An anti-ageing drug originally used to suppress the immune system could extend lifespan almost as consistently as calorie restriction, new research suggests.
Rapamycin, first developed to prevent organ transplant rejection, appears to offer comparable life-extending benefits to dietary restriction across eight vertebrate species – although not including humans.
Methods like intermittent fasting or reducing calorie intake have long been considered reliable ways to boost lifespan across a range of animals. But researchers from the University of East Anglia and University of Glasgow found that Rapamycin might deliver similar benefits without the need to restrict food intake.
The researchers reviewed data from 167 studies involving species including fish, mice, rats and primates – the largest analysis of its kind to date. They assessed the effects of Rapamycin and Metformin, a drug often touted for its potential life-extending properties, against various forms of dietary restriction.
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 analysis found that Rapamycin extended lifespan almost as consistently as dietary restriction across all species studied.
Metformin, typically used to treat type 2 diabetes, showed no clear benefit in this regard. The effects were consistent across both sexes and did not depend on the specific 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 undergoing human trials, though findings have not yet been published.
The researchers note that Rapamycin can affect the immune system, and further safety studies are needed – although recent work indicates that low doses do not cause serious adverse effects in healthy individuals.
