As new scientific advancements bring hope for longer, healthier lives, an unlikely source may hold the key to achieving this: our dogs. Recent research suggests that studying canine longevity could lead to breakthroughs in human health, potentially helping both humans and dogs live longer, more vibrant lives.
The Promise of Canine Longevity
Next year, the U.S. biotech start-up Loyal plans to introduce LOY-002, a daily pill designed to extend the healthy life of dogs by at least one year. Based in San Francisco, Loyal has secured an impressive $125 million in funding, attracting investors who previously avoided human longevity projects due to their long timelines.
Celine Halioua, the founder and CEO of Loyal, believes that preventing age-related decline in dogs may offer insights into human aging as well. “Dogs suffer from similar age-related diseases and share many environmental factors with us, unlike lab mice,” Halioua explained. The LOY-002 pill targets metabolic changes associated with aging, aiming to reduce frailty by controlling age-related insulin spikes.
“This drug won’t make dogs immortal,” Halioua clarified. “Instead, it’s about extending their health and slowing the aging process, which could ultimately improve the quality and length of their lives.”
A Parallel Approach: Rapamycin and Dog Aging
In a separate study, researchers are testing the effects of rapamycin, a widely used drug, on dogs. Part of the Dog Aging Project, this research suggests that low doses of rapamycin could extend the lifespan of dogs while enhancing heart and cognitive function.
Daniel Promislow, a biogerontologist at the University of Washington and co-director of the Dog Aging Project, believes this research is far more advanced than any human-centered studies. “What we’re doing is essentially a 40-year-long study on humans, using dogs as a model to test the drug’s ability to extend healthy lifespan,” Promislow said.
Studying Longevity Through Dog Data
The Dog Aging Project provides a unique opportunity to analyze various factors such as sex, age, and spaying status, with potential applications for human health. Kate Creevy, co-founder and chief veterinary officer of the project, highlights how their data could offer insights into issues like menopause and hysterectomies, which have direct parallels in human health.
Promislow is optimistic that rapamycin could grant dogs an additional three years of healthy life. If successful, this could signal a major breakthrough in human longevity research.
Human Longevity: A Shared Goal
The idea of extending the lives of dogs is gaining traction within the human longevity community. Professor Tom Rando, director of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center at the University of California, praises the research. “If we succeed with dogs, it could be a game-changer in understanding how to extend the healthy lifespan of humans,” he said.
However, Jamie Justice from Wake Forest University School of Medicine cautions that before these treatments can be tested on humans, a standardized biomarker for aging must be established. Once that is in place, Justice believes, the most exciting and impactful results will be ready for clinical use.
The Path to a Healthier Future
As we look to our canine companions for insights into health and longevity, it seems our best friends might not only offer unconditional love but also pave the way for longer, healthier lives for us all.
In the quest for longevity, dogs may prove to be more than just loyal pets; they could hold the key to unlocking a future where both dogs and humans enjoy longer, healthier lives.
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