Humanity’s pursuit of immortality has been going on forever. Of course, living forever, or even longer, isn’t as important as living better. Researchers tend to call this healthspan, as opposed to lifespan, and both are valued. Thus, it’s not surprising that many investigators are trying their best to find the next breakthroughs in aging research. Finding a treatment, lifestyle change, or medication that could extend both healthspan and lifespan would naturally be quite popular. While many experiments are involved in these endeavors, the latest anti-aging research news is talking about one specific drug. Most commonly referred to as rapamycin, this immune system-related medication could be a major breakthrough for longevity seekers.
Rapamycin isn’t a new drug to the market despite being the latest topic in anti-aging research news. In fact, it has been FDA-approved for some time as it relates to organ transplant care. Rapamycin is used to suppress the immune system in patients who have received kidney transplants. But as part of research investigations, it was noted that rapamycin extended the life of several different lab species. These discoveries were claimed to represent major breakthroughs in aging research, and many have begun taking rapamycin for this reason. But studies remain limited in human trials, and the drug is not FDA-approved for this use. Regardless, it’s worth exploring rapamycin’s potential in extending both human health and wellness in addition to longevity.
Rapamycin’s Mechanism of Action
In terms of rapamycin’s classification, it is an antibiotic in the macrolide group. But its primary mechanism of action relates to its effects on cellular machinery. The drug inhibits what is known as the mTOR complex within cells. The mTOR complex is a biological pathway in all cells that leads to a chain of events. When used in higher dosages on a daily basis, rapamycin blocks white blood cell function related to its immune response. This is how it helps patients with kidney transplants avoid tissue rejection. But when used at lower dosages on a weekly dose schedule, rapamycin’s effects are more anti-inflammatory. According to anti-aging research news, its these actions that could lead to treatment breakthrough in aging research.
When used on a more modest dosing, rapamycin improves removal of cellular waste and byproducts of metabolism. As a result, there is a reduced number of toxins that accumulate within cells, which many believe are involved in the aging process. Anti-aging research news also reports that this could lead to a reduced build-up of amyloid and tau proteins in cells. These are the toxic byproducts that have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In essence, the inhibition of the mTOR complex in cells by rapamycin appears to reduce inflammation while boosting toxin elimination. As such, rapamycin tends to preserve health of cells rather than reversing existing disease or cellular damage. Therefore, as one of the latest breakthroughs in aging research, it serves as more of a preventative and maintenance anti-aging treatment.
Longevity Research and Rapamycin
When it comes to a summary of anti-aging research news regarding rapamycin, evidence is limited. However, numerous studies have been conducted in a variety of species. For instance, research testing lower-dose rapamycin has been performed in yeast, worms, mice, marmosets, and dogs. And in each instance, longevity and lifespan have been increased. For mice, some studies have shown their longevity increased by 12% on average. For marmosets, which is closer to human genetic profiles, a 10% increase in lifespan was recorded. Based on these findings and the fact that rapamycin appears to have effects across species, its anti-aging benefits have been touted. Despite this, not all researchers are ready to promote rapamycin as one of the major breakthroughs in aging research.
When it comes to human trials, the research is scanter. Reasons for this related to the high cost of performing human trials over an extended period of time. Given that rapamycin has potential preventative benefits according to anti-aging research news, trials would have to be lengthy. In addition, to identify nuanced benefits, huge numbers of research participants would be required. Regardless, there have been some trials performed. A 2014 study involving 65-year-old adults and older showed rapamycin boosted the antibody response to the flu vaccine. This suggests it enhances immune cell response despite aging setbacks. Another non-peer-reviewed study by an anti-aging drug company failed to show significant difference between rapamycin and placebo. However, trends suggested rapamycin reduce subjective pain while increasing bone density and lean muscle mass. At this time, it’s not perfectly clear if rapamycin is one of the notable breakthroughs in aging research or not.
Interpreting the Data
Determining whether or not rapamycin represents one of the important breakthroughs in aging research is challenging. A definitive study has yet to be performed, and there isn’t likely to be one soon. At the same time, there are potential side effects that have been recognized with rapamycin. These include nausea and mouth sores as well as some patients developing elevated glucose and cholesterol levels. Then, there is always a concern that rapamycin may make one more prone to infections due to its effects on the immune system. Proponents for rapamycin use for longevity benefits believe the chance of having side effects are low when taking rapamycin weekly. They also believe the potential benefits far outweigh these risks, which are notably reversible once rapamycin is stopped.
At this time, the jury is out on rapamycin as being one of the breakthroughs in aging research. Anti-aging research news certainly recognizes rapamycin’s potential, but there remains insufficient evidence. That doesn’t mean many aren’t already taking rapamycin in this off-label use. The most common dose is between 5-7mg weekly, which is much less than daily doses taken by organ transplant patients. And those who are taking rapamycin for longevity don’t expect any noticeable improvements. Instead, they view rapamycin like a vitamin… something taken regularly to extend the healthspan. Time will tell if rapamycin is indeed a key to extending human longevity. For now, those who believe in its anti-aging effects do so with a string dose of faith.
Outsourcing is essential for business growth–read why in this Bold story.