Geroscience drugs
Approved for other uses
Rapamycin and mTOR inhibitors
The most consistent lifespan extender in animals, now in early human testing.
How it works
Rapamycin inhibits mTOR, a central growth and nutrient-sensing hub, which promotes autophagy (cellular recycling). mTOR inhibition extends lifespan across many species studied in the lab.
Hallmarks of aging targeted
Deregulated nutrient sensing · Disabled macroautophagy · Loss of proteostasis
What the evidence says
Honest about what is proven, and what is not.
In older volunteers, the mTOR inhibitor everolimus improved influenza vaccine response by about 20% (Mannick, Sci Transl Med 2014). The 48-week PEARL trial of low-dose weekly rapamycin (5 or 10 mg) in healthy adults missed its primary endpoint of visceral fat but found it relatively safe, with lean-mass and pain improvements in women on 10 mg (Aging 2025). Rapamycin is approved for transplant and other uses; aging benefits in humans are unproven.
Key reference
Moel M, Harinath G, Lee V, et al. Aging (Albany NY). 2025;17(4):908-936 (PEARL)
Considering this for yourself?
Many longevity therapies are experimental, off-label or not FDA-approved for aging. A physician-guided evaluation weighs your labs, history and goals before anything is started.
Explore other emerging therapeutics
Foundations
Exercise and resistance training
The best-evidenced healthspan intervention we have: aerobic fitness plus strength.
Foundations
Sleep, nutrition and caloric restriction
Daily inputs that shape metabolic aging; the strongest data are for caloric restriction.
Metabolic
GLP-1 receptor agonists
Obesity and diabetes drugs with proven heart benefits and an open question on aging.