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Were entering a new age of aging research with ability to enhance health spans, scientists say
A group of Chinese scientists has claimed were entering a new clinical age of aging research, with developments showing significant potential to enhance health spans.
There are dozens of things we can do to boost our own potential to live a long and healthy life. Whether it be adopting daily habits to help manage stress and boost our immune system, or deciding to remove certain things from our lives, such as smoking or drinking alcohol, our fate is, at least in part, in our hands. But progress goes further than that. Science has been delivering innovations that have serious potential to improve longevity, the researchers say.
New approaches allow us to get rid of cells that have stopped dividing
Innovative approaches have been developed to eliminate senescent cells, reads the paper, published on September 2, 2024, in the academic journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.
This is one of three anti-aging interventions they studied. The other two are the targeting of inflammaging (explanations will follow!) and the harnessing of endogenous metabolites and precursors with anti-aging properties.
They also touch on rapamycin, which they call an anti-aging molecule, which possesses anti-inflammatory effects. In clinical contexts, rapamycin (sold under the brand name Rapamune, and also called Sirolimus) is used to coat stents, prevent organ transplant rejection, and treat a rare form of lung disease.
Recent developments in medicine have led to the advent of senolytics. These are compounds that can be used to eliminate the negative effects of chronic senescent cells and kill them specifically.
Senescent cells, aka zombie cells, have stopped dividing but arent dead. The word senescence refers to the process by which a cell ages and permanently stops dividing. As a person ages, senescent cells build up in tissues throughout the body.�Removing zombie cells without damaging other cells will prevent the buildup of what are essentially useless bits of matter in the tissues of the body.
What are inflammaging and endogenous metabolites and how are they used in anti-aging?
Inflammaging is a word for chronic inflammation. Its drivers include problems with immune cells, increased stress, and increased production of inflammatory cytokines, which are proteins the body produces to regulate the immune system.
The researchers say a wide range of anti-inflammaging therapies are currently in development. We know now, for example, that the long-term use of aspirin can reduce the incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer by 33%.
It can also decrease the chance a cancerous tumor will metastasize.�
Endogenous metabolite is a fancy name for a molecule that fits somewhere in the process of metabolism, and is produced by the body. It includes loads of things: sugars, vitamins, fatty acids, and amino acids. Exogenous metabolites are not produced by the body and include food additives and various toxins and drugs.�
The researchers praise various recent clinical advancements in the field of metabolism for being promising for the future of anti-aging. These include research into NAD+, which is found in all living cells and is central to energy metabolism; something called AKG, which plays a vital role in energy metabolism and physiology; and spermidine, which is found in its highest concentrations in cereals, legumes, and soy derivatives.�
However, the researchers highlight that translating scientific insights into effective anti-aging interventions remains a formidable challenge. In other words, it may take some time for the science to trickle down to the rest of us.�Still, hope is on the horizon! Watch this space.
