A common diabetes medication, metformin, may be linked to increased longevity in older women, according to a study published in 2025. Researchers found that initiating treatment with metformin was associated with a 30% lower risk of death before the age of 90, compared to women treated with sulfonylureas, another class of diabetes drug.
The study, conducted by scientists in the United States and Germany and published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, analyzed data from a large-scale study of postmenopausal women. A total of 438 participants were selected, with half receiving metformin and the other half sulfonylureas, as prescribed by their physicians.
Researchers suggest the findings support the idea that metformin possesses anti-aging effects. “Metformin has been shown to target multiple pathways of aging and has been considered a potential drug to extend human lifespan,” the authors wrote in the published article. The study found that initiating metformin treatment increased the likelihood of “exceptional longevity” compared to sulfonylureas.
Metformin, used for decades to treat type 2 diabetes, is increasingly viewed as a potential “gerotherapeutic” – a drug that could gradual the biological processes of aging. Previous research has indicated it may reduce DNA damage, positively influence genes associated with longevity, and slow the decline of brain function, though definitive proof of lifespan extension in humans remains elusive.
The American Diabetes Association released its Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025 in December 2024, providing evidence-based guidelines for diagnosing and managing diabetes and prediabetes. While the standards do not directly address the longevity findings related to metformin, they do highlight ongoing updates to treatment approaches, including consideration of continuous glucose monitoring for adults with type 2 diabetes and guidance on managing medication shortages.
The study authors acknowledge limitations, noting that it cannot prove a causal relationship due to its observational nature. Participants were not randomly assigned to treatments, and there was no placebo group. Yet, they emphasize the study’s long follow-up period – an average of 14 to 15 years – as a significant strength, exceeding the duration of typical clinical trials. “A key advantage of our analysis was the extended follow-up period, from midlife to age 90 and beyond, which is not feasible in traditional clinical trials,” the researchers noted.
The researchers suggest that controlled clinical trials are needed to clarify whether metformin has direct effects on longevity. Interest in drugs that can slow biological aging is growing alongside the increasing age of the global population. “The geroscience hypothesis supports that biological aging is malleable and that slowing it can delay or prevent the onset of age-related diseases,” the researchers explained. Identifying therapeutic interventions to slow biological aging is a central goal, they added.
Recent guidelines too signal a shift toward earlier combination therapy for type 2 diabetes, rather than relying solely on metformin as a first-line treatment. The guidelines also emphasize the growing role of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists as first-line agents for many adults with type 2 diabetes, considering the common comorbidities of the disease, such as cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and obesity.