How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older

by Michael Greger

When we are younger, senescent cells are cleared by our immune system. When our cells reach their limit and are ready to retire, they are programmed to start releasing a cocktail of inflammatory chemicals called the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, or SASP. Inflammation, a process that often carries negative connotations, can sometimes be a benefit. Just like inflammation caused by a splinter draws immune cells out of circulation to a puncture wound, senescent cells make their own funeral arrangements by releasing inflammatory factors to flag themselves for immune clearance.485 There’s a problem, though. As we age, more and more senescent cells are piling up at the very same time that our immune systems are falling into disarray.