I have just started a 5 day FMD fast. Would it be beneficial to take Rapamycin while fasting? Would that increase autophagy and the benefits of the fast?
Rapamycin would further increase autophagy, yes that is true. The issue is we have no idea on the level of autophagy you’re getting out of your FMD fast, nor do we know how much autophagy is stimulated by rapamycin (in which tissue types). Nor do we know the optimal autophagy levels for longevity and healthspan. So… we are a long way away from answering this question.
Additional reading:
What could the dangers be of doing this? Can you have too much autophagy? I thought a lot of people fast on Rapamycin.
You probably can have too much autophagy; too much cell death is likely not health promoting.
I would propose that the older you are (i.e. over 50 or 60) the more likely you are to benefit from higher levels of autophagy, thus raising autophagy is likely to be more beneficial. The younger you are, it seems, the more likely your autophagy process is working well and the less need for added boosters…
Some people fast and use rapamycin here - but I wouldn’t say a “lot” of people do it. You can search on the forum (see the search button in the upper right corner of the screen) and see past discussions on autophagy, or fasting.
Some quotes from the papers below:
In conclusion, in this review, the protective/detrimental effects of calorie restriction-modulated autophagy were discussed. Data support the fact that adaptive and excessive autophagy can be activated depending on the intensity and duration of calorie restriction programs. It seems that controlled calorie restriction or IF can exert protection on different cellular functions by a modulation of autophagy in response to several pathological conditions (Figure 5). By the activation of adaptive autophagy and relevant downstream effects, IF or calorie restriction can lead to lifespan-extending and antiaging effects via the regulation of adequate homeostasis. Moderate calorie restriction for short- and long-term or IF practiced in various religions in young and middle-aged individuals can be used with no prominent adverse effects [150]. Despite the advantages, insufficient energy intake and dehydration are the risk factors in volunteers with calorie restrictions that should be carefully monitored. Under these conditions, defective (excessive) autophagy response not only does protect the host cells but also forces the cells toward autophagic cell death and apoptosis. Numerous investigations are mandatory to address underlying mechanisms related to autophagy modulation in individuals practicing IF. Despite the modulatory effects of calorie restriction on the autophagy signaling pathway, the underlying mechanisms associated with the activation of adaptive/excessive autophagy have not been addressed. The advances in molecular biology will enable us to monitor real-time changes in autophagy response in individuals under different IF programs. Due to the lack of sufficient data associated with the safety and side effects of IF programs in patients, calorie restriction should be used in clinical settings with great caution. The combination of autophagy inducers and certain calorie restrictions under specific pathological conditions can help clinicians to develop de novo therapeutic protocols.
The Beneficial and Adverse Effects of Autophagic Response to Caloric Restriction and Fasting - PMC.
Although autophagy has a crucial role in degrading aggregate-prone proteins, in a mouse model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), autophagy induction by rapamycin increases motor neuron degeneration95 and beclin 1 haploinsufficiency prolongs life span of mutant SOD1 transgenic mice,96 suggesting that autophagy may contribute to neurodegeneration in certain settings. If autotic cell death mediates neuronal cell death in mouse models of ALS, clinical trials of cardiac glycosides in patients with ALS may be warranted.
https://www.nature.com/articles/cdd2014143
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