There is mounting evidence indicating that metformin, a low-profile inexpensive anti-diabetic drug can prolong aging in individuals. The drug which is prescribed for diabetes since years has come into public cynosure due to certain health benefits inadvertently conferred on the patients; one and most important of them being lowered susceptibility to cancer in comparison to the general population. Animal studies in this context have proved that they also help in increasing the life span.
The drug is able to achieve this by simulating the positive impact of calorie control through reducing the production and absorption of sugar in the body. Restricting calorie intake for the long-term does not come so easy to individuals; however, this has been said to lead to a longer life span as per some studies undertaken in this context.
The drug is highly popular in the tech circles of Silicon Valley irrespective of the presence of diabetes in the individuals and acting as a supplement to nutritious diet and regular exercise. Individuals here have discussed its impact with knowledgeable people in the medical field and have got a thumbs-up sign for its anti-aging effect.
The known side-effects of long term use include slow blood sugar, diarrhea and pain in the abdomen. The most acute danger posed by the continued use is lactic acidosis which is a condition involving excessive accumulation of acid in the body. However, most of the individuals who are non-diabetic and on the drug have only experienced the positive benefits; the main being improvement in metabolism.
The lack of in-depth and greater studies on the effects of metformin could partly be due to low financial incentive for the drug industry to invest in such a low cost generic drug. Experts in the medical field are therefore, hesitant to recommend it to non-diabetic individuals. Though the drug has undergone animal trials it is essential to base its safety and effectiveness only on human results which are very few in number.
