Can a weight-loss drug slow down ageing? In September 2026, a team at the University of California, Berkeley, published data in the journal Nature according to which semaglutide not only keeps old mice healthier but also extends their lives.
How it was studied
The researchers led by Danica Chen treated female mice aged 20 months – roughly retirement age by human standards – with semaglutide. Because the drug suppresses appetite, they also compared the animals with a group that received 24 per cent less food without medication, with the same feeding pattern. This made it possible to test whether the effects were due solely to the reduced food intake.
The results
- Lifespan: mice treated until the end of their lives lived a median of almost 100 days longer than untreated animals.
- Body and brain: better muscle function, more exploratory behaviour, better spatial memory and more stable blood glucose.
- Hallmarks of ageing: less inflammation, better preserved regenerative capacity; gene activity analyses showed an attenuation of several hallmarks of ageing.
- Difference from dieting: energy expenditure was largely maintained under semaglutide, whereas it fell in the diet mice.
The authors therefore suspect that semaglutide acts at least partly via its own pathway, independent of calorie restriction. Which pathway this is remains open.
Assessment
The study was funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is considered the strongest evidence so far from animal experiments that GLP-1 drugs could influence ageing itself. However, it has limitations: only female mice were studied, and results from animal experiments cannot be transferred directly to humans. The researchers stress that clinical trials are needed for this.
Together with initial data from a study in people with HIV, in which semaglutide slowed epigenetic ageing clocks, an interesting picture is emerging. However, this does not support a recommendation to take semaglutide to extend life – especially as the drug can have side effects such as nausea and loss of muscle mass.
Note: This article is for general information only and does not replace medical advice. Semaglutide is a prescription-only medicine and is not approved for slowing ageing.
Sources
- Feng Y, … Chen D. Nature 2026, DOI 10.1038/s41586-026-10940-7
- News-Medical (02.09.2026)
- NIH Research Matters: GLP-1 drug slows aging in mice
Leave a Reply