A drug commonly used to treat type-2 diabetes has the added bonus of reducing the risk of prostate cancer, new research has found.
For the study, published in Rejuvenation Research, researchers conducted a literature review of research from the past 10 years, covering 2.25 million patients with type-2 diabetes taking metformin.
They found metformin use in type-2 diabetics was associated with reduced risk of death, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.
Associate Professor Yoram Barak
Senior author Associate Professor Yoram Barak, of the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka Department of Psychological Medicine, says those results were expected, but the surprise finding was the drug’s association with lower rates of prostate cancer.
“Metformin has been widely researched as an ‘anti-ageing’ drug, but our analysis is exciting as the role of metformin in reducing cancer rates has been proposed prior to this project, but never in relation to prostate cancer.
“It is interesting to find an unexpected benefit from taking the drug.”
While Associate Professor Barak says it is too early to justify use of metformin in non-diabetic individuals, he believes it should be a standard part of type-2 diabetes management for males.
“This is one way medical professionals can contribute to a better future for people struggling with type-2 diabetes,” he says.
Associate Professor Barak also believes undertaking senolytic research – which focuses on developing drugs or therapies to delay, prevent, alleviate or reverse aspects of ageing – is important.
“We need to raise awareness of the need to invest in this research, and the opportunities it holds to improve ageing.”
This is particularly true for Aotearoa New Zealand as the nation will become an “ageing society”, as defined by the World Health Organization, in the late 2030s.
“We are hoping our research and similar efforts will improve the quality of life of older New Zealanders,” Associate Professor Barak says.
Publication:
Impact of metformin on healthspan related outcomes and incidence of diseases of ageing in people with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A systematic review
Amy Hai Yan Chan, Kebede Beyene, Bertha Lai, Sarah Kim, Ivy Wu, Rana Al-Jawadi, Margaret Wu, Holly Foot, Gary Cheung, Xaviour Walker and Yoram Barak
Rejuvenation Research
DOI: 10.1177/15491684261462413
