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Rapamycin for longevity: opinion article.
1Cell Stress Biology Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA.
Aging
|October 7, 2019
Summary
mTOR inhibitors like rapamycin show anti-aging potential, but fear of side effects hinders adoption. This article argues the benefits outweigh risks, making them viable for life extension today.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and pharmacology
- Molecular biology and aging research
Background:
- Humanity has long pursued immortality.
- The discovery of mTOR inhibitors' anti-aging properties presents a potential breakthrough.
- Widespread adoption has been limited by concerns over drug side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the reasons behind the limited use of mTOR inhibitors for anti-aging.
- To argue that current clinical evidence does not preclude their use.
- To highlight the risks associated with aging versus the manageable side effects of these drugs.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on mTOR inhibitors (rapamycin, everolimus).
- Analysis of documented and potential side effects.
- Comparison of aging-related morbidities with drug side effect profiles.
- Discussion of existing human trials and combination therapies.
Main Results:
- Fear of actual and fictional side effects is a primary barrier.
- Reversible side effects of mTOR inhibitors are preferable to irreversible aging consequences.
- Not using these drugs poses greater risks than potential side effects.
Conclusions:
- mTOR inhibitors are viable anti-aging drugs with manageable side effects.
- The risks of aging significantly outweigh the risks of using these drugs.
- Rapamycin-based combination therapies are already being explored for human life extension.
