Metformin Could Extend Lives 15 Years

Metformin Could Extend Lives 15 Years. A drug used to treat diabetes could help people add up to 15 years to their life expectancy, claim scientists. British researchers believe that metformin used to treat Type 2 diabetes could also extend lives. The team at University College London, who published their findings in the journal Science, believe the medication blocks a particular genetic pathway that, in mice, extended their lifespan by a fifth. The research found the drug had significant health benefits boosting the life expectancy of mice by 160 days — around a fifth longer than expected. Scientists believe that the drug metformin may have a similar effect on humans. “The mice lived longer and were leaner, more active and generally healthier than the control group,” said Professor Dominic Withers, one of the authors. “We added ‘life to their years’ as well as ‘years to their lives’.” His colleague, Dr. David Gems, added, “We are suddenly much closer to treatments for ageing than we thought. “The next logical step is to see if drugs like metformin can slow the ageing process in humans.