Weekly sirolimus showed no clear added exercise benefit in older adults
Chair-stand improvement did not differ significantly between sirolimus and placebo in the main analysis. Additional analyses favored placebo, and more adverse events were recorded with sirolimus.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Both groups improved their chair-stand performance, but the main analysis did not show that sirolimus added a benefit. Its estimate favored placebo, with uncertainty spanning a small advantage for sirolimus and a disadvantage. Additional analyses suggested less improvement with sirolimus, alongside a higher total adverse-event count and a possibly drug-related serious infection.
This abstract-based account describes a small, short exploratory trial. Statistically significant sensitivity analyses do not replace the inconclusive main analysis or resolve uncertainty about longer-term outcomes.
What researchers found
Adjusted mean difference in chair-stand improvement
Sirolimus minus placebo at 13 weeks in the 30-second chair-stand test; primary analysis of assigned groups.
Reading the analyses together
The main analysis compared participants by assigned group. Analyses restricted to complete records or protocol adherence significantly favored placebo. Walking distance and grip strength differences remained statistically inconclusive.
People and event counts
Equal proportions in each group reported an adverse event, but sirolimus had more events in total. Pneumonia was considered possibly drug-related; that attribution leaves uncertainty about whether sirolimus caused it.
The original publication
Exercise and Weekly Sirolimus (Rapamycin) in Older Adults: RAPA-EX-01 Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
Stanfield B, Leroux B, Kaeberlein M et al.
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41985884
- Record checked
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