Metformin Emerges as a Promising Candidate at the Intersection of Aging and Longevity

BUFFALO, NY — August 26, 2026 — A new #review was #published in Volume 18 of Aging on August 10, 2026, titled “Metformin at the convergence of aging and longevity.”

The review was authored by Jarra Manneh, May Alasmar and Nady El Hajj from the College of Health and Life Sciences at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar. Corresponding author Nady El Hajj is also affiliated with the College of Science and Engineering at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar.

Metformin has been used for decades as a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, but increasing interest in geroscience has raised a broader question: could this widely used metabolic drug also influence the biological processes that drive aging? The review brings together evidence from cellular studies, animal models, human observational research, and clinical trials examining how metformin interacts with multiple hallmarks of aging.

A central mechanism involves AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a major cellular energy sensor. By inhibiting mitochondrial complex I and altering cellular energy balance, metformin can activate AMPK, triggering downstream effects that include suppression of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, increased autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis, and reduced oxidative stress. Metformin also improves insulin sensitivity and reduces hepatic gluconeogenesis, connecting its established metabolic effects with nutrient-sensing pathways involved in aging biology.

Full press release - https://www.aging-us.com/news-room/metformin-emerges-as-a-promising-candidate-at-the-intersection-of-aging-and-longevity

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206407

Corresponding author - Nady El Hajj - nelhajj@hbku.edu.qa

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ws-x8e1klI

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article -

https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206407

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts

Keywords - aging, metformin, AMPK, mTOR, epigenetic modifications