Metformin, a drug prescribed for type-2 diabetics, can extend their lifespan compared to people without the condition, a research by the Cardiff University shows.
The drug is known for controlling glucose levels and previous studies have shown that it also has anti-cancer and anti-cardiovascular disease benefits. The conclusions for the current study were derived after examining more than 180,000 people.
"What we found was illuminating. Patients treated with metformin had a small but statistically significant improvement in survival compared with non-diabetics," Craig Currie, professor at Cardiff University's school of medicine, said in a press release. "Those treated with another common diabetes drug called sulphonylurea had a consistently reduced survival compared with non-diabetic patients," he said, adding that this was accurate even without any statistical manipulation.
Researchers compared the life expectancy of the participants with those without diabetes. The researchers took into consideration age, gender, smoking status and clinical status.
Despite the results, researchers stated that people with type-2 diabetes cannot escape the disease entirely. "Their disease will progress and they will be typically switched to more aggressive treatments. People lose on average around eight years from their life expectancy after developing diabetes," Currie noted.
Researchers stated that the findings of the study might be helpful in offering prognostic and prophylactic benefits to people without diabetes.
He suggested that in order to stay away from type-2 diabetes or any disease for that matter one has to be moderately lean and follow light exercises on a regular basis.
The study was published in the journal Diabetes.
