Is there benefit of taking Rapamycin and Metaformin together?
Hi Bernardo, there are benefits of taking metformin and rapamycin together. Primarily the glucose lowering effects of taking metformin confer longevity benefits that are complimentary to the mTOR inhibition benefits of taking rapamycin.
A study published in the journal Aging Cell found that a combination of rapamycin and metformin improved insulin sensitivity and reduced the risk of developing diabetes in mice. Another study published in the journal Nature Communications found that a combination of rapamycin and metformin extended the lifespan of mice by up to 14%.
However, we are encouraging patients to be evaluated for taking acarbose. We think that in addition to its ability to lower glucose levels, acarbose seems to complement the effects of rapamycin by remodeling the gut microbiota.
We wrote a synopsis on the National Institute for Aging’s Interventional Testing Program, which showed that acarbose and rapamycin taken together seemed to extend to lifespan in mice models, whereas metformin did not.
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Thanks Daniel. The study seems very compelling.
Probably is best to do a Rapamycin and Acarbose? What are side effects of Acarbose?
(I am fairly healthy. Workout everyday, do intermittent fasting, don’t drink alcohol, avoid sugar, red meats and processed foods and sleep fairly well)
Thanks,
Bernardo
Yes, acarbose and rapamycin work on complimentary longevity pathways. The major side-effect of acarbose is gas. Acarbose works by inhibiting the enzyme alpha-glucosidase, which is responsible for breaking down carbohydrates in the small intestine. When this enzyme is inhibited, carbohydrates are not fully digested and are instead fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. This fermentation process produces gases, such as hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane, which can lead to flatulence (gas).
This side effect is more pronounced when the medication is first started or when the dosage is increased. It may also be more likely to occur if you are consuming large amounts of carbohydrates while taking acarbose, so we recommend tapering up your carbohydrate intake when you are just starting on acarbose. Our patients usually adjust and no longer have GI issues.
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Can confirm, that the primary side effect on starting Acarbose (50mg 3x daily) is lots of gas. Lol. Im sure it will improve as my body adjusts to the medication. I also just started Rapamycin and im trying to decide whether to drop using my Metformin or not and just use Acarbose and Rapamycin(Sirolimus).