It's so frustrating to get seemingly contradictory results across species with the same treatment. The Interventions Testing Program found no increase in median or maximum lifespan in mice, male or female, treated with metformin (though it did in combination with rapamycin) [0].
I realize "decelarating the aging clock" might be subtly different than increasing lifespan, but it's a reasonable enough comparison, imho. Hopefully we can soon capitalize on improvements in AI to faithfully model human biology in silico, and conduct experiments that way.
I am pessimistic about purely in silico or even in vitro methodd to tackle a problem as complex as aging rates. Improving mouse models to incorporate a high level of genetic diversity is a better first step. This is what our group of resesrchers is doing now. Results are promising and results are also highly dependent in genetics and sex.
Improving the genetic diversity of mouse models doesn't help you when a humans are far more complex, anyway. You may find a universal effect for a mouse, it's still a mouse. You're trying to fix the space shuttle by testing changes on automobiles.
Perhaps we should be looking at function levels at 70, 80, 90% of lifespan rather than looking for quantity of life.
Logistically speaking, humans tend to have a lot of disposable income at 60-70% of life expectancy. From the Enlightened Self Interest perspective, extending that zone before functional decline would not only improve society but also be profitable.
Yep, optimize healthspan not necessary lifespan. Best to do both and “rectangularize” survival functions (falling off a cliff). Lots of effort on this now.
yep, mice are burning calories much more actively than larger mammals, and if anything i'd not be surprised for the opposite result - ie. if mice on metformin die earlier from exhaustion and starvation.
I realize "decelarating the aging clock" might be subtly different than increasing lifespan, but it's a reasonable enough comparison, imho. Hopefully we can soon capitalize on improvements in AI to faithfully model human biology in silico, and conduct experiments that way.
[0] https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/dab/interventions-testing-p...