Metformin improves healthspan and lifespan in mice

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Author
Martin-Montalvo, Alejandro
Mercken, Evi M.
Mitchell, Sarah J.
Palacios, Hector H.
Mote, Patricia L.
Scheibye-Knudsen, Morten
Gomes, Ana P.
Ward, Theresa M.
Minor, Robin K.
Blouin, Marie-José
Schwab, Matthias
Pollak, Michael
Zhang, Yongqing
Yu, Yinbing
Becker, Kevin G.
Bohr, Vilhelm A.
Ingram, Donald K.
Wolf, Norman S.
Spindler, Stephen R.
Bernier, Michel
de Cabo, Rafael
Note: Order does not necessarily reflect citation order of authors.
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https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3192Metadata
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Martin-Montalvo, A., E. M. Mercken, S. J. Mitchell, H. H. Palacios, P. L. Mote, M. Scheibye-Knudsen, A. P. Gomes, et al. 2013. “Metformin improves healthspan and lifespan in mice.” Nature communications 4 (1): 2192. doi:10.1038/ncomms3192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3192.Abstract
Metformin is a drug commonly prescribed to treat patients with type 2 diabetes. Here we show that long-term treatment with metformin (0.1% w/w in diet) starting at middle age extends healthspan and lifespan in male mice, while a higher dose (1% w/w) was toxic. Treatment with metformin mimics some of the benefits of calorie restriction, such as improved physical performance, increased insulin sensitivity, and reduced LDL and cholesterol levels without a decrease in caloric intake. At a molecular level, metformin increases AMP-activated protein kinase activity and increases antioxidant protection, resulting in reductions in both oxidative damage accumulation and chronic inflammation. Our results indicate that these actions may contribute to the beneficial effects of metformin on healthspan and lifespan. These findings are in agreement with current epidemiological data and raise the possibility of metformin-based interventions to promote healthy aging.Other Sources
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736576/pdf/Terms of Use
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http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:11879643
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