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Acarbose, 17-alpha-estradiol, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid extend mouse lifespan preferentially in males

Harrison DE, Miller RA et al. · 2014 · Aging Cell · Atlas ID HAR2014

What this study shows

Beyond rapamycin, the same ITP program found acarbose extended male median lifespan by 22% - evidence that the registry surfaces real positive hits too, not only negative results.

Abstract

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Four agents--acarbose (ACA), 17-α-estradiol (EST), nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), and methylene blue (MB)--were evaluated for lifespan effects in genetically heterogeneous mice tested at three sites. Acarbose increased male median lifespan by 22% (P < 0.0001), but increased female median lifespan by only 5% (P = 0.01). This sexual dimorphism in ACA lifespan effect could not be explained by differences in effects on weight. Maximum lifespan (90th percentile) increased 11% (P < 0.001) in males and 9% (P = 0.001) in females.

Read the full abstract on PubMed →

At a glance

Evidence type A Animal model Marked A because it is an animal intervention or observation study measuring an organismal outcome (model: Mouse (genetically heterogeneous, ITP, 3 sites)); the code names the system studied -- animal work can be rigorous and still not be human data.
Study type4 - Animal Study
Model systemMouse (genetically heterogeneous, ITP, 3 sites)
JournalAging Cell
Year2014
Peer reviewedYes
Record last updated2026-07-29
SourceDOI 10.1111/acel.12170 · PMID 24245565 · Free full text (PMC3954939)

Extracted findings

InterventionAcarbose, 17-α-estradiol, NDGA, methylene blue (dietary/pharmacologic)
TargetMetabolic/aging pathways
ModelMouse (genetically heterogeneous, NIA ITP, 3 sites)
EffectAcarbose extended male median lifespan by 22% (female 5%); EST and NDGA extended lifespan preferentially in males
DoseAcarbose at 1000 mg kg −1 diet (1000 ppm) from 4 months of age
Sample sizenot stated
Effect sizeMale median lifespan increased by 22% (P < 0.0001); female median lifespan increased by 5% (P = 0.01) (pooled data).
Limitationsnot stated

In the Atlas

Related topics

LongevityAcarbose

Open questions that cite this study

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Cite this paper

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Harrison, D. E., et al. (2014). Acarbose, 17-alpha-estradiol, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid extend mouse lifespan preferentially in males. Aging Cell. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.12170

@article{HAR2014,
  author       = {Harrison, D. E. and Miller, R. A. and others},
  title        = {{Acarbose, 17-alpha-estradiol, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid extend mouse lifespan preferentially in males}},
  journal      = {Aging Cell},
  year         = {2014},
  doi          = {10.1111/acel.12170},
  note         = {PMID: 24245565},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper. 

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record HAR2014) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/HAR2014/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_HAR2014,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record HAR2014},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/HAR2014/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}