This is the latest among other studies suggesting that the medication may have several uses beyond diabetes, such as promoting longevity and weight loss and protecting against neurological disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Most of the proposed uses are off-label, which means the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the medication to treat those conditions. Conversely, treatments for GA have lagged. In 2023, pegcetacoplan and avacincaptad pegol came on the market, but they only slow GA’s progression rather than prevent the condition.
Studies on the treatment of dry AMD with metformin have been encouraging, but they have not focused on GA specifically. Because of the limited research on metformin’s effect on GA and the condition’s debilitating visual effects, researchers undertook the IOVS study. This case-control experiment involved older individuals with new-onset GA and a control group who did not have it.
The researchers looked at exposure to metformin in the preceding year to determine whether any correlations were present. Data analysis indicated an association between metformin and reduced risk of new-onset GA. The researchers concluded that further research is necessary to verify the findings, but metformin may provide a noninvasive alternative treatment in preventing GA.
Factors underlying metformin’s anti-aging effects include its ability to lower high blood sugar, boost insulin sensitivity, and decrease oxidative stress. The m.