LONGEVITY SCIENCE · LONGEVILABS®
Cellular aging: what happens inside your cells over the years
The aging process does not start in the skin or the joints — it starts in the cells. Understanding cellular aging is the foundation of longevity science: the field that studies how to live more years in good health. This guide, prepared by the scientific team at LONGEVILABS®, summarises what research already knows and what has not yet been proven.
What is cellular aging?
It is the gradual build-up of damage and imbalance that reduces a cell's ability to repair itself, produce energy and communicate. In 2013, López-Otín and colleagues described the "hallmarks of aging" in the journal Cell. In 2023 the list was updated to 12 hallmarks, each one measurable and, in principle, modifiable.
The 12 hallmarks of the aging process
- 01
Genomic instability
DNA damage from oxidation, radiation and replication errors builds up faster than cells can repair it.
- 02
Telomere attrition
The protective caps on chromosomes shorten with each division; once critically short, the cell stops dividing.
- 03
Epigenetic alterations
DNA methylation patterns drift, changing which genes are switched on or off. This is the basis of epigenetic clocks.
- 04
Loss of proteostasis
Cells become less efficient at folding, recycling and clearing damaged proteins.
- 05
Disabled macroautophagy
The cell's internal clean-up system slows down. Spermidine is studied for its role in stimulating it.
- 06
Deregulated nutrient sensing
Pathways such as mTOR, AMPK, insulin/IGF-1 and sirtuins lose balance; berberine acts on AMPK.
- 07
Mitochondrial dysfunction
Mitochondria produce less energy and more free radicals. CoQ10 and alpha-lipoic acid take part in this metabolism.
- 08
Cellular senescence
'Zombie' cells stop dividing but release inflammatory signals. Quercetin and fisetin are studied as senolytics.
- 09
Stem cell exhaustion
The capacity to regenerate tissues declines.
- 10
Altered intercellular communication
Signalling between cells and tissues becomes dysregulated.
- 11
Chronic inflammation (inflammaging)
Low-grade, persistent inflammation accompanies aging.
- 12
Dysbiosis
Shifts in the gut microbiome with metabolic and immune effects.
Chronological age vs biological age
Chronological age is the calendar. Biological age estimates the body's actual state from biomarkers. Epigenetic clocks — Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge and GrimAge — use DNA methylation to make that estimate. People of the same age can have very different biological ages, and studies suggest sleep, physical activity, diet and some nutrients may influence these markers.
Where precision nutrition fits
CELLAGE14™ was designed by LONGEVILABS to support seven pathways linked to these hallmarks, with 14 bioactives in two 600 mg capsules a day: NAD+ (nicotinamide riboside), senescence (quercetin, fisetin), autophagy (spermidine), nutrient sensing (berberine, resveratrol, pterostilbene), mitochondria (CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid), antioxidant defence (sulforaphane) and telomeres (astragalus), plus magnesium, vitamin D3 and K2.
Important: the studies cited evaluate individual ingredients, not the finished formula. No supplement has been proven to reverse aging. CELLAGE14™ does not replace medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
Habits with the strongest evidence for longevity
- Regular physical activity, including strength training
- 7 to 9 hours of sleep
- A diet rich in vegetables, fibre and adequate protein
- Not smoking and moderating alcohol
- Medical follow-up and regular check-ups
Main reference: López-Otín C. et al. "Hallmarks of aging: An expanding universe." Cell, 2023. Informational content reviewed by the LONGEVILABS scientific team. · Leia em português