Metformin and Semaglutide Reveal New Brain and Anti‑Aging Effects

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reported that the diabetes drug metformin can lower blood sugar by acting directly in the brain. In mouse experiments, low‑dose metformin inhibited the Rap1 protein in the ventromedial hypothalamus, activating neurons that help regulate glucose levels, adding the brain to the liver and gut as a site of action.

A separate clinical trial by scientists at the University of California, San Diego showed that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, slowed molecular markers of aging in adults with HIV‑associated lipohypertrophy. Over 32 weeks, participants receiving weekly semaglutide displayed younger epigenetic‑clock ages across multiple organ systems, indicating a potential anti‑aging benefit beyond weight loss.