Slowing aging could be a surprising benefit of existing drugs, research shows

A drug used to prevent organ rejection in kidney transplant patients is said to have anti-aging properties.

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

“By targeting the key pathway (mTOR) in cells, this drug has been shown to increase lifespan in animals and may be beneficial in preventing age-related diseases in humans,” 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 a co-author of a recent study examining how rapamycin affects healthy people.

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

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

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Daniel Tawfik, a molecular biologist and founder of Healthspan, a digital medical clinic specializing in anti-aging treatments and longevity, said his team is using rapamycin to help slow the aging process.

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

The immunosuppressant drug rapamycin is used off-label as a way to extend life. (Stock)

Senescent cells are cells that no longer function properly, but they remain in the body and can contribute to tissue degeneration and inflammation, the expert said.

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

Off-label use

In the US, rapamycin has been 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 antiaging drug.

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

“Rapamycin can 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 registered 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 use,” he told Fox News Digital.

Rapamycin, also known as Sirolimus, is used “off-label” for anti-aging purposes, experts say. (Stock)

When prescribing a drug for off-label use, the provider should explain to the patient that the drug is not yet approved for the indication they are prescribing, Quattrocchi noted.

“People taking this drug should talk to their primary care provider and pharmacist about possible side effects and drug interactions,” 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 of its off-label anti-aging use, he said, including improved cellular health, reduced risk of age-related diseases and the potential to improve longevity.

“Under proper medical guidance, many of our patients experience a significant reduction in inflammation and improvement in immune-related conditions,” Tawfik said.

When prescribing a drug for off-label use, the provider should explain to the patient that the drug is not approved for the indication they are prescribing, according to experts. (Stock)

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

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

Inspection and safety

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

People are screened to determine if they are candidates for treatment. That being said, patients are carefully monitored when taking the drug.

“It is important that the use of rapamycin is supervised by a doctor.”

“It is important that the use of rapamycin is supervised by a doctor to ensure that the dose is effective but safe, as high doses can lead to unwanted immune suppression,” warns Tawfik.

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

“The first step is to estimate the patient’s age and investigate why the pace of aging may be accelerating,” he told Fox News Digital.

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“Then a coherent approach is needed to match the measures and interventions that are needed.”

Quattrocchi and Tawfik both emphasized the importance of working with an accredited pharmacy that sources the drug directly from a reputable manufacturer.

Rapamycin and its derivatives are not for self-healing, experts warn. (Stock)

Rapamycin is not recommended for people with weakened immune systems or those taking immunosuppressant medications, Tawfik warns.

It is rarely used in young adults, he added, since starting this type of medication at a young age is unnecessary.

It calls for further research

There are limited studies on the effects of rapamycin in humans and organ systems, Maier noted.

In a study of the drug, Maier’s research team found that adverse reactions in healthy people were classified as “mild or moderate and reversed after treatment was stopped.”

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However, the authors of the study said, “there was an increased number of diseases and an increase in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in people with diseases related to aging.”

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

Experts have reported many anti-aging benefits of rapamycin, including improved cellular health, reduced risk of age-related diseases and potential to promote longevity. (Stock)

Most of the research examining rapamycin’s effects on aging has been done in mice and other animal and experimental models, researchers told Fox News Digital.

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

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“No other intervention has that level of certainty.”

Quattrocchi acknowledged that more research is needed on the drug’s proper dosages, side effects, and potential antiaging benefits in healthy people and those with medical conditions.