Older adults who take a weekly 6 mg dose of sirolimus while exercising might see slightly less improvement in hand strength and walking ability compared to those taking a fake pill — suggesting the...

Taking a weekly 6 mg dose of the drug sirolimus doesn't help older adults get extra benefits from exercise — and might even cancel out some of the gains they'd normally see.

Older adults taking a weekly 6 mg dose of sirolimus while exercising for 13 weeks may have more side effects overall than those taking a fake pill, including a serious lung infection like pneumonia, even though about the same number of people had side effects in both groups.

In older adults who don't move much, taking a weekly rapamycin pill might slightly weaken the benefits of a 13-week home exercise program on leg strength and mobility, according to some detailed number crunching—even though the main results weren't clear-cut.

Doing strength and cardio exercises at home for 13 weeks helps older adults (65–85) get stronger in their legs and move better, whether or not they're taking a drug called sirolimus.

Taking a weekly 6 mg dose of sirolimus seems to be safe for older adults (65–85 years old) if they also do light home exercises for 13 weeks — most side effects were caught through check-ups and self-reports, but the study was too small to catch very rare ones.