HKU Research: Diabetes Drug Metformin May Have Anti-Aging Benefits

HKU research team discovers that the diabetes drug metformin may have anti-aging properties. (Courtesy of HKU)

Metformin, a frontline drug for treating type 2 diabetes, may potentially contribute to healthy aging, according to the HKU School of Public Health research team. By analyzing data from over 300,000 participants in the UK Biobank, the team provided genetic evidence supporting that metformin could facilitate healthy aging. The research findings have been published in the Lancet Healthy Longevity.

Recent studies have suggested that metformin, beyond its role in stabilizing blood sugar, might promote healthy aging and even play a role in preventing aging-related diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

The HKU research team utilized the genetic and phenotypic data of over 320,000 British Caucasian participants in the UK Biobank to identify protein gene variations related to metformin and its effects on various aging biomarkers. Employing the traditional “propensity score matching” method, the team compared aging biomarkers in patients solely taking metformin with those taking other diabetes medications.

The study revealed that the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction linked to the metformin target GPD1 was associated with lower phenotypic age and longer white blood cell telomere length. On the other hand, the decline in glycated hemoglobin attributed to the metformin target AMPKγ2 (PRKAG2) was only correlated with a lower phenotypic age. These results suggest that metformin’s impact on aging biomarkers might be partly due to its blood sugar-lowering properties.

Luo Shan, Research Assistant Professor of the School of Public Health, HKUMed, stated, “Increasing evidence suggests metformin may also exert its effect via glycaemic-independent pathways. Better understanding of mechanisms of metformin action using big data approaches and different omics is warranted and improve evaluation of its repositioning potential.”