While we typically think of cutting calories as an attempt to squeeze into our favorite pair of skinny jeans, it’s worth remembering that scientists think of it in terms of longevity more so than looks.
It’s been known for quite some time that severely reducing calorie intake can extend lifespan, which is why intermittent fasting has become all the rage.
However, even the most disciplined among us would admit that it’s “not sustainable” — a fancy way of saying that it sucks.
Yura Yarema – stock.adobe.com
Now, a new study out of the UK suggests you can have your cake and eat it, too, so to speak.
A massive analysis recently published in the journal Aging Cell revealed that rapamycin — the immunosuppressant drug turned longevity darling — delivers almost the same life‑extension benefits as slashing calories.
“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,” Zahida Sultanova, a researcher at the University of East Anglia, said in a statement.
“We wanted to know if popular anti-aging drugs like rapamycin or metformin could offer similar effects without the need to cut calories,” she added.
Researchers analyzed 167 studies across eight vertebrate species, including primates, rodents and fish, to find that rapamycin’s results were surprisingly similar to rigorous dietary restriction.
The same findings did not hold for the popular Type 2 diabetes drug metformin.
Rapamycin, isolated from soil on Easter Island in the 1970s, was originally used to suppress immune response in organ transplant patients and treat rare diseases.
It works by inhibiting the mTOR pathway, which governs cell growth and repair, and it appears to mimic the cellular cleanup triggered by fasting, known as autophagy.
Although rapamycin is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of organ rejection, it’s not cleared for anti‑aging purposes in humans.
While low doses of the drug seem to have no serious side effects, some studies suggest that because it suppresses the immune system, it can raise the risk of infection.
Other common side effects include headache, chills, joint pain, diarrhea, nausea and mouth sores.
Anti-aging acolyte Bryan Johnson, 47, said last year that he dropped the drug from his routine after years of experimentation because “the benefits of lifelong dosing of rapamycin do not justify the hefty side-effects.”
He reported occasional skin and soft tissue infections, abnormal amounts of fats in his blood, heightened blood sugar and a higher resting heart rate.