Meta Information

ID:trehalose

Name:Trehalose

Schema Version:1.5

Alternate Names

• Mycose
• Tremalose

Active Compound

trehalose

Intervention Type

therapeutic_agent

Delivery

Route:

oral

Scope:

• systemic

Regulatory Status

• us:gras
• us:dietary_supplement
• eu:novel_food

Indication

Focus:

healthspan

Description:

Aimed at inducing autophagy (cellular cleanup) and stabilizing proteins to mitigate age-related cellular dysfunction.

Typical Protocol

• Typical doses range from 1 to 2 teaspoons (approximately 4-8 grams) dissolved in liquid daily.
• Due to potential gastrointestinal side effects, starting with a lower dose is often recommended.

Expected Cost Mean

Low Cost:

5

High Cost:

15

Cost Type:

monthly

Description:

Bulk powder purchased online; not covered by insurance.

Summary

Trehalose is a naturally occurring disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules. Unlike table sugar, it is metabolized slowly and is proposed to promote healthspan by inducing autophagy, the body's cellular recycling process, which typically declines with age. It may also act as a chemical chaperone, helping proteins maintain their correct shape and preventing the formation of toxic aggregates implicated in age-related diseases.

Purpose

A disaccharide sugar that may promote cellular cleanup (autophagy).

Card Summary

A naturally occurring sugar that may promote cellular cleanup (autophagy) and stabilize proteins, potentially mitigating age-related cellular damage.

Drug Class

null

Drugs In Class

Empty Array

Impact

Score:

2.8

Justification:

Promising mechanism (autophagy) but lacks significant human data for healthspan outcomes.

Evidence

Grade:

C

Score:

3

Justification:

Primarily supported by animal and in-vitro studies; lacks human healthspan trials.

Safety

Score:

3.5

Justification:

GRAS status but can cause significant GI distress, especially with trehalase deficiency.

Flags

• It is a sugar and contains calories (4 kcal/gram), which must be accounted for.
• Commonly causes gastrointestinal side effects like gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
• Individuals with a genetic trehalase deficiency cannot digest it, leading to severe GI symptoms.
• May modestly increase blood glucose levels, requiring caution for individuals with metabolic syndrome or diabetes.

Verdict

Highly experimental autophagy inducer with limited human evidence for healthspan.

Created

2026-05-06T16:38:36.968784Z

Ai Model

Gemini 2.5 Pro (High)