Rapamycin may extend lifespan like calorie restriction
The anti-ageing drug Rapamycin has been found to extend lifespan as effectively as reducing calorie intake, according to new research into longevity treatments.
Rapamycin, originally developed to suppress the immune system after organ transplants, appears to offer comparable life-extending benefits to dietary restriction across eight vertebrate species – although not including humans.
While reducing calorie intake or practising intermittent fasting has long been known to promote longer life in many animals, researchers from the University of East Anglia and University of Glasgow suggest that Rapamycin could offer similar effects without the need to change diet.
The team analysed data from 167 studies on lifespan in fish, mice, rats and primates – making it the largest study of its kind. They compared the effects of dietary restriction with those of Rapamycin and Metformin, a diabetes drug often discussed for its potential anti-ageing properties.
Dr Zahida Sultanova, co-lead researcher from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, 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-ageing drugs like Rapamycin or Metformin could offer similar effects without the need to cut calories.”
The study found that Rapamycin extended lifespan almost as consistently as dietary restriction across all species examined. Metformin, commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, showed no clear longevity benefit. The effects of Rapamycin were consistent for both males and females, and were not influenced by the type of dietary restriction applied.
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.”
Dr Sultanova added: “Our findings show that drug repurposing is a promising approach to improving people’s health and lifespan.”
Both Rapamycin and Metformin are currently being tested in human trials, with results still pending. The researchers caution that Rapamycin may affect the immune system, and further safety data in humans is needed – although recent studies suggest that low doses do not cause serious adverse effects in healthy individuals.
This research was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and the Leverhulme Trust.
