Semaglutide Slows Ageing Signs and Extends Lifespan in Mice, Study Finds
Semaglutide improved physical and cognitive measures and extended median lifespan in older female mice, but researchers say human studies are needed.
Semaglutide, a medicine widely used for diabetes and weight management, may also influence biological processes linked to ageing, according to a new study conducted in older female mice.
Researchers treated 20-month-old mice with semaglutide and observed changes in lifespan, physical performance, metabolism and cognitive function. The drug reduced food intake by around 24%, lowered body weight and fat, and increased the proportion of lean mass.
Mice receiving semaglutide had a median lifespan of 834 days, compared with 742 days in the control group. They also demonstrated improved movement, coordination, muscle function, endurance and glucose control.
Researchers reported benefits in tests related to spatial memory and learning, along with increased markers associated with the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus. Semaglutide was also associated with reduced age-related inflammation and cellular senescence, as well as improvements in mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and protein quality control.
The researchers compared the treatment with calorie restriction, an approach previously linked to longer lifespan in animal studies. Both produced similar reductions in food intake, weight and body fat, although their effects on eating patterns differed.
Despite the findings, researchers stressed that the results do not establish semaglutide as an anti-ageing treatment for humans. The research involved only older female mice of one strain, and long-term human clinical studies are required to determine whether similar effects occur in people.
