ArticleNature communications2013
Metformin improves healthspan and lifespan in mice.
Article in Nature communications, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 4 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 829 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Randomized Phase 3 Trial of Metformin in Patients Initiating Androgen Deprivation Therapy as Prevention and Intervention of Metabolic Syndrome: The Prime Study
Gut-Brain-axis: Targets for Improvement of Cognition in the Elderly
A Multi-center, Prospective, Cohort Study to Elucidate the Effects of Metformin Treatment on Steroid Hormones and Social Behavior. Linking Autistic Behaviorial Symptoms to Changes in Steroid Hormone Availability
A Phase II Exploratory Clinical Study Investigating the Geroprotective Effect of Metformin in Middle-aged and Elderly People
Who cites it
829 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 1,408 citations in OpenAlex.
- Rapamycin, Not Metformin, Mirrors Dietary Restriction-Driven Lifespan Extension in Vertebrates: A Meta-Analysis.Aging cell · 2025Pooled it
- Repurposing effect of cardiovascular-metabolic drug to increase lifespan: a systematic review of animal studies and current clinical trial progress.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Pooled it
- DELTA: Strengthening human biological resilience with an N=1 digital health and dynamic biomarker protocol.PloS one · 2026Trial
- MetAAA Trial Patients Receiving Metformin Therapy Show Limited Improvement in Quality of Life Compared to AAA Patients with Placebo Intake-A Double-Blind, Randomized, and Placebo-Controlled Trial.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Trial
- Repurposing Metformin for periodontal disease management as a form of oral-systemic preventive medicine.Journal of translational medicine · 2023Trial
- p38 MAPK and MDT-15 mediate SKN-1-dependent metformin-induced protection against mitis group streptococci in Caenorhabditis elegans.GeroScience · 2026Article
- Genetic modulation of NAD(P)H homeostasis reveals distinct redox-coupled metabolic vulnerabilities.Nature metabolism · 2026Article
- Direct Pharmacological Activation of AMPK Extends Lifespan in Yeast, Worms and Flies.Aging cell · 2026Article
- Intracapsular metformin bioactivity and its role in posterior capsule opacification.The British journal of ophthalmology · 2026Article
- Closing the gap in aging science: unlocking the potential of nanoparticles in senescence therapy.Biogerontology · 2026Review
- Neuronal ketone body utilization couples exercise and time-restricted feeding to cognitive enhancement.Molecular metabolism · 2026Article
- Skin Aging: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic and Technological Innovations.Journal of cellular and molecular medicine · 2026Review
- The Epistemic Policies of Anti-Ageing Medicines in the European Union.Health care analysis : HCA : journal of health philosophy and policy · 2026Article
- Obesity accelerates aging: Mechanisms and therapeutic implications.Genes & diseases · 2026Review
- A Mechanism-Based Framework for Anti-Aging Strategies: From Metabolic Regulation to Senotherapy and Stem Cell-Based Interventions.Aging cell · 2026Review
- Geroprotective Effects of Drugs Modulating Metabolic Pathways: Perspectives of Pharmacology in Anti-Aging Therapy.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- AMPK Therapy-A Little Goes A Long Way.Cells · 2026Review
- Epigenetic Skeletal Muscle Memory: The Impact of Physical Activity on Aging and Post-Injury Regeneration.Genes · 2026Review
- Beyond Diabetes: Continuous Glucose Monitoring as a Candidate Precision Tool for Cardiovascular Prevention and Healthy Longevity-A Hypothesis-Generating Narrative Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Review
- Frailty, polypharmacy, deprescribing, and 23-hour activity: insights from a mouse model.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2026Article
769 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
22 authors at 10 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
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 low-density lipoprotein 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.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.