Given that DHODH participates in mitochondrial respiration, that GDF15 expression is induced by the tumor suppressor p53 (Li et al., 2000), that DHODH inhibitors increase p53 synthesis (Ladds et al., 2018; Popova et al., 2020), and that an extra TP53 allele can delay aging in mice (Matheu et al., 2007), here we tested the effects of DHODH inhibitors on metabolic balance and on the production of GDF15 by cells and in db/db mice as a model for obesity-induced type 2 diabetes. Here, TP53 is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.