Can rapamycin slow aging in people?

Background

Rapamycin (sirolimus) inhibits mTOR, a central growth-signaling pathway. It is one of the most consistent lifespan-extending drugs in animal studies, and some people take low weekly doses off-label hoping to slow aging.

What the human research shows

• The PEARL trial (2025) randomized 114 adults aged 50 to 85 to placebo or 5 or 10 mg of compounded rapamycin weekly for 48 weeks.
• It did not reduce visceral fat, its main outcome. Some secondary measures, such as lean mass in women on 10 mg and self-reported well-being, improved.
• The regimens were generally well tolerated over one year. Several authors were employees and shareholders of the company that ran the trial.

What we still don’t know

• Whether rapamycin extends human lifespan or healthspan. No trial has tested this directly.
• The right dose and schedule, and the long-term effect of its immune-suppressing action.

Safety and status

Sirolimus is FDA-approved to prevent organ transplant rejection, where it suppresses the immune system. Off-label use for aging is not approved and carries risks including mouth ulcers, raised blood lipids and infection.

Sources

1. Moel et al. Influence of rapamycin on safety and healthspan metrics after one year: PEARL trial results. Aging, 2025 (press release)

Last reviewed November 7, 2026. Educational only; not medical advice, and not a recommendation to take any drug or supplement. Talk to a clinician before starting anything.