Matt and Nick discuss a New York Times article on rapamycin’s potential as an anti-ageing drug, with Matt featured in the piece. Matt addresses questions on how rapamycin feels, off-label precautions, and its effects on fertility, cholesterol, and neurodegenerative disease. He also explains the mixed results in human trials and stresses the need for robust, randomized studies to fully assess its efficacy.

Key Points:

This podcast episode dives into the potential of rapamycin as an anti-ageing drug, discussing its effects, risks, and the need for more research. Matt also address misconceptions and explore the future of geroscience.

• Rapamycin's Profile: Rapamycin is highlighted in a recent New York Times article, raising awareness of its potential as an anti-ageing drug, though some concerns about its risks remain.
• Feeling Rapamycin's Effects: Users may not "feel" rapamycin like a stimulant, but some report reduced inflammation, especially in chronic conditions, which could be more than a placebo effect.
• Mixed Clinical Results: The podcast explains that human trials on rapamycin have shown mixed results, likely due to small sample sizes, with a need for larger, well-powered studies to determine its efficacy.
• Side Effects: Potential side effects such as cholesterol changes and insulin resistance are discussed, though these are more common in transplant patients taking higher doses.
• Rapamycin and Fertility: Animal studies show rapamycin may affect sperm quality, but no definitive human data exists. It’s advised not to use the drug if trying to conceive.
• Future Research Needs: The hosts stress the importance of rigorous, large-scale clinical trials to answer key questions on rapamycin’s efficacy, while acknowledging the vast, unexplored potential of geroscience.