Perhaps, as you say, this is an everything-plus-the kitchen-sink approach. But rapamycin suppresses mTOR, more effectively and more certainly than CR. The therapy uses intermittent dosing of rapamycin to avoid the negative effects of the drug*. And we know that rapamycin dosing late in life for mice resulted in approximately 68% increase in life span (from that point in time, equivalent to around 10% increase overall.) None of the other "variables" in Dr. Green's protocol can do this. Even CR, the gold standard for longevity intervention, must be started early in life to show such an effect.
I would have to re-read the protocol, as there did not seem to be any extreme CR. But there was an additional medication: an angiotensin re-uptake blocker or inhibitor to control blood pressure. I gather Dr. Green was 30 pounds over weight when he started using the regimen on himself, probably had high blood pressure too. And I am told he will not prescribe without actually examining his clients. I assume that the regimen will be tailored to the patients' needs, and may change over time. I would hope anyone using rapamycin will do so with the supervision of a physician. Doctors have a saying that a man who self-prescribes his medicine, has a fool for a physician. I will be discussing rapamycin with my primary doctor next month, though I will have to educate him. Dr. Green may not be the first. I understand that in Marin County, centered around the Buck Institute, there are a number of people using rapamycin therapy.
* Rapamycin inhibits both mTORC1 and mTORC2, mTOR1 immediately, mTOR2 after about 3 days. mTOR1 is responsible for the desireable life extending, effects, such as apoptosis of senescent cells, MTOR2 is responsible for the negative effects such as mouth sores, insulin resistance and more. It is thought that by dosing once a week, as per Dr. Green's protocol, one gets the good without the bad.
