Managing Stem Cell Function to Influence Aging Trajectory

Key Quotes

"What we want to do with these things is we can't outsource all this information to an expert. We have to embed this knowledge into ourselves so it becomes a skill that helps us navigate our day. That is our, our template that we have to work with, our 24-hour period, and not adopt what unfortunately is the modern pattern of living."

JJ Virgin emphasizes that individuals should internalize health knowledge rather than relying solely on experts. This empowers them to actively manage their daily lives and make informed decisions, transforming information into a practical skill for navigating health.

"One of the reasons why we're so interested in them now for better aging is because one of the hallmarks of aging, which we can talk about what those are in general, is that we experience something called stem cell exhaustion, which basically means the stem cells don't do their job as well as they did when you were young."

Dr. Dan Pardi explains that a key indicator of aging is the decline in stem cell function, termed "stem cell exhaustion." This phenomenon signifies that stem cells become less effective at their repair and renewal duties as an individual gets older.

"So we have stem cells that are generally asleep. We've got pools all over the body, many, many different pools. They're generally asleep until they're woken up, and then they are activated. Then they will undergo proliferation, they will make copies of themselves. Some of those will then stay in the niche, their home where they live or they're where they're from, and others will then enter into circulation and they will then migrate to a place where there is damage."

Dr. Dan Pardi outlines the life cycle of stem cells, describing them as typically dormant until activated. He details their process of self-replication, migration to damaged areas via signaling, and subsequent differentiation into necessary tissue types.

"The reason why this is relevant and why it matters for stem cells is because a major reason why stem cells stop being able to do their job is because the environment that is internal, the internal environment starts to build up more damage and that damage is interfering with all the different processes."

Dr. Dan Pardi connects the concept of internal environmental damage to stem cell function. He explains that accumulated damage within the body's internal environment directly impedes the ability of stem cells to perform their essential repair and regeneration tasks.

"So we have senolytic cells, we want some, yeah, we just don't want them to zombie out and start creating reeking havoc. We want to keep them under control. We want them, we want the process of senescence to be able to occur and then once they're, once it occurs, we want to clear them because there's also what's called bystander senescence, which means that they can cause cells nearby."

Dr. Dan Pardi clarifies the role of senolytic cells, emphasizing the need for balance. He states that while these cells are important for signaling, they must be managed to prevent them from becoming detrimental and negatively impacting surrounding cells.

"What you do is then you would take low protein the night before. Here's why how I do senolytic. I have it in my calendar. Taking notes right here because I've been doing protein and NAD plus. So I was like, uh, okay, go ahead. Well, it's going to be even more effective then. Yeah, exciting. Yeah. I have it in my calendar the first weekend and of every month. That's when we do it too. Okay, great."

JJ Virgin shares her personal protocol for taking senolytics, which involves a low-protein meal the night before. This practice is presented as a way to enhance the effectiveness of the senolytic treatment, aligning with Dr. Pardi's recommendations.