The Search for Longevity: Can We Enjoy Food and Live Longer?
For a long time, people have been looking for ways to extend their lives. Alchemists tried to find the philosopher’s stone, but it seems that, according to scientific research, eating less can lead to longer life—at least in lab animals. The question remains: is there a way to live longer without sacrificing the joy of eating?
Compounds that simulate the effects of dieting might be the solution. Two of the most widely studied drugs in this area are rapamycin and metformin. In a recent study, my colleagues and I found that rapamycin can extend life almost as effectively as reducing food intake, unlike metformin, which didn’t show similar results.
Dietary restriction has been seen as a key to longevity since a study nearly a century ago revealed that lab rats consuming fewer calories significantly outlived their well-fed counterparts.
However, adhering to a long-term diet can be challenging and often unenjoyable. In extreme cases, it might even pose health risks.
This led us to investigate whether diet-mimicking drugs could offer the advantages of eating less, minus the negative side effects.
Rapamycin was discovered in the 1970s from bacteria in the soil of Easter Island. It’s currently used in medicine to help prevent organ transplant rejection due to its strong immunosuppressive properties. It works by blocking a molecular switch that indicates nutrient abundance to the cells.
On the other hand, metformin is synthesized from a compound found in French lilac and is commonly prescribed to manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. Both drugs are linked to the body’s nutrient and energy sensing, so researchers were curious if they could imitate the benefits of consuming fewer calories.
To explore this further, we analyzed results from various studies and focused on 167 that provided detailed data about survival across eight vertebrate species, including fish and monkeys.
We then compared three strategies for longevity: calorie restriction, rapamycin intake, and metformin usage. The findings revealed that reducing calorie intake still ranked as the best strategy for extending life, with rapamycin being a close second. In contrast, metformin did not reveal a clear benefit.
Interestingly, the life-extending impact of eating less was consistent across genders and irrespective of whether the approach was smaller portions or intermittent fasting.
This makes rapamycin a promising candidate for new anti-aging treatments. While aging itself isn’t classified as a disease, it does increase the risk of various illnesses, from cancer to dementia.
Slowing down that fundamental aging process could lead to more quality years and reduced healthcare costs as our population ages.
Promising Findings, But Caution is Key
Nevertheless, there are crucial considerations to address. Our research showed significant variations among studies, with some indicating that eating less or taking rapamycin could actually shorten lifespan.
Most of the data comes from studies on mice and rats, which, while similar to humans genetically, are not identical. There’s also the matter of potential side effects from rapamycin, like immune suppression and fertility issues. Researchers are now looking into lower doses of rapamycin to see if they offer benefits without adverse effects.
The early results look hopeful. An ongoing trial with humans using low, intermittent doses of rapamycin has shown positive impacts on health indicators. As for metformin, the human trials are still underway, and results are anticipated in the coming years.
At the moment, it’s probably best not to rush out to request rapamycin prescriptions for longevity. However, the discovery of how this drug works, derived from obscure soil bacteria, hints that influencing a single molecular process could replicate some advantages of calorie restriction.
The real challenge lies in turning these insights into therapies that promote longevity without diminishing the quality of life—or our craving for that occasional slice of chocolate cake.
