Are biphosphonates a viable intervention stragy?
BPs are associated with reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and neurodegeneration.
Zoledronate altered 352 plasma proteins associated with apoptosis, autophagy, inflammation, telomere regulation, and lysosomal function in human patients after 18–36 months of treatment.
These changes included downregulation of inflammatory SASP markers such as IL-6 and NFκB, indicating suppression of cellular senescence.
In aged mice, Zoledronate shifted gene expression in heart, liver, spleen, intestine, and lung tissues to resemble that of younger animals
Pre-treatment with low-dose BPs protected cells against DNA damage-induced senescence. This was confirmed via:
Increased LaminB1 and decreased γ-H2AX and p16 expression.
Reduced SA-β-Gal staining (a senescence marker).
Improved cell cycle progression and viability.
6 Likes
Many women and some men have been using medications from this group for the treatment of osteoporosis for years. Is there any data regarding anti-ageing effect of Bisphosphonates in this population?
That study mentions a 28% reduction in all cause mortality in bisphosphonate users, but it’s only observational data. I’m still not convinced it’s a good idea to take it prophylactically like rapamycin or SGLT2 inhibitors.
1 Like
When seeing papers like this it makes one wonder, which method is the right one to slow or reverse aging? (As though there can only be one right way.) But then I remember how there are drugs that can work completely differently from one another to achieve a similar outcome. For example, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers both reduce blood pressure, but in very different ways.
There may be no one right, best way to slow or reverse aging…
2 Likes
Thanks for initiating this topic.
2 Likes
I was interested in this chart that I saw earlier here and the high ranking for biphosponates by this respected longevity researcher.
It seems the discussion I’ve seen here around this drug class has been controversial.
I am considering Fosamax for my diagnosis of osteopenia (67 yo male). If there are other benefits beyond bone density so much the better.
2 Likes
One thing worth pointing out regarding bisphosphonates: in humans, to treat osteoporosis, say, they accumulate and bind to bone and remain in that state for years, so have a long-lasting effect on health, long after people stop taking them. It would be interesting if their anti-aging effects were similar, so that after someone takes them for a period of several months, then stops taking them, the anti-aging effects lasts for years or even decades.
2 Likes
