication. It works by preventing the production of glucose in the liver, improving the body's sensitivity toward insulin, and reducing the amount of sugar absorbed by the intestines.

It is considered generally safe, since doctors have been prescribing it for 50 years to treat diabetes. However, using it off-label for longevity purposes must be discussed with a healthcare professional.

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‍Other related: Acarbose, Berberin, Rapamycin 

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