As we grow older, our bodies naturally start to slow down. We become more vulnerable to illness, and our cells don’t repair themselves as well as they used to. Scientists have long been searching for ways to slow this aging process, but so far, no magic cure has been found.
One method that has shown promise is caloric restriction—eating fewer calories while still getting enough nutrients. Studies in animals suggest this can help them live longer and stay healthier. However, for most people, eating much less every day is hard to do. It also sometimes leads to unwanted side effects like weakness, poor mood, or even malnutrition.
That’s why scientists have been trying to find drugs that could offer the same benefits of caloric restriction without forcing people to change their diets so drastically. Over the years, several drugs have been studied, such as metformin (used for diabetes), rapamycin (used to prevent organ rejection), and resveratrol (found in red wine).
But none of these has proven to be a perfect solution. Some must be injected, others break down too quickly in the body, and a few come with serious side effects.
Now, a group of researchers from the University of Liverpool may have found a new and more promising option: a drug called rilmenidine. This drug is already used in many countries to treat high blood pressure, and it’s taken as a simple pill. What’s exciting is that rilmenidine may also help slow down the aging process.
In their study, scientists tested rilmenidine on tiny roundworms, fruit flies, and mice. These animals were either young or already older when they were given the drug. In both cases, they lived longer and seemed healthier, in much the same way animals do when they’re put on a calorie-restricted diet.
The researchers discovered that the drug works by affecting a specific receptor in the body called I1-imidazoline receptor nischarin-1. This receptor helps regulate how the body handles energy and stress. When rilmenidine activates this receptor, it appears to send signals similar to what happens when the body is under caloric restriction—without actually eating less.
What makes rilmenidine especially interesting is that it’s already widely available and considered safe for long-term use. It usually has only mild side effects and doesn’t require special handling like injections or hospital visits. Because of this, scientists think it could be a strong candidate for future human trials as an anti-aging drug.
As the world’s population continues to grow older, the search for ways to stay healthy longer becomes even more important. Just slowing down aging a little bit could help millions of people avoid diseases linked to old age, like heart problems, Alzheimer’s, and frailty. It could also reduce healthcare costs and help people stay active and independent for longer.
Using existing drugs like rilmenidine for new purposes—something called “drug repurposing”—could be one of the fastest and safest ways to make progress. Instead of spending years developing a brand-new medicine, scientists can test drugs that have already been proven safe for other conditions.
This study offers a hopeful new path forward. While more research is needed to see if rilmenidine has the same effects in people as it does in animals, it’s an exciting step. We may not have discovered the secret to staying young forever, but we’re getting closer to finding safe and simple ways to age more slowly and live better lives.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and people with severe high blood pressure should reduce coffee intake.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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