Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that a common blood pressure medicine called rilmenidine might help people live longer and stay healthier as they get older.
Their study shows that the drug can make animals live longer and improve their health, similar to what happens when they eat fewer calories.
For many years, researchers have known that eating less can slow down aging and help animals live longer. But following a strict low-calorie diet is very hard for most people. It also may not work the same way in humans as it does in animals.
This new research gives hope that rilmenidine could provide the same benefits as eating less—but without needing people to change their diet a lot.
The scientists tested the drug on animals both when they were young and when they were old. In both groups, the animals that got rilmenidine lived longer and showed signs of better health.
The drug seems to work through a special protein in the body called the I1-imidazoline receptor. This protein might be useful for future treatments aimed at helping people live longer.
One reason rilmenidine is exciting is because it’s already being used safely to treat high blood pressure. People take it by mouth, and it only has mild side effects. This is very different from many new anti-aging drugs that are still being tested and might take many years before they are ready for public use.
Because rilmenidine is already available and safe, it could be used for aging sooner than brand-new drugs that need a lot of testing.
As more people around the world are living longer, scientists are working hard to find ways to help them stay healthy in old age. Even small steps in slowing the aging process could make a big difference for people and healthcare systems.
This study is the first to show in animals that rilmenidine might help with aging. Now, the researchers want to find out if the drug can help humans in the same way.
The study was led by Professor João Pedro Magalhães and his team. It was published in the journal Aging Cell. In the future, the team hopes to learn more about rilmenidine and whether it could be used for other health problems besides high blood pressure.
If this research works out, rilmenidine could become an important tool to help people live longer and healthier lives.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about potatoes and high blood pressure, and top 10 choices for a blood pressure-friendly diet
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about impact of vitamins on high blood pressure you need to know, and the powerful link between high blood pressure and a potassium-rich diet.
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