Senolytics, Zombie Cells & Spermidine

Health for your soul:

Irresistible, Unpredictable, Life-Changing Grace

In this article you will learn:

• What senolytics are and why they may be important for aging

• How senolytics work and what options there are (like spermidine) as well as what considerations to have when using them

Invasion of the Zombie Cells

One of the proposed reasons why we age is that there is an accumulation of senescent, or “zombie” cells in our body (cool thought, huh?). These cells have stopped dividing and growing, and they leak toxic chemical signals to nearby cells that create a whole host of effects which contribute to aging. Senescence is a normal part of our biology and actually has many roles like protecting against cancer or aiding in tissue repair,(1) but as we age, it gets out of control and modern anti-aging efforts have sought to create novel therapies that aide in controlling this microscopic zombie apocalypse through the triggering of apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

When you fast, your body does this naturally after 24 hours, but certain compounds have been researched for their specific senolytic effects. One in particular, spermidine, aides in promoting the process of autophagy, or cells' self-destruction.(2,3) It does this by mimicking the effects of a calorie restricted diet, and the early research on animals and in test tubes shows promise that spermidine may extend life.(4)