The Safe, Boring, and Extremely Cheap Drug That Could Cure Aging (opens in new tab)

(medium.com)

24 pointsliamdanielduffy7y ago6 comments

6 comments

Calorie restriction has shown anti-aging benefits as well, does metformin mimic this by restricting glucose/calorie absorption? Does this mean you can have your cake and eat it too?

AlexanderNull7y ago

Intermittent fasting has been shown in a few cases to exceed the benefit of caloric restriction (and it's generally easier to follow: http://www.pnas.org/content/100/10/6216 I mention that because the cytological benefits of IF are also accompanied by well improved glucose regulation metrics. There's a good chance that those changes are at least partial drivers for the overall benefits.

wmblaettler7y ago

It seems there is a whole class of supplements and drugs that are being researched for this very effect: Calorie restriction mimetics [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloric_restriction_mimetic

aszantu7y ago

so when people eat less starch and sugar the inflammation goes back. Now the industry wants to sell a diabetic medication for longevity. Makes sense xD

teslabox7y ago

Metformin is just a drug that impairs the liver’s ability to put sugar into the blood stream. While there are certainly drugs to treat the conditions associated with aging, this is probably not one of them.

ThJ7y ago

Well, as the article points out, and other articles have pointed out, Metformin has a modestly positive effect on longevity. The diseases associated with diabetes type II (metabolic syndrome, syndrome X) pretty much overlap with the main diseases that kill old people. It would thus make sense that a drug designed to alleviate symptoms of diabetes could modestly slow down aging.

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6 comments

wmblaettler7y ago

Calorie restriction has shown anti-aging benefits as well, does metformin mimic this by restricting glucose/calorie absorption? Does this mean you can have your cake and eat it too?

AlexanderNull7y ago

wmblaettler7y ago

It seems there is a whole class of supplements and drugs that are being researched for this very effect: Calorie restriction mimetics [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloric_restriction_mimetic

aszantu7y ago

so when people eat less starch and sugar the inflammation goes back. Now the industry wants to sell a diabetic medication for longevity. Makes sense xD

teslabox7y ago

ThJ7y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse