Posted: Monday, December 14, 2015 5:22 pm by Alix Redmonde
SARASOTA, Fla. — It’s the single most common drug used in the treatment of diabetes, and now Metformin is gaining attention as possibly being the pill to unlock the secret to the fountain of youth.
Endocrinologist, Louis Chaykin, M.D., of the Friendship Center for Healthy Aging, said most of his work now is with diabetes including clinical research.
“There are large number of observational studies that suggest that Metformin can reduce the risk of developing cancer,” said Dr. Chaykin.
Metformin’s potential protective effect against cancer has been gaining much attention, with more than 100 ongoing studies registered on the clinical trials.gov website.
“The earlier studies of Metformin demonstrated a reduction in cardiovascular death and cardiovascular outcomes,” explained Dr. Chaykin, “and this may be the reason why we are seeing the possibility of it extending life.
Now a Metformin in Longevity Study is examining the effect of Metformin treatment on the biology of aging in humans.
A baby girl born today is now expected to live to an average age of 83 and a boy to 79 years, according to the Office for National Statistics.
But, if the results seen in animals are reproduced in humans, lifespan could increase by nearly 50 per cent.
Human clinical trials start in 2016.
