Rapamycin

rapamycin · sirolimus

mTOR inhibitor with the strongest evidence of lifespan extension in animal models.

TypePrescription drug

⚠ Prescription drug — use only under medical supervision

The grade answers: What does the human evidence support for: mTOR inhibition?

Structure · PubChem

Grade

Strong

The grade rates evidence quality — it is not advice to take or buy.

Class: mTOR / Autophagy
Primary use: mTOR inhibition
Evidence strength: high
Last reviewed: 2025-09-01

Prescription only

Available only on prescription. This entry is informational: we do not point to where to buy it and do not suggest a use.

Bottom line

The strongest lifespan data of any molecule here — but in animals. In humans it is a potent immunosuppressant, not a supplement; off-label 'longevity' use is experimental and must be managed by a physician.

What the evidence says

Rapamycin extends lifespan robustly and reproducibly across yeast, worms, flies and mice — including when treatment starts in mid-to-late life. That cross-species consistency is why it earns grade A for evidence strength. The nuance: the grade rates how solid the biology is, not whether you should take it. Human 'longevity' use rests on analogy plus small immune and biomarker studies, not on trials with hard aging endpoints.

Key studies

[1]
Rapamycin extends lifespan in genetically heterogeneous mice (ITP) · preclinical
Lifespan extended even when treatment starts in late-middle age — the landmark rodent result.
Open on PubMed ↗
[2]
mTOR inhibition and immune function in older adults · RCT
Short-term mTOR inhibition improved vaccine response in older adults — a rare human signal, on a surrogate endpoint.
Open on PubMed ↗
[3]
Rapamycin, aging and healthspan (review) · review
Consolidates the mechanistic and cross-species case.
Open on PubMed ↗

See all studies on PubMed ↗

Scoped PubMed search, not a curated bibliography: the individual PMIDs for this entry have not yet been verified one by one. For that reason it is not used to support a high grade and is awaiting review.

Mechanism

Selective inhibition of the mTORC1 complex — the cell's central nutrient-and-growth sensor. Suppressing mTORC1 promotes autophagy (cellular self-cleaning), improves proteostasis, and dampens markers of cellular senescence, engaging some of the same levers as caloric restriction.

Safety

A prescription immunosuppressant with a well-characterised risk profile: higher infection risk, impaired wound healing, mouth ulcers, and metabolic effects (raised lipids, glucose intolerance). It carries real contraindications and is not a supplement. Intermittent low-dose 'longevity' regimens are being studied but are not established as safe in healthy people.

Dosage context

Approved dosing exists for licensed indications (e.g. organ-transplant immunosuppression). No longevity dose or schedule is validated; research explores intermittent, lower-dose regimens specifically to preserve benefit while limiting immunosuppression.

Examples of application

Used only under medical supervision — it is a prescription drug, not a supplement.
In research, explored as intermittent low-dose rather than daily.
Never self-experimented; off-label longevity use needs a physician.

From the field

Grade A for the strength of the preclinical evidence — not an invitation to use it. This is the molecule most often misrepresented in the longevity market: a real drug with real risks, sold to some as a casual supplement. It isn't one.

Related molecules

MetforminB

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How we assign grades → Method