A theory that GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Zepbound might help people live longer has been bandied about by biohackers and aging researchers for several years. … But so far, academic research into the hypothesis has been scant.
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That hype stems from several lines of evidence. First, there is ample research demonstrating that GLP-1s improve people’s metabolic health by helping to regulate insulin and blood sugar levels and causing weight loss. Several studies show that they also benefit cardiovascular, liver and kidney health.
Because the drugs offer protection for conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are both among the leading causes of death, it could already be reasonable to call GLP-1s longevity drugs.
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Another reason experts think these drugs might increase longevity is because of how they affect cellular health. Metabolic health and aging are intricately linked, so drugs that alter the mechanisms involved in metabolism may also affect how the body ages.
“Many of these pathways that are modulated by diabetes drugs are also central pathways that control aging and longevity,” [said Dr. Nicolas Musi, the director of the Diabetes and Aging Center at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles].
