The claimWhat Sam actually said
MIT Technology Review reported in March 2023, alongside news of Altman's $180 million investment in an anti-aging company, that his personal regime consisted of eating healthily, exercising and sleeping enough, plus taking metformin. Metformin is licensed for type 2 diabetes and has circulated in technology circles as a longevity candidate. Altman has more recently said publicly that he has largely stopped optimising his health.
- technologyreview.com: Sam Altman in their own words
- Campbell et al., Ageing Research Reviews, 2017: systematic review and meta-analysis reporting reduced all-cause mortality and age-related disease among metformin users, independent of diabetes control.
- Bannister et al., Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2014: people with type 2 diabetes initiated on metformin had survival comparable to matched non-diabetic controls.
- Konopka et al., Aging Cell, 2019: randomised trial in older adults found metformin inhibited mitochondrial adaptations to aerobic exercise training.
Why it mattersWhy this matters for longevity
Metformin is a prescription medicine with real side effects, including gastrointestinal intolerance and long-term vitamin B12 depletion, so taking it off-label is not a low-stakes experiment.
The strongest supporting data come from people with diabetes, which is not the population copying the habit.
One randomised trial suggests it may work against the benefits of exercise, which is the intervention with far better evidence.
The evidenceWhat the science says
A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis reported lower all-cause mortality and lower rates of several age-related diseases among metformin users compared with non-users, apparently independent of glucose control. A widely cited 2014 UK analysis found people with diabetes started on metformin had survival comparable to matched controls without diabetes.
The honest caveat is that these are observational and open to confounding by indication, and the one relevant randomised trial in healthy older adults found that metformin inhibited the mitochondrial adaptations to aerobic exercise training. The TAME trial, designed specifically to test metformin against aging endpoints, has not reported. There is no human evidence that metformin extends lifespan in people without diabetes.
TakeawayThe honest takeaway
The practical lesson
The eat, move and sleep half of this routine is the evidenced half; the pill is an open question that needs a prescriber, not a podcast.
RelatedRelated habits
Each of these is a habit you can build on its own. Explore them through the Topics index.
SupplementsThe supplement angle: Vitamin B12
Support a habit, do not replace one
Long-term metformin use is associated with reduced vitamin B12 absorption, and periodic B12 monitoring is a standard part of clinical follow-up. This is a reason to involve a clinician rather than a reason to self-supplement.
Supplements can support good habits. They do not replace sleep, movement, nutrition, or medical care. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting anything new.
This is educational commentary, not medical advice, and does not imply that Sam Altman endorses, is affiliated with, or uses Winning Longevity or any product. We critique the claim and the evidence, not the person. Any direct quote is a placeholder until sourced. Talk with a qualified healthcare provider before changing your routine. See our health disclaimer.
