INDIANAPOLIS (dpa-AFX) - New research from Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) and Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) suggests that their GLP-1 drugs may slow down certain biological signs of aging by two to four years.
The two drugmakers presented their findings at the 13th annual Aging Research and Drug Discovery (ARDD) conference last weekend.
Novo Nordisk researchers examined existing clinical trial data to understand how semaglutide affects biological markers linked to aging. The study found that people taking semaglutide showed improvements in these markers compared with those who received a placebo. However, the results varied depending on the type of aging clock used and the organs examined.
Notably, most measurements suggested that semaglutide slowed biological aging by around two to three years on average. One aging clock based on heart-related proteins indicated a slowdown of approximately four years.
Meanwhile, Eli Lilly researchers conducted a similar analysis of tirzepatide, a drug that targets two gut hormones, GLP-1 and GIP. They examined epigenetic changes, which are chemical changes to DNA that influence how genes function.
The findings suggested that people taking tirzepatide showed slower biological aging than those in the control group, as measured by epigenetic aging clocks.
However, researchers have highlighted several limitations to these findings. They stated that neither study has undergone the standard peer-review process, in which independent experts assess the quality and reliability of scientific research. Both studies were also conducted by scientists employed by the drugmakers, rather than independent research teams.
Furthermore, molecular aging clocks are still being studied, and scientists do not yet fully understand how changes in these measurements translate into real health benefits. A slower aging clock does not necessarily mean that a person will live longer or avoid age-related diseases.
The research also focused on people with obesity or type 2 diabetes. It is not yet clear whether GLP-1 drugs could have similar effects on biological aging in people without these conditions.
Although the findings suggest that GLP-1 drugs may offer benefits beyond weight loss and blood sugar control, more research is needed to determine whether these medicines can meaningfully slow the aging process and improve long-term health.
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