Researchers from the University of Missouri have found that an FDA-approved drug used to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes may also help reduce blood vessel dysfunction associated with aging.
This discovery points to a potential new use for the drug, known as empagliflozin (Empa), which belongs to a class of medications called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors.
The study began by examining the effects of aging on blood vessel function and stiffness in humans. As people age, their blood vessels tend to become stiffer, and their endothelial function, which is crucial for maintaining healthy blood flow, often declines.
This deterioration in vascular health is a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among older adults in the United States.
To explore this further, the researchers compared blood vessel function and stiffness in two groups of healthy human participants: one group consisted of 18 young adults with an average age of 25, and the other included 18 older adults with an average age of 61.
The results were clear: the older participants had noticeably impaired endothelial function and increased stiffness in the aorta, the body’s main artery, compared to the younger participants.
These findings align with previous research showing that aging negatively impacts blood vessel health.
Following this human study, the researchers turned to animal models to investigate whether empagliflozin could improve vascular health in older subjects. They used 72-week-old male mice, which are considered aged in terms of their lifespan.
The mice were divided into two groups: one group received a diet enriched with empagliflozin for six weeks, while the other group was fed standard food.
After six weeks, the researchers analyzed the mice and found significant differences between the two groups. The mice treated with empagliflozin exhibited better blood vessel function and reduced arterial stiffness compared to those that did not receive the drug.
These results suggest that empagliflozin may offer vascular benefits beyond its role in managing blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.
This study is particularly noteworthy because it is the first to explore the potential of SGLT2 inhibitors like empagliflozin in reversing the effects of vascular aging.
The findings open up new avenues for research, as they suggest that these drugs could play a role in delaying or even reversing age-related blood vessel dysfunction in humans.
Given the significant impact of cardiovascular disease on older adults, the potential for a drug like empagliflozin to improve vascular health is exciting. However, the researchers caution that further clinical investigations are needed to confirm these benefits in human patients.
If future studies support these findings, empagliflozin could become a valuable tool in the fight against cardiovascular disease and the health challenges associated with aging.
The study, led by Camila Manrique-Acevedo, was published in the journal GeroScience.
It highlights the importance of continuing to explore how existing medications might be repurposed to address other critical health issues, such as the vascular aging process that contributes to heart disease and other serious conditions.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about a cure for type 2 diabetes, and these vegetables could protect against kidney damage in diabetes.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about bone drug that could lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and results showing eating more eggs linked to higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
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