Understanding the functions of mTOR and its impact on overall health is crucial when considering targeting its pathway in your body.
mTOR has emerged as a key player in the pursuit of longevity. Mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin is a significant protein essential for health, aging, muscle growth, development, and metabolic health.
mTOR is also involved in various diseases, including cancer, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, arthritis, and neurological disorders. It’s important to understand that this protein is neither inherently good nor bad—it’s simply necessary.
Maintaining balance when it comes to mTOR activity is crucial. Both too much and too little mTOR activity can lead to health issues. Modulating mTOR can be achieved through lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, as well as therapeutic interventions such as rapamycin, a drug that has shown promise in extending lifespan in animal models.
Understanding the functions of mTOR and its impact on overall health is essential if you’re considering targeting its pathway in your body. Interfering with our finely tuned systems can have consequences. Do the potential benefits of manipulating mTOR activity outweigh the risks?
Discovering and Defining mTOR
mTOR is a naturally occurring protein in the body, with rapamycin being discovered first. Rapamycin, best known as a longevity drug, is derived from a bacteria. In the 1970s, rapamycin was isolated from a soil sample collected on Easter Island, known as Rapa Nui by the indigenous people.
In the 1990s, mTOR was identified as the cellular target of rapamycin. The discovery of rapamycin led to the identification of its target in the body, mTOR.
