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As we grow older, our bodies gradually lose strength and function, making us more vulnerable to disease. Scientists have long searched for ways to slow down this aging process.
While there is no cure for aging, one method—caloric restriction, or eating fewer calories without missing essential nutrients—has shown promise in extending both lifespan and healthspan (the years we live without chronic illness).
But cutting calories isn’t always easy or safe, especially for humans. It can lead to fatigue, loss of muscle, and other side effects. That’s why researchers are now exploring whether certain drugs can mimic the benefits of caloric restriction—without requiring people to dramatically change their diets.
Searching for Anti-Aging Drugs
Over the years, scientists have studied several compounds that might slow aging, such as metformin (a diabetes drug), rapamycin (an immune suppressant), and resveratrol (a compound found in red wine).
While these drugs have shown some promise in lab tests, they each come with downsides. For example, some need to be injected, others are hard for the body to absorb, and many have unpleasant or even harmful side effects.
Enter Rilmenidine
Now, a new study led by researchers from the University of Liverpool offers a hopeful alternative: rilmenidine, a drug already used to treat high blood pressure. This medication is taken by mouth, is widely available, and has relatively mild side effects.
In their study, researchers tested rilmenidine on a variety of lab animals, including worms, fruit flies, and mice. They found that the drug helped both young and older animals live longer and stay healthier—similar to what happens with caloric restriction.
How Does It Work?
The scientists discovered that rilmenidine works by interacting with a receptor in the body called I1-imidazoline receptor nischarin-1. This receptor seems to play a key role in how the body responds to the drug and in promoting healthy aging.
By targeting this receptor, rilmenidine appears to trigger some of the same biological processes as eating fewer calories—without the need to restrict food.
Why It Matters
As people live longer around the world, the risk of age-related illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and dementia is growing. Even small delays in aging can have a big impact on public health and quality of life. Repurposing existing drugs, like rilmenidine, to improve how long and how well we live could offer an affordable, safe, and widely accessible approach.
Because rilmenidine is already approved for blood pressure treatment, it has a head start in terms of safety testing and availability. This could speed up future research and help bring anti-aging therapies to people more quickly.
Looking Ahead
While these findings are exciting, scientists caution that more research is needed. Studies in humans are necessary to confirm that rilmenidine has the same benefits and to understand exactly how it works. Still, this study gives scientists a promising new direction in the search for treatments that could help us age more slowly and stay healthier longer.
In short, a simple blood pressure pill might someday become part of a larger solution to one of the biggest challenges in medicine—how to live not just longer, but better.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about How to eat your way to healthy blood pressure and results showing that Modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
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