Rapamycin: the popular drug for longevity among biohackers

Rapamycin is a drug used to suppress the immune system in transplant patients, but scientists have found that it may have another use. The drug has been shown to have anti-aging properties, despite no official research being done on humans as of yet. Researchers are now looking to investigate the drug and determine whether it could be officially employed to treat some of the natural symptoms of aging. 

A purpose beyond prescribed

A drug that slows aging probably sounds a lot like science fiction — but it may eventually become a reality. Rapamycin "has gained a large following thanks to longevity researchers and celebrity doctors who, citing animal studies, contend that [it] could be a game changer in the quest to fend off age-related diseases," said The Washington Post. However, the drug has not been officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a tool to combat aging. "The agency doesn't consider aging to be a disease, and rapamycin's generic status means there's little financial incentive to run expensive clinical trials to test it on age-related afflictions," said the Post.

This has not stopped biohackers, or people who are looking to expand their lifespan. The drug has shown promise in reducing the symptoms of aging in several species including mice, yeast, dogs and worms. Some scientists say that rapamycin can reduce inflammation "by inhibiting a signaling pathway in the body called mTOR — which seems to be a key regulator of lifespan and aging," said NPR. While rapamycin has yet to be properly tested on humans for anti-aging, people have been prescribed the treatment for this purpose — with seemingly positive, if unaccredited, results. "Anecdotes are no replacement for science," said NPR. "To figure out the risks and benefits of a drug, research is needed."

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The next big thing?

Rapamycin is not exactly easy to find. It is a molecule "produced by soil bacteria on the extremely remote Easter Island located in the South Pacific and was initially used for its antifungal properties," said Daily Mail. It was later found to have the immunosuppressant properties for which it is used today. "This exotic molecule, found only on an isolated scrap of land in the middle of the ocean, acts almost like a switch that inhibits a very specific cellular mechanism that exists in nearly everything that lives," said Peter Attia, who runs a medical practice to increase longevity, in his book "Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity."

While the drug is thought to be helpful to the anti-aging cause in smaller doses, "doctors also caution that no one knows what the optimal dose might be for humans, and taking certain quantities of rapamycin can lead to reproductive harm and insulin resistance as well as making the body more susceptible to infection," said the Post. Since rapamycin is a generic drug, "pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to fund new research," said NPR — thus some scientists are looking to conduct research through grants instead. "The potential is enormous for patients to be able to extend their health span and quality of life as they age," said Daniel Tawfik, the founder of Healthspan, a telehealth service that offers rapamycin for aging and cosmetic purposes, to the Post. 

The industry around slowing or preventing aging is growing, with younger and younger advocates joining the cause. Along with rapamycin, "researchers are also working on other drugs that may work in similar ways, and there's a push for new drugs — or other interventions that target biological aging," said NPR.