Fasting, Spermidine, and Rapamycin | Dr. Elizabeth Yurth x Dave Asprey
In this segment of the interview, Dr. Elizabeth Yurth discusses the multifaceted approach required to combat aging, emphasizing that no single pill can serve as a universal solution. She argues that exercise is the closest thing to a 'magic bullet' because it influences multiple aging pathways. Among pharmacological interventions, she highlights spermidine as essential for autophagy, while acknowledging rapamycin’s role in mTOR inhibition. When asked to rank interventions, she recommends a sequence of fasting, spermidine supplementation, and rapamycin, noting that all three can be used together. Dr. Yurth shares her personal fasting practice—initially multi‑day fasts to achieve deep mTOR inhibition, now limited to 24‑hour fasts to preserve muscle mass. She also describes her clinical protocol for spermidine: a continuous maintenance dose for all patients to sustain autophagy, with higher doses used for specific therapeutic goals. The conversation underscores the importance of combining lifestyle (exercise, fasting) with targeted supplements (spermidine, rapamycin) to modulate aging pathways.
