Research Synthesis: Ace Inhibitors Aging — full paper

Researka accepted publication: 9ab2e887-2e5b-429a-8d89-fd6d7813a028 Source submission: 49d27a2b-485d-4658-ab04-4db8d2dca10a This synthesis tests the thesis that evidence for ACE inhibitors aging is context-dependent, separating outcome-specific signals from broader claims and identifying the evidence gaps that should bound interpretation. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are widely prescribed for hypertension, yet whether they confer direct anti-aging benefits—attenuating frailty, preserving muscle function, or extending lifespan beyond blood-pressure control—remains debated. This synthesis applied a structured, AI-assisted evidence-synthesis approach with an auditable trail to integrate 47 curated reference papers spanning randomized trials, observational cohorts, and preclinical mechanistic studies on ACE inhibitors and aging-related outcomes. Functional aging endpoints were similarly ambiguous: ACE inhibitor therapy did not improve gait-speed reserve beyond statin effects in older adults (Spiegeleer 2025), and in the LACE trial ACE I/D genotype associated with grip and quadriceps strength in sarcopenic men but ACE inhibitor treatment itself did not produce a significant strength response (Rossios 2023). Importantly, no direct human trial with aging-specific primary endpoints—such as frailty incidence, sarcopenia progression, or all-cause longevity in non-diseased older adults—was identified in this synthesis. The mechanistic plausibility that ACE inhibition modulates inflammation, e