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Is Rapamycin the Key to a Longer, Healthier Life? Here’s What You Need to Know.

November 4, 2024

Picture Easter Island—a place known for its mysterious Moai statues, ancient stone giants silently standing guard, defying earthly explanation. 

But for scientists, the island held another secret: In the 1960s, a group of researchers stumbled upon a strain of soil bacteria there, one that led to the discovery of a unique compound called rapamycin. 

Originally tested as an antifungal agent, it quickly revealed more potent qualities: an ability to suppress your immune system, making it invaluable in organ transplants. 

And as the researchers dug deeper, they uncovered an unexpected twist—rapamycin could also impact a critical pathway in cells that controls growth and aging (known as mTOR). By inhibiting this pathway, rapamycin helped animals live longer, healthier lives in lab studies, sparking a question: 

Could it have the same effect in humans? 

Emerging research suggests that it has potential. And longevity hackers swear by it. 

And while there’s plenty of buzz around it, understanding all the facts is essential before deciding if it’s right for you. 

So, let’s dive into the research and explore what this powerful compound might mean for health and longevity.

The Secret to Longevity? 

Longevity pathways are really important because they influence not just how long your cells stay healthy, but also how effectively they function throughout your life.

These pathways are like internal control systems inside our cells. They tell the cells in your body when to grow, repair, or conserve energy. 

One of the most studied longevity pathways is mTOR (short for mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin). When working properly, this pathway does a great deal to keep your cells healthy and on track—constantly checking nutrient levels, monitoring stress, promoting protein synthesis, and signaling cells when to grow and divide. 

Certain factors like excessive calorie intake, lack of physical activity, and chronic inflammation can push mTOR into overdrive. An overactive mTOR may cause cells to work harder than necessary, potentially accelerating aging and increasing the risk of age-related health issues.

That’s where rapamycin seems to have potential. Rapamycin is a medication that helps reset mTOR, signaling it to slow down. And when this happens, cells can shift into a repair-focused state called autophagy. This process is needed to break down or recycle damaged proteins and get rid of cellular debris. (I recently wrote about how fasting also activates autophagy). 

What Animal Studies Reveal

Evidence from animal studies is compelling—rapamycin has shown remarkable effects on longevity. When researchers introduced rapamycin into the diets of animals—from worms to mice—they observed a consistent trend: the animals lived longer.¹

And there’s more. 

A study published in Cancer Biology showed that a three-month treatment with rapamycin in middle-aged mice helped boost lifespan by up to 60% and improved overall health markers.² In addition, this treatment led to significant increases in certain beneficial gut bacteria in the rodents’ gut microbiome. 

So, What Happens in Humans?

In human medicine, rapamycin has become a cornerstone for supporting organ transplants, particularly kidney transplants, because it helps prevent rejection.³ 

To be sure, it’s a powerful medication that can cause side effects. So it requires careful oversight by medical professionals to balance its benefits with potential risks. 

Still, these insights from transplant medicine opened up an intriguing possibility: Could rapamycin’s unique influence on cellular health have applications beyond organ transplants? 

Exploring Rapamycin’s Potential in Aging

Rapamycin’s role in transplant medicine has provided invaluable insights into its effects on the body. These findings set the stage for a new frontier in research, where scientists are investigating whether rapamycin’s carefully calibrated, short-term use could tap into the same longevity pathways it activates in animals. 

Here’s what we know so far:

► Safely used in older adults. In a small pilot study, researchers explored whether rapamycin could be safely used in older adults (aged 70–95 years) to potentially slow age-related health issues.⁴

Over eight weeks, participants received rapamycin or placebo daily. Results showed that only minor side effects like a rash or mild stomach issues were reported, with no significant changes in blood sugar, physical performance, cognitive function, or overall health. 

The authors concluded that while short-term rapamycin might be safe for healthy older adults, it showed no notable benefits. And that further research with a larger group and longer treatment duration is needed to confirm these findings.

► Off-label use. In a separate study, researchers surveyed 333 adults using rapamycin “off-label” for longevity and health benefits.⁵

Participants reported using different dosing schedules, with most people taking rapamycin once a week. While mouth sores emerged as a common side effect, most users reported perceived improvements in mood, brain function, and energy, with no major safety concerns. 

Interestingly, continuous rapamycin use was associated with reduced COVID-19 severity and a lower risk of long-COVID.

► Anti-aging effects on skin. Another study examined whether applying rapamycin cream could improve skin health and reduce visible signs of aging.⁶ 

Researchers assessed not only the appearance of participants' skin but also took small tissue samples to measure cellular markers linked to aging. The results showed that rapamycin helped notably improve skin appearance, reduce wrinkles, and decrease levels of aging-related biomarkers in the skin samples.

While scientists are starting to get excited about rapamycin’s potential benefits, it’s essential to approach this research with cautious optimism. Most studies are still in the early stages, involving smaller groups. So larger, long-term studies are still needed to make sure rapamycin is safe and effective in human health and longevity.

Is Rapamycin Right for You?

Given the early state of the research, it’s worth considering other time-tested approaches to longevity. And when it comes to supporting long-term health, I always emphasize the importance of diet, lifestyle, and practices that naturally bolster your body. 

Nourishing your body with the right nutrients and phytonutrients, incorporating movement, and introducing beneficial stressors like fasting and exercise—known as hormesis—are foundational for a long, healthy life. 

These lifestyle interventions not only help your body thrive but also provide a natural way to activate longevity pathways like mTOR without relying on pharmaceuticals.

That said, there may be instances where medications can play a role in optimizing health and healthy aging. If you’re considering rapamycin or any similar therapies, talk to your Functional Medicine Doctor about the risks and benefits of using it for longevity. 

Although rapamycin holds potential, it’s still an emerging area of research. We don’t yet fully understand the long-term effects, nor do we have a standardized, proven dosing regimen that’s universally safe and effective.

For those who’ve explored this option under medical guidance, I’ve seen some benefits with this dosing pattern: 2 milligrams (mg), three times a week, cycled with 5 weeks on and 8 weeks off. 

But remember, every individual is different. What works well for one person may not be suitable for another, and any rapamycin regimen should be carefully tailored with personalized, professional guidance.

References 

1. Johnson SC, Rabinovitch PS, Kaeberlein M. mTOR is a key modulator of ageing and age-related disease. Nature. 2013 Jan 17;493(7432):338-45. doi: 10.1038/nature11861. PMID: 23325216; PMCID: PMC3687363.

2. Bitto A, Ito TK, Pineda VV, LeTexier NJ, Huang HZ, Sutlief E, Tung H, Vizzini N, Chen B, Smith K, Meza D, Yajima M, Beyer RP, Kerr KF, Davis DJ, Gillespie CH, Snyder JM, Treuting PM, Kaeberlein M. Transient rapamycin treatment can increase lifespan and healthspan in middle-aged mice. Elife. 2016 Aug 23;5:e16351. doi: 10.7554/eLife.16351. PMID: 27549339; PMCID: PMC4996648.

3. Geissler EK, Schlitt HJ. The potential benefits of rapamycin on renal function, tolerance, fibrosis, and malignancy following transplantation. Kidney Int. 2010 Dec;78(11):1075-9. doi: 10.1038/ki.2010.324. Epub 2010 Sep 22. PMID: 20861822.

4. Kraig E, Linehan LA, Liang H, Romo TQ, Liu Q, Wu Y, Benavides AD, Curiel TJ, Javors MA, Musi N, Chiodo L, Koek W, Gelfond JAL, Kellogg DL Jr. A randomized control trial to establish the feasibility and safety of rapamycin treatment in an older human cohort: Immunological, physical performance, and cognitive effects. Exp Gerontol. 2018 May;105:53-69. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2017.12.026. Epub 2018 Feb 3. PMID: 29408453; PMCID: PMC5869166.
   
   
5. Kaeberlein TL, Green AS, Haddad G, Hudson J, Isman A, Nyquist A, Rosen BS, Suh Y, Zalzala S, Zhang X, Blagosklonny MV, An JY, Kaeberlein M. Evaluation of off-label rapamycin use to promote healthspan in 333 adults. Geroscience. 2023 Oct;45(5):2757-2768. doi: 10.1007/s11357-023-00818-1. Epub 2023 May 16. PMID: 37191826; PMCID: PMC10187519.