Consider short-term rapamycin treatment (e.g., 6-10 weeks) followed by a 2-week washout period to potentially restore immune function, as evidenced by improved vaccine response in aged mice and people.
Rapamycin treatment for 6 to 10 weeks has been shown to improve heart function in aged mice, restoring it halfway to youthful levels, with benefits observed while the treatment is ongoing.
For individuals experiencing mild cognitive impairment, rapamycin may offer a promising intervention to improve cognitive function and potentially reduce amyloid accumulation, based on studies in aged animals and Alzheimer’s disease mouse models.
Rapamycin has demonstrated a rejuvenating effect, not just delaying decline, but improving function back towards a more youthful state in areas like immune function, cardiac function, intestinal stem cells, and alveolar bone levels, likely through stem cell mediation.
For healthy, middle-aged dogs (at least 40 pounds and 6 years old), a rapamycin dosing strategy of 0.1 mg/kg or 0.05 mg/kg given three times a week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday) showed no significant side effects over 10 weeks and improved heart function.
If considering long-term rapamycin treatment, especially for conditions like declining cardiac function, continuous monitoring (e.g., echocardiograms every three months) is recommended to assess efficacy and detect any potential side effects.
Boosting age-related immune function with rapamycin can enhance immune surveillance, which is a potent anti-cancer mechanism, suggesting a role for rapamycin in cancer prevention.
Extremely high doses of rapamycin may have detrimental effects on the immune system, potentially promoting certain aggressive cancers, as observed in female mice, highlighting the importance of dose optimization.
Improving age-related decline in intestinal barrier function can reduce systemic inflammation, which is a significant contributor to aging, and rapamycin may play a role in this improvement.
Both the beneficial effects and potential side effects of rapamycin are strongly linked to its dose, with trough levels potentially correlating most strongly with side effects, emphasizing the need for careful dose titration.
To identify predictive signatures for anti-aging interventions like rapamycin, focus research efforts on the serum metabolome, as it is a promising area for correlating with functional effects and lifespan.
To build evidence for rapamycin’s effects in humans, conduct short clinical trials (e.g., 6-10 weeks) in healthy elderly individuals, focusing on impactful functional outcomes like immune function, cardiac function, or alveolar bone levels.
For listeners seeking foundational knowledge on mTOR and rapamycin, it is recommended to listen to the podcast with David Sabatini, as it provides essential background information.
To access additional details on podcast episodes and related topics, visit Peter Attia MD’s official website, peteratiyahmd.com.