Ozempic-class drug slows aging itself, study finds
University of California, Berkeley researchers found semaglutide extended lifespan in older mice. The drug also reversed aging effects. It outperformed calorie restriction alone.
Researchers at University of California, Berkeley tested semaglutide on older female mice. The drug improved muscle and mental function.
The drug reduced inflammation. The drug enhanced tissue repair.
Treated mice lived nearly 100 days longer than untreated mice. The researchers compared semaglutide directly with calorie restriction.
Calorie restriction is a reliable way to extend life in lab animals. Semaglutide produced similar results in many areas.
But it outperformed in several key ways. Treated mice improved in exploratory behaviour.
Their spatial memory improved. Their blood-sugar control improved.
Their metabolic rate stayed stable. Calorie-restricted mice saw their metabolism slow.
The findings suggest semaglutide may act on the basic processes that drive aging itself. Semaglutide does not merely simulate eating less.
- UC Berkeley
- Institution
- Nearly 100 days longer
- Lifespan extension
- 3 months
- Treatment duration
- 20-month-old female mice
- Test subjects
Why it mattersIf GLP-1 drugs slow aging at the cellular level, it could explain their surprising benefits across a wide range of health conditions. This discovery could reshape medicine.
AustraliaAustralians already taking or considering Ozempic or similar drugs may one day learn the medication slows aging more deeply than expected, potentially opening new medical uses.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 10 d ago
