Specific parts of your DNA are read and translated into physical traits. A family of proteins in your cells controls which genes get expressed via chemical reactions which alters the instructions given by DNA in an individual cell. This process is called epigenetic alteration and is what ensures your brain cells are different from your skin cells even though they use the same set of DNA.

As we age, the proteins become less accurate preventing the correct expression resulting in information in cells not being used correctly. This results in some necessary proteins not being made and some harmful proteins are. For example, if a change results in the silencing of a gene that suppresses cancer, cancerous tumors could occur.

Sirtuins are a group of proteins that interact with NAD+ and they control DNA expression and stability in addition to enhancing metabolic efficiency. Sirtuins detect when energy levels are low by sensing the coinciding increase of NAD+. They also help control catabolic metabolism. Upregulating some sirtuins produces anti-aging or health-promoting effects.  

Proteins are produced constantly in our cells and they play a fundamental role in the body for building and repair in the cell process. They control most functions in the cell where they move materials transmit signals, turn processes on and off and provide structural support. Proteins assist in the formation of new molecules by reading the genetic information stored in DNA.

Proteins need to be recycled regularly as their effectiveness is reduced as we age, and our bodies lose the ability to eliminate old proteins. Protein homeostasis or ‘proteostasis’ is the process that regulates protein balance within the cell in order to maintain cellular health.

 The system functions to restore structure in protein errors or to remove them thus preventing in accumulation of damaged components. Continued expression and cell replication which includes damaged proteins can result in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and diabetes.

 Autophagy is the body’s way of cleaning out damaged cells (cellular housekeeping). It is a process by which the cells components (including proteins) are degraded and recycled. Autophagy can protect brain cells against accumulation of “bad” proteins that cause neurodegeneration.

Over time, our cells build up a collection of dead cell parts and damaged proteins that hinder the body’s internal workings. This accelerates the effects of aging and disease because cells can no longer divide and function normally. Supporting the autophagy process is therefore vital as we age.

Cells have to adjust to the level of nutrients available. Problems occur when there is an imbalance with a cells ability to sense or process nutrients. Nutrient sensing in the body and it’s four pathways have been shown to regulate metabolism and influence aging. Four associated key protein groups have been identified (IGF-1, mTOR, sirtuins, and AMPK) and these proteins are considered “nutrient sensing” because nutrient levels influence their activity.

The cell signaling pathway of IGF-1 is the same as that brought about by insulin which informs cells of the presence of glucose sugar. Reduction in the IGF-1/insulin pathways has been shown to improve longevity and wellness. Additionally, FOXO proteins have been shown to play a very positive role in the pathway to promote health and enhance lifespan.

The mTOR protein group is a master regulator of anabolic metabolism which is the process of building new proteins and tissues. A good analogy for mTOR is the phrase “live fast, die young”, because too much activity is good for growth but bad for lifespan. The IGF-1 and insulin pathways when stimulated result in mTOR. Downregulation of mTOR appears to extend longevity.

 AMPK and Sirtuins act in the opposite direction to insulin, IGF-1 and mTOR meaning that they signal nutrient scarcity and catabolism instead of nutrient abundance and growth. AMPK has multiple effects on metabolism, senses low energy states and shuts off mTOR. Higher activity of AMPK has increases longevity. Calorie restriction also increase the activity of AMPK. Conversely, less AMPK sensitivity due to cellular stress results in oxidative stress, reduced autophagy, metabolic syndrome, more fat disposition, and inflammation.

The balance between molecules with antiaging properties, emphasized by nutrient scarcity (FOXO, AMPK, Sirtuins and PTEN) against those that support the aging process (GH, IGF-1, Akt, and mTOR), is fundamental to longevity and antiaging. This is similar to the benefits of calorie restriction.

When cells become old or damaged, they normally destroy themselves (via apoptosis) and are replaced with new cells. However, some cells refuse to die. These death-resistant cells, called “senescent cells,” build up in your organs and can lead to premature aging and disease.

Senescent cells contribute to many negative health consequences including inflammation, aging, cancer, arthritis and cognitive decline. Removing them enhances lifespan and improves overall cellular performance. Senescent cells are ‘zombie cells’: they die, but don’t disappear like regular cells do. Senescent cells no longer divide or operate properly. They block up your system, affect nearby cells and trigger inflammation.

As we age, the immune system weakens, and an increasing number of senescent cells escape apoptosis or removal by the immune system, and they accumulate. The good news is that there are ways to clear out built-up senescent cells and reverse aging. A group of drugs called senolytics target senescent cells and reduces them in the body.

Stem cells are cells with the potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body. The decline in the regenerative potential of tissues is an obvious sign of aging. The reduction in regenerative power has subsequent impacts that contribute to aging.

Consider the body not as a single object but as a dynamic mass of cells growing, changing, dying, and being born. These cells make up and replace the bodies’ tissues and organs, acting in concert and communicating to keep the body in good working order. In many tissues, adult stem cells are the cause of this process, tasked with supplying cells to maintain healthy tissue function and assisting regeneration in response to injury. The capabilities of our stem cells decline as our bodies grow older and our organs begin to degenerate.

A lot of research has gone into understanding what happens to stem cells as we age. For example, hematopoietic stem cells, which produce all the cells of the blood and immune system, actually increase in number in aging adults. Unfortunately, the growth in cell numbers is to offset their overall loss in functionality. Ultimately, fewer white blood cells are produced, which contributes to a weaker immune system and reduced resistance to disease and infections in the elderly.

This decline correlates with accumulation of DNA damage and over expression of cell cycle arrest proteins (cellular senescence). Telomere shortening is also a cause of stem cell decline.

Aging involves changes in cell communication. Signalling from hormones produced by nerve cells declines with aging through an increase in inflammation and a deterioration of the immune system which results in a reduced ability to fight infection.

Inflammation is prominent in aging and accumulates over time. Inflammaging is defined as low grade chronic systematic inflammation established through aging. This causes alterations in the intercellular communications (e.g. IGF-1 signaling) and enhanced activation of pro-inflammatory pathways which result in increased production of tumor necrosis factor and interferons (proteins released in response to viruses).

The gut plays an important communication role in shaping the function of the immune system and the intestinal ecosystem. It therefore has an important role to play in health, wellness and antiaging.

Addressing the identified reasons of why we age is vital to combat aging and enhance longevity and wellness. Without intervention, the impact of the negative features will build up creating the signs of aging and ultimately the development of age-related diseases that eventually kill us.

Wellology creates products with a science-based approach that attempt to delaying aging through the strategies identified to counter the effects of the hallmarks of aging.