Scientists at the University of Liverpool have made an exciting discovery that could help people live longer and stay healthier as they age.
They found that a common drug used to treat high blood pressure, called rilmenidine, might also slow down aging.
In tests on animals, the drug not only helped them live longer but also improved their overall health—even when the treatment started later in life.
For a long time, scientists have known that eating fewer calories can help animals live longer. This is called calorie restriction, and it has shown strong anti-aging effects in many species. But following a strict low-calorie diet can be hard for people to maintain. It can also lead to unwanted side effects and may not work the same way in humans.
That’s why the new findings are so important. Rilmenidine seems to provide some of the same benefits as calorie restriction without needing big changes in diet. When researchers gave the drug to young and older animals, both groups showed improvements in lifespan and health. This means the drug might work even if someone starts taking it later in life.
The study also revealed how rilmenidine works. It affects a specific protein in the body called the I1-imidazoline receptor. This protein may play a key role in aging, making it a promising target for future anti-aging treatments. If scientists can better understand this protein, they may be able to create new medicines that keep people healthier for longer.
One of the most exciting things about rilmenidine is that it is not a brand-new drug. It is already used around the world to help people with high blood pressure. It’s taken by mouth, is easy to find, and has been used safely for many years.
Unlike some experimental drugs that are still being tested in labs, rilmenidine has a strong safety record. It usually causes only mild side effects, which makes it a good candidate for testing in anti-aging research.
Because rilmenidine is already approved and widely available, scientists believe it could be reused for new purposes more quickly than other new treatments. If future studies confirm that it helps slow aging in humans, it could become one of the first anti-aging drugs to reach the public.
As the world’s population gets older, finding ways to stay healthy later in life is more important than ever. Even small improvements in aging could lead to better quality of life and lower healthcare costs. Medicines like rilmenidine could play a big role in helping people stay active, independent, and healthy for longer.
This important research was led by Professor João Pedro Magalhães and his team. The findings were published in the journal Aging Cell. The team plans to continue studying the drug to see if it might help treat other health problems beyond high blood pressure.
If their future research is successful, this discovery could be a major step forward in helping people live longer, healthier lives without needing strict diets or complicated treatments.
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