Heyhey, not long ago I asked you what you’d ask from Matt Kaeberlein for my conversation with him: What would you ask from Matt Kaeberlein?
You provided many questions and I did manage to touch many of the topics you brought up, but also asked his opinions about this very forum itself. Enjoy!
A fun interview to listen to! Well done @nopara73
A summary by : getrecall.ai
Rapamycin is still considered the gold standard for slowing aging in laboratory animals, as it increases lifespan and health span metrics in various organisms 00:00.
The hallmarks of aging have been a useful framework, but they have also narrowed the research focus, with 99.9% of studies falling within this framework, potentially limiting the discovery of new mechanisms and pathways 00:38.
Despite the lack of progress in increasing mouse lifespan in laboratory settings, it’s possible to achieve extreme lifespan extension, but it may require a different approach, such as unbiased discovery science and the use of new tools like AI 07:49.
Large impacts on lifespan may not be achieved solely by using AI tools, and a new approach is needed, combining AI with large data sets and discovery science to enable breakthroughs in the field of longevity 11:29.
There is optimism about the allocation of resources, with significant investments from the private sector, such as Altos Labs and Calico, and potential involvement from big pharma, which could lead to a greater focus on the science of longevity 12:26.
The idea of using gamification to motivate people to work towards reversing their biological age is being explored, with the potential to achieve significant progress in longevity by making health and aging a competitive goal 14:35.
However, it is noted that gamifying health may not be enough to achieve the goal of longevity escape velocity, and a deeper understanding of aging and its mechanisms is necessary to make significant progress in the field 18:06.
The bodybuilding analogy is discussed, where individuals achieved significant physical changes through experimentation, but it is highlighted that this was still based on scientific principles, and the goal of maximizing health span and lifespan requires a different approach, considering long-term consequences 19:02.
The realization that it’s possible to slow aging in dogs and make them live longer, healthier lives was a major reason for looking outside of academia for research opportunities, as it took 10 years to get the project funded 23:10.
The Triad study, which aims to slow aging in dogs, is expected to take four years to complete due to funding issues and the complexity of setting up a multi-site clinical trial 24:58.
Keeping up with the field of nutrient medicine and aging biology can be challenging due to the vast amount of research and the breadth of the field, which incorporates most major chronic diseases and spans multiple model organisms 31:16.
To learn the truth about topics without being an expert, it’s essential to understand the limitations of one’s knowledge and recognize good information from bad, which can be achieved by being critical, utilizing available tools, and acknowledging the boundaries of one’s expertise 32:49.
To recognize honest and expert sources of information on longevity, look for credentials and beware of those who speak in certainties, as they may not have sufficient knowledge to recognize the complexity of the topic 33:08
Be cautious of people trying to sell products, as they may provide misleading information to make a sale, and instead, seek information from credible sources such as the scientific literature 35:16
To build expertise, recognize the limitations of your knowledge, be curious, and use tools like AI-based tools to gather information, while always taking a skeptical approach and considering alternative explanations 35:33
The technology of supplements is improving faster than the technology of lifestyle due to lower costs and easier research, but the incentive structure in the supplement industry prioritizes making money over conducting high-quality research 44:25
The lack of regulation in the over-the-counter supplement industry leads to dishonest claims and a lack of understanding of which supplements provide value, with risks associated with combinatorial interactions and manufacturing processes 46:26
Rapamycin, a prescription medication, has a unique online forum where users discuss longevity science, with a core group of scientifically literate individuals who are interested in understanding the biology of aging 50:13
Rapamycin has been shown to increase lifespan and health span metrics in laboratory animals, but its effectiveness in improving health span and lifespan in people is still unknown, with ongoing research and off-label use providing some insights into its safety and potential benefits 52:42
Rapamycin may have benefits for people with high levels of chronic inflammation, such as those with chronic fatigue syndrome or long COVID, and for individuals at high risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, with improvements seen in cerebral blood flow and brain volume 55:13.
Clinical trials are ongoing to investigate the effects of rapamycin on various age-related outcomes, including periodontal disease, ovarian function, and muscle function, with results expected to provide insight into its potential benefits or drawbacks 56:13.
The optimal dosage and administration route of rapamycin are still being explored, with considerations including taking it with a meal to enhance bioavailability and the potential impact of formulation on its effectiveness 58:04.
Combining rapamycin with certain supplements, such as berberine or senolytic drugs like quercetin, may be beneficial, as they may synergize to enhance its effects, although more research is needed to confirm these potential interactions 01:03:08.
MTOR is a primary decision maker for growth versus stress resistance, and high MTOR activity promotes growth, but chronic activation can lead to problems such as cancer and chronic inflammation 01:06:36
The goal is to optimize the system by turning MTOR on when needed for growth and regeneration, and turning it down when needed for repair and stress resistance, but the exact timing and dosage are still unknown 01:07:54
Keep up the great work!
Maybe people need to do more specialized bloodwork like iollo to see real results…
and even iollo doesn’t do micro-measurement of inflammation. CRP is a terrible measure of more specialized hyperinflammation
This was a really great discussion with Matt. Great work here nopara!
Appreciate you sharing the recall ai tool too. If you have a referral link I will sign up with that. I have been looking for something like this.
I’ve only been using the free version so far. No need for a referral link for that.
Got it. I will give that a try
@adssx @DeStrider @DrFraser , I really like Matt’s commentary on our website here… and our community members. It seems pretty accurate and complimentary of everyone here:
If people are just reading these posts (not watching the above video yet) then I encourage you to at least watch this segment… click on the “50:13” link below to go to the exact spot in the video:
Rapamycin, a prescription medication, has a unique online forum where users discuss longevity science, with a core group of scientifically literate individuals who are interested in understanding the biology of aging 50:13
A quote from the conversation, Matt Kaeberlein Speaking:
So, I think the interesting question that you raised is why is there this entire forum around rapamycin that is not even specific to rapamycin? Like those members of the rapamycin.news forum talk about all sorts of longevity science.
I mean I think part of it’s kind of a unique evolution of the data around rapamycin and the people who have gravitated towards off label use of rapamycin for the purposes of potentially improving their health span and / or lifespan.
It was started by a guy named Brian who is very uh I mean he’s a tech guy but he’s very scientifically literate. it was a passion project for him and a core group of initial users gravitated around this topic but they all were people who are in my view at least for non-scientists by and large extremely well-informed very curious really want to know the answer like there are not there are a lot of people on the rapamycin news forum who are who maintain like I try to a healthy skepticism about rapamycin we don’t really know for sure that rapamycin is going to improve health span or lifespan broadly speaking across the population or or in which individuals it will have that effect.
So I think it’s a I think it’s an interesting group of people who gravitated to rapamycin as opposed to some of the other stuff that’s out there like NAD boosters or metformin which sort of got popularized among a different audience of people who are less scientifically informed and skeptical. Also a larger audience right a larger audience. So this was a core group of much smaller group of people who I think have a true interest in understanding the biology of aging. many of them and that’s why you see a much more sophisticated in general conversation on the rapamycin news forum than you will on a NAD booster web page, right? Or or Facebook.
So that’s at least my sort of perspective on why that forum has evolved the way that it has. And I’m not that’s not to say that there aren’t trolls on there and there aren’t, you know, there isn’t misinformation. But by and large, I think Brian and the other core members of that forum do a pretty good job of appropriately responding to misinformation when it gets posted.
Matt is very glowing of our community… and rightfully so!
In benefits he mentions:
I think there are a lot of other benefits - reduction on visceral fat, improved circulation and skin quality, improved memory - reduction of arthritis (inflammation), building strength. Matt alludes that not all people might respond to rapamycin equally - could be based on your age, genetics, current health and exercise regiment. Why some rapamycin users might be super responders compaired to those who feel almost nothing.
I can listen to this man all day. A fun, intelligent scientist - who knows my favorite topic better than anyone - Vitamin “R”.
Thanks for pointing this out! It’s great to get a shout-out from someone that you respect, like Matt.
Yeah, I think I sprinkled just the right amount of my own bullshit into it, without this forum’s questions I would had been sidetracked by it too much 
I think Matt is spot on … couldn’t agree more with him. This is a brilliant forum for any longevity physician to learn from and stay at the cutting edge of things that smart individuals are trying, and contemplating, including have a vigorous and respectful debate around complex subjects. I think I’ve learned more here on these topics than in my formal education … and then some.
One thing you do particularly well, and better than most other interviewers, is you can ask your guest a great question and listen to them answer it completely without cutting them off.
I know that sounds simple, but easier said than done… so, bravo!
Excellent! and thanks.
@nopara73
One thing I found interesting was Matt saying he doubts we should combine fasting with rapamycin because it might be too much of a good thing
(I’m paraphrasing and if I remembered this incorrectly, by all means, let me know!)
I think this probably includes doing Prolon (the five day fasting mimicking diet). I rarely do prolon these days anyway, but my new thought is perhaps I shouldn’t at all? (I’m hoping this is true :). If anyone has a thought on this, I’d love to hear it.