Save Yourself from the Zombie Cell Apocalypse
The zombies are coming…but not the zombies you see on TV or in the movies.
These zombies are inside your body…and they can speed up the aging process.
We’re talking about “zombie cells”…and they have gained attention in recent years as being a determinant of both lifespan and healthspan.
What Are Zombie Cells?
Cells in the human body divide continuously. This regenerative process keeps things from wearing out prematurely.
But this cellular division can’t go on forever. Eventually, cells lose their ability to divide. Cells that can no longer divide are known as being “senescent”.
When people are younger, the immune system eliminates senescent cells so they can be replaced with new ones.
But with age…some senescent cells don’t get the message. They can no longer divide, but they stick around. In other words, our bodies become less efficient at clearing away these senescent cells as we age.
Researchers call the senescent cells that remain zombie cells because, like zombies, they aren’t really alive anymore, but they also aren’t really dead.
How Zombie Cells Work (or Don’t Work)
You may be wondering why cells that have stopped dividing but aren’t eliminated from the body would be a problem. If zombie cells just took up space, there might not be an issue.
But that’s not what they do. Think of zombie cells like a moldy apple that spoils a fruit basket. Specifically, zombie cells ignite inflammatory responses that can damage surrounding cells.
As a result, an accumulation of zombie cells has been linked to various inflammation and age-related illnesses like arthritis, atherosclerosis, and dementia.
Can You Defeat Zombie Cells?
Over the last decade, research has been focused on medications that target and eliminate senescent cells. These drugs, known as senolytics, have shown great promise in the lab. Clinical testing on humans will be the next step.
In the meantime, you don’t have to wait for senolytics to make it through the approval process. There are steps you can take to protect your body from the effects of zombie cell accumulation right now.
One way to fight off zombie cells is through exercise. People in their 70s and older who remain in good health usually exercise regularly. Some experts think exercise helps the body to rid itself of senescent cells.
Another possibility is antioxidants. If cells lose their ability to divide due to oxidative damage, antioxidants may help to prevent this damage from occurring.
And then there’s intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting promotes “autophagy”, the process whereby the body clears out damaged cells. In other words, during a fast, you’re essentially starving out zombie cells.
At Renew Youth, we’re here to help you take advantage of advances in anti-aging as they become available. Want to learn more? Give us a call us at 800-859-7511 or use our convenient contact form to sign up for your free 30-minute consultation.
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