People are always searching for new ways to slow aging and live longer. A study out of the University of Liverpool in collaboration with Harvard in the Aging Cell showed by taking a blood pressure medication rilmenidine miraculously increased healthy life span. Did they accidently uncover the secrets to the Fountain of Youth?
How can a blood pressure pill be anti-aging?
The study showed for that first time that feeding roundworms (C. Elegans) rilmenidine, a blood pressure medication at both younger and older aged animals increased their life span and healthy markers of life. Roundworms are typically used by scientists as are easy to study, have a short life span, and surprisingly share many similar genes with people.
The NEW anti-aging targets (nish-1 and Il-imidazoline) were turned on by rilmenidine in animals and are the same anti-aging targets found in people and may also play a role in regulating blood pressure, fat metabolism, and diabetes. Nish-1 specifically is a NEW target to anti-aging and works by turning on something called calorie restriction (CR) genes.
Scientists say that CR genes show the greatest promise in slowing down the process of aging even without necessarily limiting the calories we eat. In fact, when the animals in this study were placed on a calorie restriction diet, they did not live longer so the secret was in turning on the genes themselves.
If I take any blood pressure medication, can I live longer?
In general, if you have high blood pressure it is very important to take your blood pressure medications as prescribed. And well controlled blood pressure can definitely increase your life by stopping strokes and heart attacks. However, rilmenidine directly targets anti-aging by binding to the target sites. These sites are independent from its blood pressure lowering effect (in this case the alpha-2-receptor) found in the nervous system and kidney.
Unlike other drugs studied for anti-aging, relmenidine is widely prescribed (however not available in the U.S.) easy to take by mouth with few side effects and may work better than other medications in its class for lowering heart rate and blood pressure. It was first launched in Hungary in 1999 and available in many countries globally.
Can Calorie Restriction (CR) help with anti-aging?
While calorie restriction (CR) is thought one of the more robust and successful way to increase lifespan across species, its side effects (unintended weight loss, malnutrition, or not being able to stick to a diet) led scientist to explore other solutions. And it seems that by targeting nish-1 the NEW anti-aging site by relmenidine and other similar medications can turn on the calorie restricting (CR) gene and get the same effect as decreasing calories in our diet.
How we interpret this over time, more research needs to be done but other studies have shown in people who restrict calories or eat less and healthier may extend life. In the CALERIE study healthy people were placed on modest caloric restriction not for weight loss but for maintaining good health and over 2 years were healthier than the group without calorie restriction. Perhaps if the trial had been longer may have shown to extend life.
Any final thoughts on anti-aging from taking a blood pressure pill?
For now, nish-1 a NEW anti-aging target seems to be “switched on,” on by taking a simple blood pressure pill, rilmenidine bringing us one step closer to unraveling the secrets of the Fountain of Youth and longevity. With our globally aging population the impact of this would be monumental raising hope and promise of a new Golden age- where aging and death can be postponed at least for a few years more.
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