For decades, longevity researchers have been looking for an “anti-aging pill, and they may have found it in one of two safe, tested, and readily available existing medications that have been touted to have anti-aging properties!
A study by the University of East Anglia’s School of Biological Sciences tested two FDA-approved medications — Rapamycin and Metformin, already used for other purposes, and both often purported to increase longevity. The results found that of the two, Rapamycin most closely mimicked the effects of dietary restriction and could potentially increase lifespan. While results are largely based on animal studies, the findings are generating excitement among biologists and longevity researchers, with human trials currently underway to determine whether the same benefits might apply to people.
Co-lead researcher Dr Zahida Sultanova said, “Dietary restriction – for example, through intermittent fasting or reduced calorie intake – has been the gold standard for living longer. But it’s difficult for most of us to maintain long-term.
“We wanted to know if popular anti-aging drugs like Rapamycin or Metformin could offer similar effects without the need to cut calories.”
The research team looked at data from 167 studies of lifespan across eight vertebrate species, including fish, mice, rats, and primates – in this, the largest study of its kind.
They investigated the effect of dietary restriction on longevity – as well as that of Rapamycin and Metformin, both of which have been hyped as life-extending drugs.
The team found that Rapamycin extends lifespan almost as consistently as eating less, while the Type 2 diabetes medicine, Metformin, does not.
Key findings
- Dietary restriction – from intermittent fasting to cutting calories – consistently extended lifespan across all vertebrate species analyzed in this study.
- Rapamycin increased lifespan to the same extent as dietary restriction.
- Metformin showed no clear longevity benefit, although it is widely used for type 2 diabetes.
- Lifespan gains were the same for males and females, and did not depend on the type of diet restriction.
As scientists continue the search for interventions that can improve our health and help us live longer, Rapamycin may stand out as one of the most promising tools – potentially sidestepping the challenges of long-term caloric restriction while offering similar benefits.
Co-lead researcher Dr Edward Ivimey-Cook, from the University of Glasgow, said, “These findings don’t suggest we should all start taking Rapamycin. But they do strengthen the case for its further study in ageing research and raise important questions about how we approach longevity therapeutics.”
You can access the full study, Rapamycin, Not Metformin, Mirrors Dietary Restriction-Driven Lifespan Extension in Vertebrates: A Meta-Analysis, by clicking on the link.
