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Three days ago, during a celebration marking a Chinese military triumph, an unforeseen “immortal dialogue” between the Chinese and Russian leaders captured public interest. Russian President Putin remarked, “Human organs can be continually transplanted. One might even attain immortality,” to which Chinese President Xi Jinping replied, “Some believe humans could live as long as 150 years this century.” The private discussion was aired live. Both leaders are 72 years old.

The human longing for eternal life and renewal could be inherent. In ancient times, Emperor Qin Shi Huang dispatched envoys across vast distances in search of an elixir that promised immortality, while medieval European alchemists sought the “philosopher’s stone,” thought to bestow eternal life. Investigations into the fountain of youth continue today, with the diabetes medication “metformin” recently drawing interest in research related to aging. Additionally, many individuals partake in “self-diagnosed medication,” which often walks the line of legality.

A 43-year-old man named Song, who works in an office, recently bought metformin through a “direct purchase from Thailand.” At 150 South Korean won per pill, it is commonly used by diabetes patients with few reported side effects. However, it needs a prescription in South Korea. Song said, “I heard it has anti-aging, weight loss, and anti-cancer benefits, so I bought it along with a junior colleague before his wedding. I don’t know if it’s effective, but I take it as a supplement.” His colleague, who took it for weight loss, mentioned, “My desire for snacks decreased.”

A 51-year-old man named Mr. Lim, who works as an executive for a foreign company, has been taking metformin and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) for almost two years. Lim stated, “Health-aware American friends were all using these medications, so I joined in without much consideration. Later, I realized it was quite a popular trend.” Despite not having any pre-existing health issues, he uses them for “preventing diabetes” and “anti-aging purposes.”

Research has highlighted extra advantages of metformin beyond its use in diabetes management. A 2014 clinical study conducted by Cardiff University, which included 180,000 participants, revealed that diabetic individuals on metformin experienced a 15% higher survival rate compared to non-diabetic people. Scientists from Harvard University examined more than 41,000 metformin users between the ages of 68 and 81 and discovered that the medication significantly lowered the risk of dementia, heart disease, cancer, weakness, and depression. Ongoing global clinical trials are investigating metformin’s potential in anti-aging and cancer prevention.

In his book *The End of Aging*, Harvard professor David Sinclair argued that “aging is a curable condition,” and his anti-aging approach—comprising metformin, NMN, and rapamycin—is well recognized. Metformin is also a key component in the routines of “biohackers,” a group of American entrepreneurs who apply biology, medicine, and technology to improve their physical conditions. Brian Johnson, a 48-year-old entrepreneur seeking to maintain good health until the age of 150, consumes 54 supplements each day and spends $2 million yearly on biometric testing. In 2023, he caused a stir by injecting himself with plasma from his 17-year-old son. His publicly shared supplement list includes metformin and rapamycin.

The popularity of metformin is increasing in South Korea. Park Eok-sung, director of the emergency medical center at Bumin Hospital, stated, “With the growing interest in slow aging, non-diabetic patients frequently ask for prescriptions. Despite its established benefits, it might eventually be regarded similarly to vitamins.” Some believe that metformin should be used more broadly, as 40% of South Koreans over 30 are in the “pre-diabetic” category. Kang Geon-wook, a professor of nuclear medicine at Seoul National University, mentioned, “Metformin shows promise as an anti-aging medication.”

However, “direct overseas purchases of medicines” are against the law, and using drugs improperly needs to be carefully considered. Cho Young-min, an endocrinology professor at Seoul National University, cautioned, “Metformin may lead to digestive problems and is dangerous for individuals with kidney issues.” Jang Min-soo, a representative from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, mentioned, “We work with customs authorities to identify and prevent the importation of drugs from other countries.”