#246

Would you be open to sharing what you do instead? Thanks!

#247

Can 100% say that rapamycin 1mg/wk does not inhibit muscle protein synthesis for a 21 year old, gaining muscle like I was 16/17.

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#248

Sure thing. I’m currently doing a hypertrophy focused program to put on muscle mass, so I’m out of sync with some of this forum. 4x a week, 1.5-1.45 hrs a session, ~25 sets per major muscle group per week. Lower or upper emphasis but with accessory exercises to hit most muscle groups each session. Blocks are 4 weeks long.

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Zone 2 cardio, alternating slow jog on the treadmill with bike trainer, 2x/wk, 1 hr. Norwegian 4x4 on the treadmill 1x/wk. Concerned about rapa inhibiting muscle protein synthesis, but I want some benefits, so my most recent thinking is this:

Sunday: 3mg rapa am, maybe with 5mg MOTS-C. Zone 2 cardio afternoon, GlyNACET. I intend on getting labs done to check levels and will adjust from there.

Monday am: Z2, GlyNACET

Tues eve: ~1 half life of rapa has elapsed, Upper body emphasis lift.

Wed am: Lower body emphasis

Thurs: am 4x4, GlyNACET

Fri am: Upper emphasis

Sat am: lower emphasis

Sometimes Thursday is too busy. If so, take Thursday off, do 4x4 Sat morning, Lower lift later in the day… but I’d prefer to finish the lift about 24hrs before I take rapa so this isn’t ideal.

Then at the end of each 4 wk training block, instead of 3mg rapa, a large dose during a maintenance week. Will have to experiment and think about the half life as I head into the next block. More labs.

Before this program I was doing 3x a week total body with a classic powerlifting compound lift emphasis, strength focused. Heavy weights, low reps, shorter sessions, 48 or 72 hrs between workouts, cardio on the other days. The heavy weights cause a lot of wear and tear so the current program is kind of a break even though the volume is much higher.

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#249

Makes sense, thanks!

Are you not concerned about NAC’s potential to inhibit exercise adaptation through its antioxidant properties? And potentially interfere with Rapamycin too?

I’ve read an argument that NAC blocks hormesis caused by other supplements because of this. These studies were quoted:

#250

I’m concerned about the former, so I’m only taking a small amount of the GlyNACET as far from lifting sessions as I can manage because my serum glutathione is really low. I’m probably trying to do too many conflicting things at once, and need to have a more consistent strategy, but my hope is that I can raise glutathione and use the small bit of rapa to counter inflammation to some extent while still packing on as much muscle as I can for 6 months.

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#251

What App are you using (that the image is from above) to track your exercise routine? do you recommend it? I’m still looking for a good app for tracking this sort of thing.

#252

@RapAdmin, that is from Juggernaut AI, which uses an algorithm to plan and dynamically change a resistance training program (even set-to-set while you lift). I did a test drive of it for 2 weeks and decided it was worth the monthly cost for a few months… pending results.

The other one I was considering is the RP Hypertrophy app, but I admit Juggernaut AI pulled me in with the slick interface. I’ll prob try the RP app in 6 months.

Neither is truly necessary, but not having to do my own programming saves time and I also don’t have to think mid-session about whether I should adjust based on how well I did on the last set. And the tracking is very nice for those of us who like metrics.

Edit: for calorie and time tracking, I just use Polar Flow since I always wear an H10 monitor while training.

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#253

Quoting myself to follow up after about 5.5 months. It’s clear that 4 mg/wk rapamycin doesn’t impact strength and muscle gain for me. I landed on a 44-48 hr break from resistance training after a rapa dose, then 5 days in a row of 60-90 min weightlifting sessions. I switched from Juggernaut AI programming to a Stronger by Science hypertrophy program after 12 weeks.

My strength levels are “intermediate” by online strength standards, but I’m now farther along in the bracket. I’ve been able to progressively increase volume and strength. My fear was that rapamycin wouldn’t interfere with beginner or novice progression, but would interfere with intermediate or advanced lifters. This has not been the case.

I’ve gained 15 lbs by eating in a surplus, 3300-3700 calories a day, since mid March. Using DEXA scans with measurements and photos in-between DEXAs, I think most of it is lean mass.

I’m comfortable enough at this point to increase my rapamycin dose to 5mg for a few weeks.

A contributing factor is probably that I’m on TRT that puts me in the upper normal range, but not in a supraphysiological, baby-steroid-cycle “TRT+” range.

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#254

Nice!
Thanks for sharing.

You wrote: It’s clear that 4 mg/wk rapamycin doesn’t impact strength and muscle gain for me.

I also have reduced my rapamycin dose for past 2 months to 4 mg. I am able to healthy bulk up about 8 pounds of muscle weight. I was thinking the higher rapamycin dose 8 to 12 mg weekly was keeping me almost too shredded…too lean.

Definitely feeling/looking better and I am stronger… in workouts at the gym.

Can’t wait to see what my blood panel numbers are in another month when I do my four month checkup. And, to see my biological age markers.

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#255

Interesting that you landed on that dose also.

I will report again in a few weeks after trying 5+ mg. Then another DEXA in December.

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#256

I also have been supplementing with Creatine daily 5 grams the past month - plus. Something Peter Attia recommends as well as some people on this forum.

The mid dosing of 6 mg to 12 mg weekly, and then as high as 30 mg for 7 months based on Labcorp tests. I think the higher rapamycin dosing actually overcleaned and shredded me too much. Now I feel better with a little muscle weight gain at 4 mg rapamycin weekly. It feels like my muscles are appropriate bigger size… firm. Have gained 6-8 pounds of muscle.

Will be doing a full blood panel, GlycanAge inflammation blood test and TruMe lab methylation spit test in a month to look at changes in biological age. Hopefully all will be better.

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#257

Creatine sucks a few pounds of water into the muscle tissue. Fills them out nicely.

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#258

I’m a fit 53, primarily road cyclist and weight lifter, 186lbs, ~8%bf, 51 vo2max. Did full testing @labcorp for an 8mg dose of rapa taken fasted with the following levels: 2hr: 19.8, 24 hr: 3.2, 7 days 0.8. At least for me there seems to be massive elimination over 24h than more like the expected 1/2 life during the rest of the week. My goal is a combination of high fitness and longevity (realize I’m balancing competing objectives but I want to be strong and fit beyond my years and when I pass, hopefully by an out of the blue by a meteor strike, I want people to say what a shame he was so healthy :joy:. Anyway, my strategy optimized over a weekly cycle and basically looking to hold on to every ounce of muscle and vo2max for as long as possible but not really gain on either in any meaningful way is: Tues: fasted Z2 cycling 75min / afternoon (fed) upper body (all lifts are fed ~10 sets per body part to failure around 20 reps), wed: fasted Z2 cycling 90min / afternoon legs, thurs: VO2 max 4/4 for 1hr / afternoon core, fri: fasted recovery pace (hr: ~120) 75 min / afternoon upper, Saturday 4-5 hour outdoor cycling, Sunday 4-5 hour outdoor cycle OR 2 hr Z2 indoor / afternoon legs, Sunday bedtime Rapamycin 8mg (although based on test may drop back to 6mg so it’s fully cleared in a week), Monday: 75 min recovery ride, core or walk. Theory is while I could certainly do better if I wanted growth or recovery specifically, im basically looking to maintain at this level of fitness with the slowest ramp as I age. Rapa may reduce MPS from Sunday but my data suggests by Tuesday afternoon lift, I should have blood levels below 2 and MToR activation should be feasible again. By Wed-sat I should be fully capable of quality MPS and we bring that down again on Sunday night. Once a year in the winter I focus on weightlifting for about 10 weeks and take time off from Rapa and time on some muscle building peptides. Throughout the year I on and off use recovery oriented peptides and cycle in some mitochondrial ones as well. Just got my longevity doc to ok either Metformin or an SGLT2 and I’ll be adding low dose Jardiance in Sept. (given the ITP data and the mitochondrial health risk with metformin). I also take a lot of the measurable supplements to keep things in range (homocysteine, D, magnesium, iron, etc) and am single-handedly keeping functionhealth in business ordering labs. Hope this is helpful and happy to hear any thoughts!

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#259

Great numbers. It will be interesting to track this over the coming decade because I believe with rapamycin you will attenuate the typical fall-off of performance.

How long have you been taking rapamycin?

What else is in your “longevity supplements protocol”?

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#260

Thanks! Started Rapamicyn at 6mg / wk Jan '23. I get Rx from a longevity doc (LivHEALTH) and fill at the cheapest local pharmacy with GoodRx Gold so pricing is reasonable and source is “clean”.

Started my longevity journey in ~Oct 21 mostly by improving a pretty good fitness routine and starting to move diet more in-line, in fall 22 I started monitoring blood glucose (and despite being lean and fit) figured out I was far from healthy (A1C was never bad but fast BG was always over 100 and regular mid-day spikes to 180).

Went low carb <100 net grams / day (full omnivore with tons of veggies tons of meat and almost zero white carbs), added a supplement stack (mostly typical stuff and most measurable with labs but the most longevity oriented ones would be: TMG and Methylated B’s (I have MTFHR), Fish oil (I dose and test to maintain 11% on omega quant), Astaxanthin, Zeaxanthin, and Lutein (for their various purported benefits), curcumin, GLYNAC, and melatonin) and brought on Liv in Jan 22 which is were molecules came in.

Again, recognizing I’m balancing 2 competing priorities, these aren’t all strictly longevity but, for my model of “be strong, have optimal health then die quickly” I’m taking: TRT (I was clinically low although didn’t know how much I needed it till I started, amazing changes to muscle mass and bone density), Desiccated Thyroid (same), Rapamycin, D&Q senolytic 2x per year.

I take the lowest dose of Lipitor and Ezebmitibe (after confirming I’m a hyper absorber with the Boston lab test) and aim for APOB of ~50. I take lowest dose of norvasc and ramipril to keep BP below 120/80 (average 117/70 on current regimen) as without them no matter how healthy I am I’m 130+ / 90+, I still low dose aspirin, been on it for years without issue and am more concerned about risks of coming off vs. just saying on at this point.

I cycle many different peptides from the research companies (so possible that’s counter to longevity in and of itself but, I’m careful and only buy from well supported “big name” suppliers). Some of those like Epitalon & Thymalin dosed for 20 days a few times a year are strictly in hopes of a longevity benefit, also TA1 for immunity enhancing benefits (can’t say I’ve had a single bug since starting 2x / wk about a year ago and had very close exposure to Covid 2 times in that window) and BPC/TB/GHK for periodic recovery and injury support.

I do also cycle on and off a number of the growth hormone promoting peptides to keep the muscle on and stay lean, those could certainly be seen as counter to “longevity” depending on your beliefs on HGH and IGF-1 levels but, my “unassisted” IGF-1 tests low normal for my age so I’m thinking periodic short spikes of higher might support muscle maintenance and keep me lean without too much impact on overall longevity (only time will tell). Finally, since I know the group is always interested in this info,

I don’t “notice” anything with the Rapamycin per say other than I definitely get some of the mouth sores (which I’ve never had previously and dont get when I’m off rapa) and I MIGHT be a little tired the day after dosing (although after tracking in whoop for 18 mos, it doesn’t identify any impact on my recovery, literally zero). Since I’m getting pharmacy Rapa and I’ve measured my levels, I don’t do anything to “tinker” with absorption, I take it between meals (not necessarily fasted) and not with food.

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#261

I won’t be doing coconut oil anytime soon, due to the whopping saturated fat content.

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#262

I think Rapa has improved my physique.

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#263

Good point. I use it very minimally if at all anymore.

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#264

Are you claiming that rapamycin is the only variable that changed between the before vs after photo?

#265

Very impressive before and after pictures. Can you share your routine / weight / BF % to go from picture 1 -3?