“Metformin Reduces All-Cause Mortality and Diseases of Ageing Independent of Its Effect on Diabetes Control: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”, 2017-11-01 (; backlinks; similar):
Diabetics on metformin have lower morality than non-diabetics and other diabetics.
Diabetics on metformin have less cancer than non-diabetics and other diabetics.
Diabetics on metformin have less cardiovascular disease than other diabetics.
Metformin appears to extend health and life spans independent of its effect on diabetes.
Metformin may be able to extend health and lifespans in the general population.
This systematic review investigated whether the insulin sensitizer metformin has a geroprotective effect in humans.
Pubmed and Embase were searched along with databases of unpublished studies. Eligible research investigated the effect of metformin on all-cause mortality or diseases of ageing relative to non-diabetic populations or diabetics receiving other therapies with adjustment for disease control achieved. Overall, 260 full-texts were reviewed and 53 met the inclusion criteria.
Diabetics taking metformin had statistically-significantly lower all-cause mortality than non-diabetics (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.93, 95% CI 0.88–0.99), as did diabetics taking metformin compared to diabetics receiving non-metformin therapies (HR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.65–0.80), insulin (HR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.63–0.75) or sulphonylurea (HR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.66–0.97). Metformin users also had reduced cancer compared to non-diabetics (rate ratio = 0.94, 95% CI 0.92–0.97) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to diabetics receiving non-metformin therapies (HR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.66–0.87) or insulin (HR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.73–0.83).
Differences in baseline characteristics were observed which had the potential to bias findings, although statistical adjustments were made.
The apparent reductions in all-cause mortality and diseases of ageing associated with metformin use suggest that metformin could be extending life and healthspans by acting as a geroprotective agent.
[Keywords: metformin, ageing, insulin sensitizer, lifespan, longevity, geroprotection]