Metformin is AntiCancer & Lowers All-Cause Mortality in Diabetics and Non-Diabetics

Metformin is Neuroprotective, Anti-Viral, Anti-Bacterial, and Anti-Aging - Also Repairs DNA Damage, Misfolded Proteins, and Reduces Long COVID Risk

Fountain of Youth?

While researching all possible ways to help my friend with Glioblastoma, I encountered Metformin, and was astonished to find that this diabetic medication, approved as safe by the FDA, massively reduced the risk for getting cancer, and also from dying from established cancer.

A recent study published in 2017, before COVID-19, conducted a meta-analysis of some 250 studies and combined these to find various signals, and the results showed not only Metformin’s undeniable anti-cancer activity, but its longevity-promoting effects in both diabetics and non-diabetics.

As an aside, this is a good place to comment on social media posts that attempt to cast Metformin in an unfavorable light. When one evaluates over 250 studies and combines them to show Metformin improves survival and decreases mortality, it is fair to say you should ignore those posts. Metformin promotes health and longevity. Period.

While GI side effects include diarrhea in some people, overall, the drug is well-tolerated. However, as in this Medscape article, Big Pharma might prefer you take other drugs that are still expensive and on patent rather than cheap Metformin, so be aware that the media may inundate you with messages to change to something else.

But I digress.

What is even more impressive is that this meta-analysis revealed something startling. Although the disease of diabetes accelerates the related diseases of cancer and cardiovascular disease and often shortens life by years or even decades, Metformin has the opposite effect. Diabetics who take Metformin die at lower rates than non-diabetics who do not take it.

Metformin lowers cancer risk and improves cancer survival. The more one takes, and the longer one takes it, the greater the anti-cancer benefit. Dr. Paul E. Marik writes about Metformin in his book Cancer Care. Metformin also reduces the risk of death from all causes, whether from cancer, cardiovascular disease, viruses, or diseases of aging.

But that is just the beginning.

Metformin reduced COVID-19 deaths by nearly 50%. It is a powerful agent against RNA viruses. Moreover, it reduced long-term complications of COVID through decreasing entry into ACE-2 receptors, improving AMPK-dependent resolution of lung damage, limiting pulmonary fibrosis, and favorably altering inflammatory mediators like IL-6, TNF alpha, Toll-like receptors, and IL-10 among others.

Metformin enhances the repair of DNA-damaged cells. It helps repair misfolded proteins. It further enhances mitochondrial function. Thus, it appears to be an excellent candidate for use in patients suffering from Long Vax or Long COVID conditions.

Indeed, the FLCCC has added Metformin to its I-CARE: Early COVID Treatment guide. Concerning Long COVID, Dr. Been has done a video on Metformin and its ability to reduce Spike Protein and Long COVID Disease - in an episode of Long Story Short.

Metformin is also neuroprotective. Metformin accelerates remyelination in models of Multiple Sclerosis. It is neuroprotective in Parkinson’s Disease. Metformin takers experience a reduction in the risk of dementia. And those who stop Metformin experience an increase in the dementia risk.

There is evidence that Metformin can benefit mice with a certain genetic variant of ALS termed C9-ALS.

Beyond Neuroprotective, Anti-Viral and Anti-Cancer benefits, Metformin improves the gut microbiome, particularly relevant to those who have experienced damage due to COVID-19.

However, Metformin is now being studied for its anti-aging effects and potential to extend longevity. It does this partly through its beneficial effects on the mitochondrion. Metformin inhibits mitochondrial Complex I and thereby oxidative phosphorylation by activating AMP Kinase. This leads to reduced reactive oxygenation species [ROS] and reduced macromolecular damage. Activation of AMP Kinase leads to anti-inflammatory effects and downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and NF-kB signaling. Metformin’s AMPK activation results in the inhibition of mTOR and direct activation of SIRT1 which is anti-aging.

Perhaps most exciting is Metformin’s ability to stabilize DNA damage and promote DNA repair.

Metformin has a genome protective effect through its reduction of oxidative stress, DNA damage, and epigenetic effects. Genotoxicity-protective effects are seen in human lymphocytes, mouse bone marrow cells, and mouse kidney cells. In the presence of DNA damage, metformin acts to repair through ATM and Checkpoint kinases-2 which phosphorylates serine 132 on histone H2AX and recruiting DNA repair complexes at DNA double-strand breaks.

This ability of Metformin to provide repair mechanisms against genotoxic stress is thought to be one mechanism of its role in combating senescence. In addition, Metformin augments autophagy and can repair misfolded proteins. The repair mechanism is related to the downstream activation of AMPK. With the discovery of DNA plasmids in various experimental injections, it is more important than ever to enhance our body’s ability to repair damaged DNA and misfolded proteins.

Metformin is currently being studied for use as an anti-aging drug. It is the first drug tested in the TAME [Targeting Aging by MEtformin] trial.