Muscle Strength and Endurance in Older Adults with Rapamycin
1. mTOR Pathway and Aging
- mTOR controls cell growth, protein synthesis, and metabolism.
- As we age, overactive mTOR signaling contributes to problems like muscle wasting (sarcopenia), inflammation, and mitochondrial decline.
- Rapamycin inhibits mTOR, which can shift the body’s focus from growth to cellular repair and maintenance.
2. Muscle Benefits
- In aged muscles, rapamycin seems to:
- Improve mitochondrial function, which helps with energy and endurance.
- Reduce inflammation, which can otherwise damage muscle tissue.
- Possibly enhance autophagy, a process that clears out damaged cells and proteins.
3. Exercise Synergy
- Some research suggests that combining rapamycin with resistance or aerobic exercise may boost benefits—preserving or even improving muscle mass, strength, and recovery.
A clinical trial led by Dr. Brad Stanfield and Dr. Matt Kaeberlein is investigating the effects of weekly rapamycin supplementation on muscle strength and endurance in older adults. The study aims to determine if rapamycin can mitigate age-related muscle atrophy and enhance exercise outcomes. Weekly low doses of rapamycin can help older adults improve performance on strength and endurance tasks, like grip strength and walking speed.
