The big Rapamycin & Exercise study finally dropped! Check it out here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...
Basically? It didn’t really work like people thought. Actually, it kinda made things worse. 😬
What they did:
They took 40 older folks (ages 65-85) who weren't super active and put them on a 13-week workout plan at home. Half of them took 6mg of Rapamycin once a week, and the other half just got a placebo.
The Theory (The "Cycling" thing):
The idea was that working out turns on mTOR (which builds muscle), and Rapamycin turns it off (which cleans out old cells). The researchers thought if you switch between the two, you’d be a super-healthy machine. 🦾
They even waited 24 hours after the workout to take the pill so it wouldn't mess with the "gains" window.
The Results (Ouch):
- Everyone got a bit fitter, but the placebo group did way better.
- The people NOT taking Rapamycin could do about 3.4 more chair stands than the Rapa group.
- Walking distance and grip strength? Placebo won those too. 👎
Safety Stuff:
Both groups had side effects, but the Rapamycin group had way more total issues (99 vs 63). One person even ended up in the hospital with pneumonia after just one dose. 😱
Why did it fail?
It turns out Rapamycin stays in your system for a long time (like 62 hours!). So even though they waited a day to take it, the drug was still in their bodies during the next workout, basically blocking the muscle growth they were trying to get. It’s like what happens with Metformin—it just blunts the benefits of the exercise.
Keep in mind:
- It was only 13 weeks.
- They only tried one specific dose/timing.
- It was a small group (40 people).
The Takeaway:
Exercise is still the #1 way to stay healthy as you get older. Period. 🏃♂️ Don't go trying Rapamycin on your own unless a doctor specifically tells you to for a real medical reason!