Metformin is a proven treatment for type 2 diabetes. However, according to studies, the active ingredient should be able to do much more – for example, stop age-related diseases.
People are getting older, but at the same time age-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer or dementia are increasing. Researchers around the world are therefore looking for sources that have a positive influence on the aging process and promote healthy aging.
The well-known diabetic drug metformin is increasingly coming into focus. Read here whether metformin can prolong life and delay the onset of age-related diseases.
Metformin has been used for some time to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes when blood sugar levels cannot be adequately improved through improved diet and adequate exercise. Medicines containing the active substance metformin are taken orally one to three times a day, depending on the doctor’s prescription.
It is often used because it is considered a safe remedy, is inexpensive and dangerous side effects are exceptional. A well-known side effect can be gastrointestinal problems. To avoid this, doctors prescribe a low dose at the beginning, which is slowly increased.
The active ingredient metformin slows down the production of glucose in the liver, which lowers blood sugar levels. In addition, the active ingredient ensures reduced sugar absorption in the intestine.
Excessive sugar levels are harmful to the blood vessels. Since insulin is a growth hormone, a high insulin level stimulates cell growth. It could therefore be possible that the growth of tumor cells is also stimulated. Metformin allows more sugar from the blood to enter the body’s cells, causing the pancreas to produce less insulin.
Metformin is not suitable for people with kidney failure, heart disease or liver disease.
Although the drug has been on the market for a long time, many effects are still unexplored. Since metformin has been used in the US and Germany since the 1950s and has a patent, there has been little interest in further research.
But recent research has come to the conclusion that metformin not only lowers blood sugar, but can also prevent a number of age-related diseases. Among other things, it is said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
The results of the TRIIM study have attracted the interest of international researchers and investors in the anti-aging industry. Since then, there have been some larger studies examining metformin in more detail.
Whether metformin also has a positive effect on the health of non-diabetics has not yet been sufficiently investigated and proven. More detailed studies are needed to examine the effects of metformin on aging in non-diabetic people.
The prescription drug should therefore never be taken on your own, as side effects and overreactions can occur. In all cases, therefore, talk to your doctor.
