Is killing 'zombie' cells the key to healthier aging?

Is killing 'zombie' cells the key to healthier aging?'

Is killing 'zombie' cells the key to healthier aging?, Did you know you have “zombie” cells inside you? Senescent cells were given the nickname “zombie” cells because they’re not quite dead, but they also don’t act like living cells — and they can wreak havoc on your tissues. Scientists think that these cells may be behind the damage our lungs, bones and even brains incur as we age. That has made some wonder: Could getting rid of these zombie cells help us stay healthier for longer?

In a new study published in the journal Nature Medicine, a treatment aimed at killing off these zombie cells showed promise for helping older women’s bodies create new bone, potentially staving off bone loss, a common issue in post-menopausal aging.

Here’s what to know about the latest frontier in the fight against aging.

What are ‘zombie cells’?

More formally called “senescent” by scientists, these are cells that are dying, but are not quite dead. They accumulate more and more as we age, triggering inflammation and damage to otherwise healthy cells.

The same team of Mayo Clinic researchers behind the latest paper “were the leaders in the field [who] demonstrated that senescent cells aren’t just a consequence of aging, but can be considered as driving aging,” Paul Robbins, director of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Biology of Aging and Metabolism, tells Yahoo Life.

Zombie cells are thought to build up in all manner of tissues, but they don’t seem to necessarily behave the same way in one part of the body that they do in another. But research — primarily done in mice — suggests that clearing the zombies out could extend health span by slowing damage that leads to age-related health problems, including bone density loss, lung scarring and Alzheimer’s disease, Robbins says.

What did the new study find?

Based on previous research in mice and petri dishes, scientists hypothesized that senescent cells contribute to osteoporosis or low bone mass — forms of age-related bone loss that affect about 13% of Americans over 50, including nearly 20% of women, according to the latest national estimates from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Mayo Clinic team tested a combination of a commonly used cancer drug, dasatinib, and a compound found in some foods and sold as a supplement, quercetin — which had shown promise in killing off senescent cells — in half of a group of 60 otherwise healthy postmenopausal women (the other half did not get the treatment, and served as the control group). Biomarker testing suggested that the treatment — known as D+Q — helped women grow 16% more new bone than those in the control group. But there were caveats.

The benefit was only present two weeks and four weeks after the trial started; the groups evened out by the trial’s end. And the zombie cell-killing drugs didn’t seem to slow bone loss; it just improved bone creation rates.

Perhaps most important, the treatment worked best on women who had high volumes of senescent cells. The research suggests that “only about 30% of all women over age 60 might have a high enough burden of senescent cells to respond to this particular drug combination,” study co-author and Mayo Clinic bone loss researcher Dr. Sundeep Khosla tells Yahoo Life. He adds that that burden, or density of zombie cells, tends to go up noticeably after age 70, so treatments might be most beneficial starting then.

What does it mean for anti-aging and longevity?

It’s a good first step, Khosla and Robbins say. This research was the clinical trial to test a zombie cell-killer treatment in humans. And the fact that it worked at all is promising, Robbins says.

The science of how and why we age is (pardon the expression) still young, and our attempts to slow or stop it are even newer. Scientists have discovered a number of biomarkers, or signals, for biological age — namely, DNA changes — but the challenge is figuring out what might be “a druggable target,” Robbins says. And that’s why he and Khosla have focused on zombie cells.

Based on research in animals, they are among the scientists who believe that “reducing the number of senescent cells will contribute to extending health spans,” he says, but adds that “there are other targets, too.”

D+Q is one possible “geroprotector” — a treatment that may be protective against the harmful processes of aging — but there’s still a lot to learn about how best to use it. The new study, for example, shows that this particular treatment isn’t likely to work very well unless someone already has a lot of zombie cells, which isn’t easy to measure, at least for slowing bone loss, says Khosla. But figuring that out helps scientists know when the treatment could be useful, and working out the correct timing and dosing could make it more effective. And D+Q isn’t the only drug that could potentially fight cellular senescence.

If quercetin helps fight aging, should I take it?

You might be tempted to take quercetin, since it’s being studied for anti-aging properties and can be found on health food and supplement store shelves. But many experts advise holding off, since quercetin is a flavonoid, an antioxidant compound that gives some fruits and vegetables — including citrus fruits, blueberries, apples, onions and parsley — their color, according to Mount Sinai. Robbins warns that “I’m not sure if the doses people take daily is sufficient to kill senescent cells.” But the study suggests that quercetin or another flavonoid, fisetin, in combination with other drugs, might be. However, Robbins and his partner did start taking fisetin once every two weeks after he published a paper showing that quercetin might reduce the risk of severe COVID.

The biggest risk with these supplements is that you simply don’t know what you’re getting because they’re not regulated, and companies often make exaggerated or false health claims. “So if you buy something at [a vitamin shop], you can’t tell if it’s pure,” Robbins says.

But even if you bought the purest form of quercetin, “on its own, it's not a very effective senolytic,” or zombie-cell killer, Robbins says. And even if it were, the latest research underscores a very important point, he says: “Taking drugs to slow aging at age 20 may have no benefit, and may in fact be harmful.”

Eating better in your 40s can make you healthier in your 70s

Eating better in your 40s can make you healthier in your 70s

Eating better in your 40s can make you healthier in your 70s, Want to age well? Your diet is a major factor. The good news is, even if you’re currently in midlife, it’s not too late to start healthier habits.

A new study presented at the Nutrition 2024 conference found that people who followed a healthy diet from their 40s onward were 43 to 84% more likely to thrive physically and cognitively in their 70s, as well as live independently, when compared with people who ate a poor diet.

According to the study’s author Anne-Julie Tessier, postdoctoral fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the healthy diet included lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy, and limited amounts of trans fats, sodium and processed meats. This matches closely with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Tessier tells Yahoo Life that the researchers were “surprised by the strength of the association between healthy eating patterns in midlife and a healthy later life,” especially when considering factors like physical activity and smoking, which are also known to impact health.

One new finding, she says, is the association between healthy aging and the sustainable “planetary health diet,” which focuses on whole foods like fruits, vegetables and legumes, and allows for small amounts of dairy and meat. “This is particularly interesting and important as it suggests that we can eat a diet that benefits both human health and environmental sustainability,” Tessier notes.

What do experts say about this study?

Dr. Janese S. Laster, a physician certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine and nutrition, tells Yahoo Life that this study emphasizes the fact that it’s “never too late” to make a dietary change that impacts health. That, she says, is because changes to the microbiome in your gut occur within one week of shifting your diet, which is when people may start to feel the effects of improved eating patterns.

“We also start to see a reversal of diet related diseases such as high cholesterol, fatty liver, hypertension, diabetes and joint pain,” Laster says, noting that patients also have “improved energy and cognition” when they eat a nutrient-rich diet.

“We see this in Blue Zone populations with patients living into old age being able to continue activities of daily living on their own,” Laster explains. “I see this daily in clinical practice when patients are ecstatic they have gotten their lives back. In less than a month, one of my patients is no longer using her cane for joint pain with just dietary changes.”

Dietitian Courtney Pelitera calls this study “exciting,” as it “gives us some encouragement for people who want to make major changes in midlife,” she says. “We now know these changes will have a positive impact on long term health.”

Why it's important to find a diet you can stick to

One thing that Pelitera points out is that the study focused on how well someone was able to adhere to a healthy diet, which can be a challenge for some individuals. That’s why, as a dietitian, she likes to work with patients on finding a diet pattern that they can “stick to consistently.”

“For example, if someone does not have a variety of vegetables that they really enjoy, they are going to have a hard time sticking to a vegan diet,” Pelitera says. “We all know that fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein sources are needed for optimal health. The hardest part is figuring out how to make that work for you.” This is where working with a registered dietitian can be helpful.

Pelitera believes that all foods can fit into a healthy diet plan, and notes that there isn’t a single “food or food group that is going to magically cure all health ailments, just as there is no one food or meal that is going to completely ruin your health.”

It's hot. You're hungry. Eat these foods to stay cool and hydrated.

It's hot. You're hungry. Eat these foods to stay cool and hydrated.

It's hot. You're hungry. Eat these foods to stay cool and hydrated., When sunny days turn into scorchers, consider making tweaks to your diet to keep your body functioning at its best. The foods you choose during these hotter months can help you avoid the dangerous effects of dehydration and keep you more comfortable. The good news? A lot of these foods are ones you may gravitate toward in the summer anyway.

🍦 Do cold foods actually keep us cool?

While you may feel temporary relief eating ice cream or slurping a slushy on a hot day, your body isn’t actually cooling down, registered dietitian ​​Christopher Mohr tells Yahoo Life.

“Eating cold foods can make you feel cooler for a bit by lowering the temperature in your mouth and throat,” Mohr explains. “It's a nice quick fix on a hot day, but it doesn't change your overall body temperature much.”

The reason for this is because your body fights to maintain its internal temperature, a process known as homeostasis. That’s why your body causes you to sweat when you are warm (in order to cool your body down) and shivers when it’s cold (to generate heat).

Most of the time, a hot day is unlikely to raise your body temperature, which typically happens when you are fighting off an illness or infection. However, prolonged exposure to high temperatures, intense physical activity or dehydration can cause our body’s cooling system to become overloaded, altering our internal temperature. This is what causes heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Ice cream, or any food, is not the cure — and you should seek out medical attention ASAP if you are suffering from symptoms of heat illness.

🍉 What foods are good for hot days?

Cold foods might seem like the way to go, but the reality is that the temperature of your food is a lot less important than what’s in it — specifically, water.

According to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the daily recommendation for water consumption is nine 8-ounce glasses (2.2 liters) for women and thirteen 8-ounce glasses (3 liters) for men.

This recommendation, however, increases when it’s hot outside, as you need to replenish your fluids. Nicholas Rush, registered dietitian at Fay, tells Yahoo Life that while water is essential, “certain foods can give your hydration a serious boost.” Rush says nutrient-dense foods that also contain a lot of water include:

Watermelon

Cucumbers

Celery

Strawberries

Spinach

Kiwi

Oranges

Grapefruit

Gazpacho

Grapes

While they’re not quite so nutrient rich, you can also snack on a snow cone or an ice pop due to their high water contents. And, if you want an extra-chilly version of the above, consider snacking on the frozen version of some of these treats — frozen grapes, for example, are basically bite-size popsicles.

🚰 What else to consider in your diet when it’s hot outside

There aren’t many foods you should avoid in the heat. However, alcoholic beverages are not ideal for when it’s hot, as alcohol is a diuretic, which can lead to more water loss.

You may have heard that it’s not enough to just drink water in order to stay hydrated. Electrolytes are also important — and typically, we get them throughout the day from our diets. It’s only when we really need extra hydration (such as doing intense physical exercise or spending a lot of time outside in the heat) that supplementing with electrolytes would be necessary.

Certain foods are naturally rich in electrolytes — and if you need a hydration boost, Rush says, they’re a good idea to chow down on. That includes:

Bananas, which are packed with potassium

Avocado, which offers potassium and magnesium

Spinach, which has magnesium and calcium

Dairy products, which include calcium and potassium (yes, ice cream and fro-yo count!)

🥗 What should I eat when it’s too hot to cook?

Maybe you’re inside and staying as cool as possible, but the idea of turning on your oven is a hard pass. Brandy Zachary, a functional medicine practitioner, tells Yahoo Life you can opt for “light and refreshing meals that require minimal preparation” — and, of course, sweat. That includes:

Salads: A variety of salads with water-rich vegetables, lean proteins like grilled chicken or tofu and healthy fats such as avocado can be satisfying and hydrating

Sandwiches: Cold sandwiches with lean meats, cheese and plenty of fresh vegetables are easy and nutritious

Wraps: Whole-grain wraps filled with hummus, veggies and a protein source make for a quick and healthy meal

Fruit bowls: A mix of hydrating fruits like watermelon, cantaloupe and berries can be a refreshing and easy-to-prepare meal