Dr. Robert Lufkin and Dave Asprey discuss microdosing diabetes medications, longevity drugs, and other pharmaceuticals. They explore potential benefits and risks of taking small doses of drugs not typically used this way, and when it might make sense for health and lifespan.
Have you experimented with any of the other diabetes medications besides metformin?
Well, acarbose I haven't experienced, I haven't experimented with that one. But I think what you're hitting on is really important point of microdosing various drugs. For example, low dose naltrexone is a, is a your audience.
I don't think everyone knows everything we're nerding out. If it listened to all 1200 episodes, they probably know, go ahead and talk about it.
But it's a, it's a physical addiction drug for people with serious physical addictions. But now it's being used for people with junk food addictions and sugar addictions. And it's also, there's evidence that it's actually a longevity drug and people are taking it on a chronic sort of microdosing level or low dose level all the time. Similarly, you know, famously recently, the phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor Cialis viagra, which were originally, you know, nitric oxide supplements for erectile dysfunction. Who would have thought? Well, they work on all the other blood vessels to our brain, to our kidneys, to our heart. They actually there's evidence now that they improve longevity and now they're, people are adding low dose those drugs to the longevity stack and it goes on and on and on. So I think, I think you're hitting on something really valuable that, that there are a lot of these drugs that we can repurpose them at a very low dose that may be beneficial for longevity in general and all these chronic diseases. The list goes on and on and on.
Yeah, I do take microdose Cialis 6 milligrams a day and you notice a difference, but it's more of a blood flow in the brain difference, I would say. And because of my, my medical history when I first went to the Amen Clinic 20 years ago or something and they looked at, I had something like five standard deviations less blood flow in my brain as a result of toxic mold and low blood pressure and all. And it's nice to have enough blood in the brain, it turns out. So I manage that now along with all the other stuff. I know my system well and mine's probably harder to manage than the average person because of my health history, but it's manageable. And so many listeners fall into this trap of either being angry at medicine, which doesn't make any sense, or being angry at pharmaceuticals and saying I'm a good person because I haven't used a pharmaceutical. That's like saying I'm a good caveman because I haven't used fire. It's appropriate use and appropriate dose for the results you want for the system that you're living in. And so I'm. I'm not opposed to them. And I think for a nuanced longevity strategy, they can help you to control your metabolism, but only after people really do the stuff that's in your book, the intermittent fasting stuff. I've written two books about that. Because it turns out having no food in your system sometimes helps with mtor, which we just thought.
Yeah, no, totally, absolutely. And I just want to go on record saying I'm not recommending. Do not stop your prescription medicines without talking with your physician, first of all. But on the other side of the coin, I think there is a place for these powerful pills and surgery that have been developed that, you know, in the biohacking sense can. Can let us optimize longevity beyond which merely lifestyle can. So I think lifestyle is foundational.
Yes.
But if you want to, if you want to push it to the next level, it may be partial epigenetic reprogramming, it may be stem cells, it may be plasma pheresis, you know, rapamycin, a carbos, you know, on and on and on. So it, it just, it's. I think it adds value. And I would not. I would not leave them out any tool.
Well, I don't care if it's a laser, a magnet, waking up early and seeing the sun. All things that get us the results we want ought to be on the table. And so I like that you're pragmatic about that.
