Scientists find Ozempic may slow aging itself
Semaglutide helped older healthy mice live longer while improving memory, muscle function, blood sugar control, and several biological signs of aging. Its effects went beyond those seen with calorie restriction, raising the possibility that GLP-1 drugs could tap into a separate biological pathway linked to longevity.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, extended lifespan and reduced signs of aging in older healthy mice.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley compared semaglutide directly with calorie restriction, one of the best-known interventions for extending lifespan in laboratory animals. The drug reproduced many of the anti-aging effects of eating less, but in several important areas, it appeared to go even further.
The findings raise an intriguing possibility: GLP-1 drugs may influence the aging process itself. Earlier animal studies have shown that these drugs can delay the onset of multiple age-related diseases. If semaglutide acts on biological mechanisms that drive aging, that could help explain why GLP-1 treatments have shown benefits across such a wide range of health conditions.
"Most chronic diseases are deeply rooted in the aging process. If GLP-1 agonists do indeed slow it down, then a wide range of clinical benefits is exactly what you'd expect to see," said Rafael de Cabo, Ph.D., a senior investigator at the NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA), and author of a commentary on the new study.
To see what semaglutide could do when aging was already well underway, a research team led by Danica Chen, Ph.D., gave the drug to 20-month-old female mice for three months.