Klotho Supplement with Ketamine?

Supplementing Klotho with Ketamine? Can it Improve Cognition and Longevity?

Understanding how cognitive function, depression, and aging intersect can open doors to innovative treatments and preventative strategies. Recent research highlights the intriguing roles of klotho—a protein linked to longevity and cognitive health—and ketamine, known for its rapid antidepressant effects. This connection could significantly influence how we approach depression, cognition, and aging.

What is Klotho?

Klotho is an important anti-aging protein because of its crucial role in cognitive health, longevity, and resilience to stress and neurodegenerative toxicities. Klotho levels decrease after age 50 and reduced klotho levels have been consistently associated with cognitive impairment, increased susceptibility to stress-induced disorders and accelerated aging processes. Studies suggest that individuals with depression typically have lower klotho levels (but not all studies show this), and this decrease may contribute to both cognitive decline and worsening depressive symptoms.

Klotho’s function involves critical interactions with the brain's glutamatergic systems, particularly impacting the NMDA receptor subunits involved in mood and cognition. Animal studies demonstrate that increasing klotho levels can protect cognition and enhance resilience to aging, underscoring its therapeutic potential.

A human genetic variant called of klotho called KL-VS is associated in some studies with enhanced cognition, but not all studies.

Can Ketamine be a Klotho Supplement?

Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, is a powerful intervention for treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine also shows significant cognitive improvements, which is unusual for many antidepressants. Research indicates ketamine might interact beneficially with klotho pathways, potentially raising klotho levels following administration in patients with severe depression. Interestingly, patients with higher baseline klotho levels had less dramatic antidepressant responses, suggesting a complex interplay needing further investigation.

Notably, ketamine activates MTOR-1, another key longevity pathway shared with rapamycin.

In summary, while ketamine did not increase klotho levels from baseline in this study of patients with depression, patients receiving IV ketamine did have significantly higher klotho levels 3 days after infusion compared to the non-ketamine group.

Klotho and Ketamine: Cognitive Benefits and Longevity

This intersections between klotho, ketamine, cognition, and longevity are particularly promising for aging populations. Cognitive decline significantly impacts quality of life and overall longevity, and both ketamine and klotho offer pathways to enhance cognitive resilience. By potentially boosting klotho, ketamine treatments could concurrently tackle depressive symptoms, improve cognitive function, and support overall brain health, creating a holistic strategy against age-related cognitive decline.

Increase Your Healthspan Today

Understanding how klotho and ketamine interact to impact cognitive function, depression, and aging can revolutionize treatments and significantly improve your quality of life. Continued research in this promising area may soon provide patients powerful tools to combat cognitive decline, depression, and aging simultaneously. Speak with a doctor at Clarus Health today to learn if IV Ketamine may improve your mental health and longevity goals.