While the GLP-1 drug semaglutide (marketed under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy) has established its benefits in treating diabetes, supporting weight loss and improving heart health, a new study has found that it may also have the potential to extend lifespan in older, healthy mice — by 12%.GLP-1 drugs have previously been found to delay the onset of several age-related diseases in animals. However, the new study, published in Nature, provides evidence in healthy older mice that these drugs may slow physiological aging itself. “Most chronic diseases are deeply rooted in the aging process. If GLP-1 agonists do indeed slow it down, then a wide range of clinical benefits is exactly what you’d expect to see,” said Rafael de Cabo, a senior investigator at the NIH’s National Institute on Aging (NIA).How Did Semaglutide Extend Lifespan In Healthy Mice?The NIH-funded study found that semaglutide extended lifespan in older, healthy mice by tempering some of the detrimental effects of aging.Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, directly compared the effects of semaglutide with those of reduced food intake. They found that the drug mimicked some of the anti-aging benefits of calorie restriction, while providing greater benefits in some areas.To understand the impact of GLP-1 treatment at a time when the effects of aging are most pronounced, the study authors, led by Danica Chen, administered semaglutide to 20-month-old female mice for three months.Also read: Can Ozempic-Like GLP-1 Drugs Slow Aging, Boost Longevity?Compared with a control group, mice treated with the drug showed improved muscle and cognitive function. Gene expression analysis also showed that several hallmarks of natural aging, including increased inflammation and reduced regenerative capacity, were reduced in the treated animals.Animals treated with the GLP-1 drug semaglutide, had a median lifespan of 834 days — 12% longer than mice in the control group, which lived for a median of 742 days.Semaglutide Vs Calorie RestrictionAnother group of mice was treated with semaglutide until the end of life and were compared with calorie restriction to determine whether the drug’s benefits were simply due to reduced food intake or involved other effects.Over five months, scientists administered semaglutide to one group of 20-month-old female mice, while another group received a 24% calorie-restricted diet that matched the treated animals’ feeding pattern.The researchers found that semaglutide-treated mice showed improvements in activity, spatial memory and blood-sugar control.The groups also differed in metabolic rate. It was reduced in the calorie-restricted animals but remained largely unchanged in the semaglutide-treated mice.“These differences point to the possibility that GLP-1 drugs tap into a biological pathway independent of calorie restriction. Uncovering this potential route and the benefits that may specifically stem from it is an important direction for future research into the development of longevity-enhancing interventions,” said Chen, corresponding author of the study and professor of metabolic biology and nutrition at UC Berkeley.Read More: GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro Tied To Over 60 Reported Deaths In AustraliaWhat Does This Mean For Humans?While these findings may guide future research, they do not mean that similar results can immediately be expected in humans.Additional clinical studies will be needed to determine whether GLP-1 drugs can improve longevity in human patients.Future clinical investigations may also explore potential benefits in healthy older adults, Chen explained, which could broaden the application of GLP-1 drugs.