Anti-Aging Medications: Metformin, Rapamycin, and Senolytics in Clinical Trials

Jump To Section

• Metformin in Diabetes Treatment
• Metformin Effects on Healthy People
• Rapamycin in Aging Research
• Senolytics and Clinical Trials
• Supplement Industry Caution
• Future of Aging Research
• Full Transcript

Metformin in Diabetes Treatment

Metformin has been the primary treatment for type 2 diabetes for over 60 years. Dr. Steven Austad, MD, PhD, explains that we have extensive evidence of metformin's benefits for diabetic patients. The medication not only effectively controls blood sugar levels but also appears to reduce the risk of several age-related diseases. Dr. Anton Titov, MD, discusses how metformin shows promise in lowering dementia risk, heart disease incidence, and cancer development in diabetic populations.

Metformin Effects on Healthy People

The critical question remains whether metformin provides benefits for non-diabetic, healthy individuals. Dr. Steven Austad, MD, PhD, emphasizes that we lack conclusive data on metformin's effects in people without diabetes. Researchers don't know if healthy people should take metformin or if they would experience health benefits from the medication. There may be subtle side effects that make metformin unsuitable for non-diabetic use. Human trials are now beginning to address these important questions about metformin and aging.

Rapamycin in Aging Research

Rapamycin represents another promising pharmaceutical intervention for aging processes. Dr. Steven Austad, MD, PhD, notes that rapamycin has demonstrated remarkable effects in mouse studies, showing potential anti-aging properties. Similar to metformin, the crucial question involves rapamycin's effects on otherwise healthy human subjects. Small preliminary studies are underway to investigate rapamycin's safety and efficacy in human aging. The transition from rodent aging research to human clinical applications represents a significant advancement in the field.

Senolytics and Clinical Trials

Senolytics constitute an exciting new class of anti-aging drugs that target senescent cells. Dr. Steven Austad, MD, PhD, explains that these medications work by eliminating aging cells that accumulate in our bodies over time. Some senolytic compounds are combinations of drugs previously used in cancer chemotherapy treatments. Other senolytic agents are surprisingly available in health food stores as common supplements. Currently, more than 20 clinical trials are investigating various senolytic compounds for their potential anti-aging effects.

Supplement Industry Caution

Dr. Steven Austad, MD, PhD, strongly cautions against self-medicating with supplements marketed as anti-aging solutions. The supplement industry remains completely unregulated, creating significant safety concerns. Consumers cannot be certain that supplement bottles contain what their labels claim. Dr. Anton Titov, MD, discusses the importance of waiting for proper clinical research before using any substance for anti-aging purposes. The excitement around senolytics must be balanced with scientific rigor and patient safety considerations.

Future of Aging Research

The field of pharmaceutical interventions for aging is advancing rapidly through human clinical trials. Dr. Steven Austad, MD, PhD, describes this as a transformative period where decades of rodent research are finally moving into human applications. The ongoing studies with metformin, rapamycin, and senolytics represent preliminary but extremely promising research directions. Dr. Anton Titov, MD, emphasizes that proper clinical validation remains essential before recommending any anti-aging medications. The future of aging research looks increasingly focused on evidence-based pharmaceutical interventions that may extend healthspan.

Full Transcript

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: If we talk about medications, what's on everybody's tongue, what's been published about is metformin and rapamycin for decades, probably. So what is new in research into pharmaceutical agents? As far as the aging process is concerned, what's new with metformin?

Dr. Steven Austad, MD: We know a lot about metformin when it's taken by diabetics. Metformin has been the number one treatment for diabetes for a long time; there's 60 years worth of evidence. We don't know if metformin benefits healthy people.

We know there are many benefits of metformin for diabetics. It not only controls blood sugar, of course, but it also seems to lower the risk of dementia, heart disease, cancer, and many major things.

But what we don't know about this, or about rapamycin, which also has just remarkable effects in mice, is what are their effects in otherwise healthy people? Should they be taking these drugs? And if they are taking the drugs, will they get a health benefit?

Are there some subtle side effects such that healthy people should stay away from them? We don't know these things. But what's happened recently is that human trials are getting underway.

For years and years we learned more and more about rodent aging. But we never tried to extend any of it into human biology or human medicine. That's changing.

A study is just starting to get underway of giving metformin to healthy people. There are some small studies of rapamycin and then a whole bunch of new drugs.

These so-called senolytics. These drugs kill senescent cells that accumulate in our bodies with age. They are combinations of drugs that have been used in cancer chemotherapy, but also drugs that are commonly available at the health food store.

To the extent that those things prove to be beneficial, it may be that we already have drugs that would be very beneficial to health. Senolytics just haven't been studied properly.

Now you will notice I haven't mentioned those drugs that are used as senolytics. And that's because I don't think it's a good idea for people to just rush out to GNC and buy them.

After all, one of the things we know is that the supplement industry is completely unregulated. You can't even be sure that what it says on the bottle is necessarily what you're getting when you take the pills.

But there's some very exciting stuff going on. There are over 20 clinical trials going on with some of these drugs right now. They're in a preliminary state, but very exciting research going forward.