Those with pre-diabetes I consider “at risk”.
And how do you know those with pre-diabetes were those who got diabetes from rosuvastatin compared with atorvastatin and not people in general?
There is also an increase risk in cataract surgery according to this study.
Why not take Berberine with Rapamycin?
I’ve tried grapefruit and grapefruit juice, but have always had concerns about having access to a standardized|repeatable dose relative to its amplification of Rapamycin. If we had at home monitors of Rapamycin levels one could adjust.
So, this leads me to consider Berberine.
How effectively does Berberine inhibit CYP3A4?
Could one safely|reasonable take enough Berberine to get a 3X to 5X multiple similar to grapefruit juice?
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I supplement daily with berberine and curcumin, but i take rapamycin 3 hours earlier with a pomelo.
On dietary CYP3A4 inhibition:
As I researched foods that might inhibit CYP3A4, besides grapefruit, I was surprised to learn that many healthy foods—which I assume many of us eat—might have this effect, though not as strongly; But the data seems limited. For example:
- quercetin (potent CYP3A4 inhibitor)
- pomegranate juice (CYP3A4 inhibitor)
- black peppers (CYP3A4 inhibitor)
- oranges (CYP3A4 inhibitor)
- green/black tea (CYP3A4 inhibitor)
- hibiscus (CYP3A4 inhibitor)
- ashwagandha (CYP3A4 inhibitor per Wiki)
- parsley (might interact with CYP3A4)
- capers and buckwheat (quercetin is a CYP3A4 inhibitor)
Initially, I planned to avoid any CYP3A4-inhibiting foods on the day I take rapamycin. However, I now wonder if consuming many of these healthy foods might allow me to use a slightly lower dosage (e.g., 4 or 5 instead of 6mg).
The challenge, of course, is that it seems almost impossible to quantify the magnitude of inhibition and the effect on rapamycin’s efficacy, ensuring I’m neither getting too little nor too much—especially when eating so many different foods. So I don’t know if it’s possible to pick the right dosage.
What do you think, have you experimented with these weaker inhibitors (not grapefruit)?
EDIT: Correction:
Ashwagandha and quercetin actually appear to be CYP3A4 inducers. So would that imply that they would have the opposite effect (potentially decrease rapamycin effects or necessitate a higher dosage)?
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I did read something on timing. I don’t have it to hand but with either grapefruit or pomelo you needed to eat the fruit at the same rime or up to a couple of hours earlier to have the effect. If you take rapamycin 2-3 hours before the other the effect is reduced.
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I recall reading that 2-3 hours before is best with an effect up to 12 hours before. Eating it afterwards would make no difference is my understanding.
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Wine consumption is fine while on Rapamycin medication, that’s something new I’m reading. While moderate alcohol consumption may not directly interact with Rapamycin, it’s always essential to consult your healthcare provider about any potential interactions or effects, as alcohol can affect the body in various ways and may not be advisable for everyone, especially when taking any kind of medication.
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The thing about Grapefruit/Pomelo etc is that it prevents your intestinal enzymes from breaking down as much of the molecule as would normally be the case.
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