Rapamycin for longevity — the most promising drug we can’t prove works in humans
So I’ve been going down the rabbit hole on rapamycin lately and honestly it’s kind of frustrating. Like, the animal data is INSANE – mice living 25-30% longer, improvements in basically every marker of aging, effects on mTOR that seem to hit all the right pathways. But we can’t actually prove it works for longevity in humans because, well, that would take like 50+ years to study properly.
I’m 47M and my longevity doc mentioned it as an option. He takes it himself (5mg once weekly) and has a bunch of patients on it. My biomarkers are pretty good already – I’m on TRT, take metformin, do all the usual stuff. He said rapamycin might be the most impactful thing I could add.
But here’s my issue: I’d be taking a legit immunosuppressant based purely on animal studies and theory. The Mannick study showed some immune improvements in elderly patients at low doses, which is encouraging. But are we all just guinea pigs here?
Anyone else taking rapa for longevity rather than a medical condition? What made you decide to start, and have you noticed anything after being on it for a while? I know we can’t measure lifespan extension in real time lol but curious about subjective experiences.
I’ve been on 6mg weekly for about 18 months now. 52M, similar situation to you – already dialed in with TRT, metformin, good sleep, exercise etc. Honestly I can’t say I ‘feel’ anything different day to day, but my dermatologist commented that my skin looks better than it did 2 years ago without me even bringing it up. Could be coincidence. My lipids improved slightly but that could also be other interventions. The way I think about it is – the mechanism makes so much sense (mTOR inhibition, autophagy stimulation) and the risk at low intermittent doses seems minimal based on everything I’ve read. I get quarterly bloodwork and everything stays in range. My doc said think of it like wearing a seatbelt… you don’t feel it working but you’re glad it’s there.
I respect what Dan said but personally I decided against it after researching for months. The immunosuppression thing really bothers me – like yes the dose is way lower than transplant patients get, but we still don’t have long term data on healthy people taking it for decades. What if it increases cancer risk or infection susceptibility in ways that only show up after 10-15 years? The mice studies are impressive but mice aren’t humans and their immune systems work differently. I’m sticking with the interventions we have way more human data on (exercise, diet, maybe metformin eventually). Just my 2 cents, not trying to discourage anyone but the risk/reward doesn’t add up for me yet.
Thanks for both perspectives. Dan that’s kind of what I figured – probably not gonna feel dramatically different but hoping for those underlying cellular benefits. Sara I totally get your hesitation, the immunosuppression aspect is def my biggest concern too. My doc pointed out that the doses for longevity are like 1/10th of transplant doses and given intermittently so mTOR isn’t constantly suppressed. Also mentioned that some data suggests it might actually improve immune function in older people by clearing out senescent immune cells, which is wild. But yeah we’re all kinda experimenting here. I’m leaning toward trying it tbh.
Been on it for 3 years (5mg weekly). The way my doctor explained it is that we DO have some human data, just not lifespan studies obviously. There’s the Mannick study, data from transplant patients living longer than expected, rapamycin’s effects on age-related diseases, etc. It’s not like we’re completely flying blind. I will say I had some mild mouth sores the first few months but they went away. Otherwise no issues. I think if you’re already doing everything else right (which it sounds like you are) and working with a knowledgeable doctor who monitors you, it’s reasonable to try. Just manage expectations – you’re not gonna feel younger tomorrow, but maybe your cells are aging slower. That’s the bet anyway.