Exercise is one of the most effective ways to preserve physical function with age, but researchers are also interested in whether drugs that target aging-related pathways can complement the body's adaptations to exercise. An exploratory clinical trial tested whether sirolimus, also called rapamycin, could be timed around exercise in a way that supports function in older adults.

The study included 40 sedentary adults aged 65 to 85. Participants completed a 13-week home exercise program involving stationary cycling and chair stands (repeated sit-to-stand movements from a chair performed for 30 seconds) three times per week. They were assigned to receive either sirolimus (6 milligrams once weekly) or a matched placebo, with the dose taken about 24 hours after the final weekly exercise session. Researchers measured chair-stand performance as the main outcome, along with other measures of physical function and quality of life, C-reactive protein (CRP, a marker of inflammation), epigenetic age measures (estimates of biological age based on chemical tags on DNA), routine safety blood tests, and adverse events.

• Both groups improved on the 30-second chair-stand test, but the sirolimus group tended to improve less than placebo, by about 2 repetitions on average.
• In additional analyses that focused only on participants with complete data or those who closely followed the protocol, the gap became clearer and more consistent. The sirolimus group performed about 2.5 to 3.4 fewer chair stands than the placebo group.
• Other measures of physical function showed a similar tendency. Grip strength was about 1.19 kg lower and walking distance about 4.9 meters shorter in the sirolimus group, while physical and mental quality-of-life scores also showed small differences favoring placebo.
• CRP did not show a consistent effect, and the epigenetic age measures showed mixed results without a clear pattern.
• At least one adverse event was reported by 85% of participants in both groups. Even so, the sirolimus group had more adverse events overall (99 vs. 63), and more events the study team rated as possibly or probably treatment-related (35% vs. 15%).

Sirolimus has drawn interest in aging research because it inhibits mTORC1, one branch of the broader mTOR signaling network involved in nutrient and growth signaling. Constant high activity of mTORC1 signaling has been linked to shorter lifespan in animal studies, while more balanced activity is associated with better metabolic health. mTORC1 also plays an important role in muscle repair and adaptation after exercise, which creates a tension: suppressing it might support some aging-related processes while potentially interfering with training gains. This trial tested a timing strategy designed to separate these effects by spacing sirolimus away from the main post-exercise recovery and adaptation window. However, the findings suggest that the drug's long half-life may have allowed mTORC1 inhibition to persist into the next training sessions, potentially dampening the beneficial effects of exercise on physical function.

The main limitation is that this was a small, short trial, so the results are best viewed as an early signal rather than a final answer. Still, the findings suggest that weekly sirolimus may not pair well with exercise at this dose and schedule. In Q&A #40, I discuss potential longevity-related benefits and trade-offs of rapamycin.

Plastic-associated chemicals are widespread in food packaging, kitchenware, and personal-care products, but it is difficult to know which everyday changes meaningfully reduce exposure. Researchers tested whether changing diet, food-contact materials, and personal-care products could alter urinary markers of phthalates and bisphenols, two major classes of plastic-associated chemicals that have been linked to several health problems.

The study combined an observational cohort with a small randomized trial. In the cohort, 211 healthy adults in Australia completed detailed diet and lifestyle assessments and provided three urine samples per day on two non-consecutive days to measure plastic-associated chemicals. In the 7-day trial, 60 of these participants were randomized to one of five groups: personal-care products selected to reduce plastic-chemical exposure, food with minimized plastic contact, food with minimized plastic contact plus kitchenware and preparation changes, all three combined, or a control group with no intervention. Urine was collected three times daily on four separate days during the trial.

• In the cohort, all 211 participants had at least six detectable plastic-related chemicals in their urine. Some were linked to packaged, processed, and canned foods, while personal-care products were mainly linked to phthalates.
• In the randomized trial, the clearest reductions compared to controls appeared in the groups that received food with minimized plastic contact. Food with minimized plastic contact alone lowered two phthalate markers by about 32% and 47%, and total bisphenols by 59%. Food with minimized plastic contact plus low-plastic kitchenware and food-preparation changes lowered two phthalate markers by about 38% and 54%, and BPA by 60%. The group that received food with minimized plastic contact, kitchenware and preparation changes, and low-plastic personal-care products showed reductions of about 44% in one phthalate marker and 51% in total bisphenols.
• Personal-care product swaps alone had a more limited effect. They reduced one phthalate marker by about 35%, but did not reduce bisphenols.
• The interventions did not lower every plastic-chemical marker measured. DEHP-related phthalate markers did not decrease in any group.

Phthalates and bisphenols can migrate from plastics into foods, beverages, and personal-care products, then enter the body through ingestion, skin contact, or inhalation. The study results suggest that reducing plastic contact in everyday products, especially food, can lower exposure to some of these chemicals. As endocrine disruptors, they can mimic, block, or alter normal hormone signals, raising concerns not only about cardiometabolic health but also about fertility and reproduction.

This was a small, short, exploratory trial that measured urinary exposure markers, without directly assessing chemical levels in foods or personal-care products. However, the observed changes suggest that reducing plastic contact in everyday routines can substantially lower exposure to several of these chemicals. In this clip, I share practical tips for reducing everyday exposure to microplastics and plastic-related chemicals.

Orthopedic implants need to bond firmly with surrounding bone while resisting microbes that can grow on their surfaces. Implants used after bone-cancer surgery face another challenge: limiting how many bone cancer cells remain alive on the implant surface. Researchers tested whether an implant coating could address these problems by locally delivering curcumin, a compound from turmeric, and ginger extract.

This preclinical study used a titanium alloy commonly studied for load-bearing implants, coated with hydroxyapatite, a bone-like calcium phosphate. Some coatings also contained zinc oxide and some were also loaded with curcumin or with curcumin plus ginger extract. The researchers assessed the coating in lab tests using bone-forming cells, MG-63 osteosarcoma cells (a bone cancer cell line), and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (S. aureus, a common cause of implant infections), then tested new bone formation after 6 weeks in a rat thigh bone.

• The coatings released the plant compounds slowly over time. After 28 days, curcumin release ranged from about 12% to 20%, and ginger extract release ranged from about 9% to 15%.
• Over 1 to 2 weeks, the coating that included hydroxyapatite, zinc oxide, curcumin, and ginger (H+Z+C+G) showed the highest number of living bone-forming cells, about 1.5 times higher than the basic hydroxyapatite coating.
• In cell experiments, the H+Z+C+G version had the strongest effect on bone cancer cells. After 11 days, the number of living cancer cells was about 11 times lower than on the basic coating.
• The same H+Z+C+G coating reduced S. aureus by about 92% after 36 hours.
• In rats, the H+Z+C+G version led to the most new bone growth. After 6 weeks, there was about twice as much new bone around it as around the basic coating.

The lab findings suggest that the H+Z+C+G coating can support bone-forming cells while making the surface less favorable for bone cancer cells and S. aureus. Hydroxyapatite provides a surface similar to natural bone, which supports attachment and growth of bone-forming cells. Zinc is an essential trace element and is proposed to promote bone formation while also interfering with bacterial survival. Curcumin and compounds in ginger are thought to influence how cells grow, divide, and survive, including processes involved in bone formation and cancer-cell activity.

The findings are early-stage, and more research is needed before such coatings could be considered for use in humans. However, if confirmed in further studies, this approach could help create implants that better support healing while reducing infection and cancer-related risks. In this clip, Dr. Mark Mattson discusses our fascinating coevolution with plants and why mildly toxic phytochemicals promote longevity better than antioxidants.