# Acarbose

Acarbose is an 'alpha-glucosidase inhibitor', approved for type 2 diabetes. It works in your gut: by blocking the breakdown of carbohydrates, it blunts the spikes in blood glucose and insulin after meals, and shifts more carbs to fermentation in your colon. In the rigorous NIA Interventions Testing Program, acarbose extended median lifespan in male mice, and modestly in females. That is credited to smoother blood sugar and shifts in the microbiome. Using it off-label for longevity in humans is experimental, and gut side effects (gas, diarrhea) limit how well people tolerate it.

## Sources

- Chiasson JL, Josse RG, Gomis R et al.. (2002). Acarbose for prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus: the STOP-NIDDM randomised trial. Lancet. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(02)08905-5
- Harrison DE, Strong R, Allison DB et al.. (2014). Acarbose, 17-α-estradiol, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid extend mouse lifespan preferentially in males. Aging Cell. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.12170

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_Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/glossary/acarbose · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_