Rapamycin is a drug used to suppress the immune system in transplant patients, but scientists have discovered that the drug may have another use. The drug has been shown to have anti-aging properties, but so far no formal studies have been done on humans. Researchers are now investigating the drug to see if it could be used formally to treat some of the natural symptoms of aging.
Beyond the rules
a medicine Slowing aging may sound like science fiction, but it may one day become reality. Rapamycin “has gained a lot of traction thanks to longevity researchers and well-known physicians who cite animal studies to make their case.” [it] “This could potentially be a groundbreaking treatment for preventing age-related diseases.” The Washington PostBut the drug has not been officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a way to fight aging: “The agency doesn’t consider aging a disease, and because rapamycin is a generic drug, there’s little financial justification for conducting expensive clinical trials to test rapamycin for age-related diseases,” the Post reported.
However, biohackers and lifespanThe drug has shown promise in reducing symptoms of aging in several species, including mice, yeast, dogs and worms. Some scientists say rapamycin could reduce inflammation “by inhibiting a signaling pathway in the body called mTOR, which appears to be a key regulator of lifespan and aging.” NPRRapamycin has not yet been properly tested as an anti-aging drug in humans, but people have prescribed it for this purpose, and the results, while unproven, have been seemingly positive. “Anecdotes are no substitute for science,” NPR said. “Studies are needed to understand the risks and benefits of the drug.”
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The next big thing?
Rapamycin is not an easy compound to find: It is “produced by soil bacteria on the very remote South Pacific island of Easter Island and was initially used for its antifungal properties,” the researchers say. Daily MailThe molecule was later found to be used today as an immunosuppressant: “This unusual molecule, found only on an isolated patch of land in the middle of the ocean, acts like a switch that inhibits a very specific cellular mechanism present in almost all living organisms,” writes life-extension medicine practitioner Peter Attiah in his book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity.
The drug is thought to be effective against aging in small doses, but “doctors caution that no one knows the optimal dose for humans, and taking certain doses of rapamycin can lead to reproductive dysfunction, insulin resistance and even make the body more susceptible to infection,” The Washington Post reported. Because rapamycin is a generic drug, “pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to fund new research,” NPR reported, which is why some scientists are considering doing research through grants. “The potential to extend health span and quality of life as we age is huge for patients,” Daniel Towfik, founder of Healthspan, a telemedicine service that offers rapamycin for anti-aging and cosmetic purposes, told The Washington Post.
The industry of slowing and preventing aging is growing, with advocates becoming younger and younger. Join the movementAlong with rapamycin, “researchers are also working on other drugs that may have similar effects, spurring the development of new drugs and other interventions that target biological aging,” NPR reported.