New studies from Sirtris Pharmaceuticals Inc, a Boston based research company, claim that their drug compound SRT501 works on humans.
For those of you that are unfamiliar with this compound or research, this is the anti-aging cure-all compound based on resveratrol – the substance in red wine. Resveratrol triggers the SIRT1 gene, which helps regulate lifespan. Unfortunately the dosage for resveratrol is about 400 glasses of red wine a day. SRT501 is much more effective than resveratrol, but triggers the same gene.
Red wine - the holy grail for immortality?
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals tested SRT501 on 98 people with type 2 diabetes. One third took a 2.5 gram dose of the drug, one third took a 5 gram dose, and a third took a placebo. The drug was found to be safe in the initial trials, and improved glucose tolerance for the patients that took the drug. Larger trials have already started.
The anti-aging effects cannot be tested yet, but the drug seems to be effective for diabetes – typically an age-related disease. The drug may not be available until 2012, so we’ll have to stick with red wine until then.
