Rapamycin is a special molecule that helps our cells do their job better and slows down the ageing process. It works by switching off a protein called mTOR, which is like a boss that tells our cells how to grow, eat and repair themselves. There are two versions of mTOR: mTORC1 and mTORC2 – and rapamycin mainly acts on the first version.
When mTORC1 is switched off, there are some positive effects on our body:
- Extension of lifespan: Studies on worms, fruit flies and mice have shown that taking rapamycin can increase their life expectancy.
- Slowing down the ageing process: Rapamycin helps to reduce damage to our cells, improve their function and correct problems with cell division.
- Relieve age-related diseases: It can help with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Scientists don’t know exactly how rapamycin causes these effects, but there are a few ideas: For example, rapamycin can help our cells clean up and recycle their waste, as well as change the way cells use energy, ultimately protecting our DNA.
Even though rapamycin seems to work like a miracle cure, there are some challenges to its use, for example:
- Side effects: Rapamycin can cause some problems in animals, e.g. weakening of the immune system, stomach problems and blood sugar problems. We must therefore be cautious and test the active substance more intensively on humans to see whether these side effects also occur here.
- Dosage: People are not sure how much Rapamycin to take or when best to take it to achieve optimal results. The dosage seems to vary significantly from person to person.
- Administration: At present, rapamycin is usually taken as a pill or injected into the stomach. We may have to find better (more comfortable) ways of administering them.
Despite these challenges, scientists continue to study rapamycin and test it in clinical trials. It could become a useful tool in the fight against ageing, age-related diseases and the promotion of longevity. However, we should be cautious and not use Rapamycin without hesitation, especially in comparison to other nutrients that are fundamental components of our longevity lifestyle.
If you want to learn more about Rapamycin, check out this podcast episode of Peter Attia in conversation with Longevity experts Matt Kaeberlein and David Sabatini.