The Medical Advisor

David Sinclair, Ph.D., A.O. is a Professor in the Department of Genetics and co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School. Tests in 2022 ( R ) showed he has a biological age of 42 in a body born 53 years ago. Dr. David Sinclair certainly does not seem his age. His peers this age may already have gray to white hairs, complain of lower back pain, or been afflicted with health disorders, but not him. Dr. David Sinclair’s main research interest is the epigenetics of aging, with a focus on epigenetic reprogramming of aging (e.g. via Yamanaka factors ), NAD+ metabolism and sirtuins, and NAD+ precursors like NR and NMN . You may have come across his published, New York Times best-selling book on aging, “ Lifespan: Why We Age – And Why We Don’t Have To ”, going deeper into those subjects. So what supplements does Professor David Sinclair take to live longer or reverse biological age? Keep in mi...

Does Metformin Increase Life Expectancy?  Metformin is one of the most popular, off-label, anti-aging prescription drugs. There are other drugs that show promise to extend lifespan, like rapamycin or selegiline, but metformin is arguably the most well-known, and the most common prescription drug that life-extension enthusiasts take in an effort to slow down aging and extend lifespan. Metformin is a prescription drug that has been used for decades to treat type 2 diabetes. It’s mechanism of action is different from most diabetes drugs, given it improves insulin sensitivity (or reduces insulin resistance ). Metformin may also be able to extend lifespan and health span, as seen in various studies in multiple species ( R , R ). In the late summer of 2024, a study showing positive effects on aging markers in monkeys caught the attention of scientists and the popular press alike, and suddenly, metformin appeared to be back at the forefront of optimism over longevity drugs. In a 2024 stud...

Metformin may have several uses beyond diabetes, such as promoting longevity and weight loss and protecting against neurological disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, and macular degeneration. 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. While research on some off-label metformin uses is promising, studies on other uses are inconsistent. Some are controversial because they may not offer the best approach for addressing a health issue. Additionally, although metformin is generally well-tolerated, it does have some adverse effects and is not for everyone. Metformin and Geographic Atrophy Metformin, a common Type 2 diabetes, may offer protection against a subtype of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Vision Science (IOVS). Macular degeneration, a condition mainly associated with aging, affects the ...