Slowing aging could be surprise benefit of existing drugs, study finds

A drug used to prevent organ rejection in kidney transplant patients is being touted for its potential to slow aging.

The immunosuppressive drug rapamycin, also known as sirolimus, is used off-label as a way to prolong longevity.

“By targeting a key pathway (mTOR) in cells, this drug has been shown to extend the lifespan of animals and could be beneficial in preventing age-related diseases in humans,” said Dr Andrea B. Maier, professor of healthy aging and dementia. research to the director of the Center for Healthy Longevity at the National University of Singapore — told Fox News Digital.

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Maier was co-author of a recent study that explored how rapamycin affected healthy humans.

The study, published in the journal Lancet Healthy Longevity, found that the drug improved the effects of aging on the skin.

“Rapamycin and its derivatives improve immune and cardiovascular function in healthy individuals or individuals with age-related diseases,” Maier said in an email.

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Daniel Tawfik, a molecular biologist and co-founder of Healthspan, a digital medical clinic focused on anti-aging and longevity-promoting therapies, said his team uses rapamycin to help slow the rate of aging.

“We look at this from the perspective of reducing the accumulation of damaged senescent cells,” Tawfik, based in Santa Monica, California, told Fox News Digital.

Senescent cells are cells that no longer function properly, but persist in the body and can contribute to tissue deterioration and inflammation, the expert explained.

“By reducing the rate at which healthy cells turn into senescent cells, rapamycin may slow the aging process at the tissue level, helping to preserve organ function and overall health as we age,” a- he added.

Off-label use

In the United States, rapamycin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its immunosuppressive properties in kidney transplant patients and certain cancers.

It is not approved for use as an anti-aging drug.

“Sirolimus (rapamycin) has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety and effectiveness as an anti-aging treatment,” an FDA press officer confirmed to Fox News Digital.

“Rapamycin may slow the aging process at the tissue level, helping to preserve organ function and overall health.”

Despite this, rapamycin is used “off-label” for anti-aging purposes, according to Elaena Quattrocchi, a licensed pharmacist and associate professor at Long Island University College of Pharmacy in Brooklyn, New York.

“Off-label means the FDA has not approved the drug for this use,” she told Fox News Digital.

When prescribing a drug for off-label use, the provider must explain to the patient that the drug has not been approved for the indication for which they are prescribing it, Quattrocchi noted.

“People taking this medication should discuss potential side effects and drug interactions with their primary care provider and pharmacist,” she said.

Benefits of rapamycin

Tawfik’s company currently treats more than 3,500 patients with rapamycin, he told Fox News Digital.

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His team has seen many benefits from its off-label anti-aging use, he said, including improved cellular health, reduced risk of age-related diseases and potential to increase longevity.

“Under proper medical supervision, many of our patients see a marked reduction in inflammation and improvement in conditions related to autoimmunity,” Tawfik said.

“For example, patients with osteoarthritis often report significant relief from their joint pain after starting rapamycin.”

The expert also noted that certain biomarkers linked to health and longevity – such as reduced inflammation markers and improved metabolic health – were observed in the blood tests of patients using rapamycin.

Screening and safety

Patients need a prescription for rapamycin, experts told Fox News Digital.

Individuals are screened to determine if they are candidates for treatment. If prescribed, patients are closely monitored while taking the medication.

“It is essential that the use of rapamycin be supervised by a physician.”

“It is essential that the use of rapamycin is supervised by a physician to ensure that the dosage is effective but safe, as high doses can lead to unwanted immunosuppression,” Tawfik warned.

Maier reminded that rapamycin and its derivatives are not intended for self-medication.

“An important step is to first measure the biological age of the patient and investigate why the rate of aging might be faster,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“Then, a tailored approach to matching measures to necessary interventions is needed.”

Both Quattrocchi and Tawfik stressed the importance of working with an accredited pharmacy that sources directly from a reputable manufacturer.

Rapamycin is not recommended for immunocompromised people or those taking immunosuppressive medications, Tawfik cautioned.

It is not generally used in young adults, he added, because there is no need to start this diet at such an early age.

Calls for more research

There are few studies on rapamycin’s effects on humans and organ systems, Maier noted.

In researching studies of the drug, Maier’s research team found that adverse effects in healthy individuals were classified “as mild or moderate and were reversible after stopping treatment.”

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However, the study authors said: “There was an increase in the number of infections and an increase in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in people with age-related diseases.”

“Future studies should evaluate the remaining unexamined systems and test the effects of long-term exposure to rapamycin and its derivatives.”

The majority of studies exploring rapamycin’s effects on aging have been conducted in mice and other animals as well as experimental models, the researchers told Fox News Digital.

“The reason scientists are so interested in rapamycin is that in all species studied so far – yeast, worms, flies, mice – when given rapamycin, the lifespan and lifespan are extended,” noted Tawfik.

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“No other intervention has this degree of validation.”

Quattrocchi agreed that more research is needed on the drug’s appropriate dosing, side effects and potential anti-aging benefits in healthy individuals and those with existing health conditions.