A cancer drug improved the health, lifespans of elderly mice without the disease. Could it do the same for humans? - Study Finds

Eternity is bound to get boring eventually, but pretty much everyone will agree they’d like to live a long, full life.

To that end, new research from the University of Auckland reports the drug alpelisib, currently used to treat cancer, is capable of increasing one’s lifespan by an average of 10 percent to around three years.

While alpelisib may not exactly be the fountain of youth in pill form, study authors say it has the potential to promote both longer and healthier aging.

Mice given the cancer drug lived longer, and even displayed signs of being healthier in old age like improved coordination and strength.

“We are not suggesting that anyone should go out and take this drug long-term to extend lifespan, as there are some side effects,” adds principal investigator Troy Merry., importantly.

It also suggests a number of possible ways in which shorter term treatments with this drug could be used to treat certain metabolic health conditions and we are following this up now,”