Introduction
Aging is not just the passage of time, but a complex biological process driven in part by the accumulation of damaged, "arrested" cells called senescent cells. Although they stop dividing, they don't die. On the contrary — they secrete substances that cause inflammation and worsen the condition of the entire body. Can we get rid of them? Yes. And that's exactly what senotherapy deals with.
Zombie cells: senescence in a nutshell
Senescent cells are like stuck CDs — they don't fulfill their function, but constantly play an inflammatory signal. Over time, their accumulation leads to:
- chronic inflammation (inflammaging),
- increased cancer risk,
- weakened tissue regeneration,
- faster organ aging (brain, heart, muscles).
Senotherapeutics: precision weapons against aging
Senomorphics don't eliminate cells, but modify their inflammatory activity (e.g., metformin, rapamycin). Senolytics are substances aimed at eliminating senescent cells. The best known:
- Dasatinib + quercetin (D+Q) — a combination used experimentally in human therapies,
- Fisetin — a natural flavonoid with senolytic action (used e.g., 2 g/day for 2 days per month),
- Navitoclax — a molecule studied in the context of heart and hematopoietic system aging.
What do the studies show?
In animal models, senotherapeutics:
- improved insulin sensitivity and cognitive functions,
- restored muscle and lung tissue regeneration,
- extended average and maximum lifespan.
First clinical trials (Mayo Clinic, Unity Biotechnology) show therapeutic potential e.g., in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or osteoarthritis.
Is it safe?
This is an intensive intervention. Eliminating cells is not like magnesium supplementation. Potential risks:
- disruption of tissue balance,
- drug interactions,
- side effects with chronic use.
Therefore, pulsed dosing is most commonly used (e.g., only 2 days per month) and inflammatory and metabolic parameters are monitored.
How does senotherapy fit into the LLMe approach?
At LLMe, we understand longevity as harmony of biological processes. Senolytics can:
- support autophagy, cleansing the body,
- reduce inflammation and support the action of resveratrol and spermidine,
- improve brain and mitochondrial regeneration (combined with CDP-choline, Lion's Mane, and PQQ).
This is one of the missing pieces in a complete anti-aging strategy.
Is senotherapy for everyone?
No. This is a tool for conscious adults with:
- chronic inflammation,
- previous COVID infection,
- signs of muscular or cognitive system aging,
- a longevity optimization plan.
Recommended under specialist supervision or in a biohacking model with self-monitoring.
Summary
Senotherapy is the future of longevity medicine. Instead of masking symptoms of aging, it reaches to its biological foundations. It eliminates what has ceased to serve — to make room for renewal.
This is not magic. This is science. But science from the future.
"We don't extend life by force. We free it from ballast."
Bibliography and sources
- Kirkland, J. L., Tchkonia, T., Zhu, Y., Niedernhofer, L. J., & Robbins, P. D. (2017). The Clinical Potential of Senolytic Drugs. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(10), 2297–2301.
- Zhu, Y., Tchkonia, T., Pirtskhalava, T., et al. (2015). The Achilles' heel of senescent cells: from transcriptome to senolytic drugs. Aging Cell, 14(4), 644–658.
- Xu, M., Palmer, A. K., Ding, H., et al. (2018). Targeting senescent cells enhances adipogenesis and metabolic function in old age. eLife, 7, e32490.
- Justice, J. N., Nambiar, A. M., Tchkonia, T., et al. (2019). Senolytics in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Results from a first-in-human, open-label, pilot study. EBioMedicine, 40, 554–563.
- Hickson, L. J., Langhi Prata, L. G. P., Bobart, S. A., et al. (2019). Senolytics decrease senescent cells in humans: Preliminary report from a clinical trial of dasatinib plus quercetin in individuals with diabetic kidney disease. EBioMedicine, 47, 446–456.