GLP-1 Drugs Slow Molecular Aging Clocks, Conference Data Shows
- Popular GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are helping patients manage blood sugar and drop pounds while potentially slowing down biological aging by several years, according...
- Novo Nordisk researchers analyzed existing clinical trial data to see how semaglutide affected the accumulation of biomarkers and other molecular changes linked to aging.
- Eli Lilly researchers conducted a similar examination using tirzepatide, a drug that combines a GLP-1 receptor agonist with another gut hormone called GIP.
Popular GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are helping patients manage blood sugar and drop pounds while potentially slowing down biological aging by several years, according to data presented at the 13th annual Aging Research & Drug Discovery conference.
Molecular Aging Clocks Tracked in Clinical Trials
Novo Nordisk researchers analyzed existing clinical trial data to see how semaglutide affected the accumulation of biomarkers and other molecular changes linked to aging. Semaglutide users consistently showed a reduction in these markers compared to patients in a placebo group. While most biological clocks showed a slowdown of two to three years for the average user, a clock based on heart-related proteins revealed a slowdown of roughly four years.
Epigenetic Analysis of Tirzepatide Users
Eli Lilly researchers conducted a similar examination using tirzepatide, a drug that combines a GLP-1 receptor agonist with another gut hormone called GIP. Investigators evaluated human epigenetics, which involves the chemical modifications to DNA that regulate gene activity. Much like the semaglutide data, patients taking tirzepatide appeared to age at a slower rate than the control group according to their epigenetic clocks.
“All the clocks are telling a consistent story that we’re seeing a reduction in age,” Kevin Duffin, vice president for aging research at Eli Lilly, reportedly said during the conference, according to MIT Technology Review. “It’s not like we’re going to reverse age by 30 years or something, but it’s a significant reduction.”
Kevin Duffin, Eli Lilly
Lack of Peer Review Limits Study Findings
The findings carry significant caveats because the studies have not yet completed the traditional peer-review process. Company scientists conducted both analyses rather than impartial third-party researchers, and the science surrounding biological aging clocks remains in its early stages. The studies focused strictly on individuals with obesity or type 2 diabetes, leaving it unproven whether people without those conditions would experience similar anti-aging effects.
Federal Funding Targets Future Longevity Trials
More definitive answers are on the horizon as the federal government funds a new clinical trial designed to directly test whether GLP-1 medications can extend longevity and healthy aging in adults over 60.