SGLT2 inhibitors, originally for type 2 diabetes, show broad potential to slow ageing, prevent age-related diseases, and extend healthspan and lifespan. They enhance autophagy, reduce oxidative stress, rejuvenate mitochondria, and protect against heart, kidney, brain, and metabolic decline, even in non-diabetics, with a strong safety profile.
October 2023 – Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases
Key takeaways
- Broad protection beyond diabetes: SGLT2 inhibitors were originally designed to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, but they now show wide-ranging protective effects against common age-related diseases, including heart failure, kidney disease, dementia, and cancer, even in people without diabetes
- Activates the body’s cellular clean-up: These medications stimulate autophagy, the body’s built-in cellular renewal system. By mimicking fasting states, SGLT2 inhibitors clear out damaged cells, reduce oxidative stress, and improve mitochondrial function, helping preserve organ vitality and delay age-related degeneration
- Linked to longer life and fewer hospital visits: Extensive data from large trials and real-world studies consistently link SGLT2 inhibitors with reduced all-cause mortality and fewer hospitalisations. This benefit extends to people with or without diabetes, reinforcing their role in enhancing both healthspan and lifespan
- Supports energy efficiency and metabolic resilience: By shifting the body into a fat-burning, ketone-producing state, SGLT2 inhibitors improve metabolic flexibility. They lower inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce uric acid, and upregulate longevity-linked proteins like AMPK and sirtuins, crucial for cellular stress resistance and healthy ageing
Read the article at: O’Keefe, James H., et al. “SGLT inhibitors for improving healthspan and lifespan.” Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, vol. 81, 2023, pp. 2–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2023.10.003.