How To Reverse Aging Naturally: Proven Methods

The older we get, the more consumed we become with turning back the hands of time. Young people are beginning to take the same steps earlier in their aging journey. The more we know about how human aging works, the more we understand that measures work best when implemented preventively. 

Depending on your age, it might seem like anti-aging is a lost cause, but that’s not true. The findings of numerous new studies support that there are ways we can reverse the aging process naturally and give ourselves the ability to increase both our healthspan and our lifespan.

Let’s talk about the science behind why we age, what we can do about it, and the changes you can make to naturally support your chronological age. 

The Science of Aging

Aging is inevitable, but how we age is malleable. Scientists are now beginning to approach the process of aging as a disease, which means they’re actively researching ways to stop it. By collecting information about age-related diseases and a better understanding of how human aging occurs, the more therapies we can discover and implement to reverse aging. 

Aging starts in our cells, the foundation of every tissue, organ, and system in our bodies. Examining what causes us to age requires a deep dive into what’s happening in our cells as we age. Scientists have identified twelve events that lead to cellular aging, referred to as the Hallmarks of Aging. 

1. Genomic Instability

This refers to the accumulation of genetic damage we build up throughout our lives. This can result from diseases, medical conditions, and exposure to external stressors like chemical and biological events. Internally, genomic instability occurs due to DNA replication errors and oxidative stress on the cells.

2. Telomere Attrition

Telomeres are located at the ends of our chromosomes. They carry a portion of our DNA. When our cells replicate, the DNA in the telomere should be replicated also, but as we age, it doesn’t happen as effectively. 

That means a portion of DNA is lost because a portion of the telomere isn’t replicated in the new cell. This is also sometimes referred to as telomere shortening. 

3. Epigenetic Alterations

Gene alterations can happen due to DNA that doesn’t replicate properly but also changes in your behaviors and environment. Whether or not you eat a healthy diet, how physically active you are, infections you have, and other life events like cancer can change your epigenetics. 

During pregnancy, the mom’s diet can change or alter her baby’s epigenome. 

4. Loss of Proteostasis

Proteostasis refers to how your cell manufactures necessary proteins and the pathways to utilize them efficiently. With age, the mechanics of this system begin to malfunction, and cells become less viable. Diseases like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease can speed up this process.

5. Disabled Macroautophagy

Autophagy is your body's process of reusing old and damaged cell parts. Several links between autophagy and aging exist. Autophagy declines with age, and evidence suggests that this reduction plays a role in physiological aging and age-associated disorders. 

Studies show that defects in this process can increase age-related diseases; enhancing autophagy has several beneficial effects on healthspan and lifespan. 

6. Chronic Inflammation

Mild chronic inflammation is seen as a biomarker of biological aging. High levels of pro-inflammatory markers are often seen in elderly individuals and can predict the risk of cardiovascular diseases, comorbidity, frailty, and a decline in physical and cognitive function.

7. Dysbiosis 

Dysbiosis is a change in gut microbiota. An imbalance in the natural colonies of microflora can cause a range of diseases and can contribute to aging. Less intestinal motility associated with aging can result in changes in nutrient exchange and can affect overall microbiota composition. In addition, reduced physical activity in elderly individuals can decrease gastrointestinal (GI) tract motility. 

8. Deregulated Nutrient Sensing 

Nutrient sensing is the ability of the cell to recognize nutrients and use them effectively as fuel.

There are four main pathways that the cells use for nutrient sensing. 

These pathways play a role in regulating our metabolism and are key drivers in the aging process. The four protein groups that serve as nutrient sensors are IGF-1, mTOR, sirtuins, and AMPK. 

AMPK is particularly important because it plays a role in regulating glucose uptake and clearing out damaged cells, which is another cause of aging. 

9. Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Mitochondria are the tiny organelles inside the cells that create cellular energy. Cellular energy, also known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), is needed for cells to carry out their functions. When this happens, there’s a trickle-up effect of decline and energy loss throughout the body. 

Mitochondrial decline is a two-fold problem. With less ATP creation, the mitochondria produce more reactive oxygen species (ROS). This is known as oxidative stress, a key driver in the aging process and age-related cellular breakdown. 

10. Cellular Senescence

With so many functionality issues happening in our cells as we age, they eventually stop working. This is called cellular senescence. The problem is, they don’t die. They continue to exist in our bodies without function, creating an environment teeming with toxins and inflammation. 

11. Stem Cell Exhaustion

Stem cells are complex, but the takeaway is that they can morph into any type of cell in the body. If you suddenly need additional white blood cells, stem cells can rally and shape-shift into them. 

They’re essential for replenishing blood cells, helping repair tissue, and supporting our immune system. With age, they move into retirement. They lose their function, contributing to us being more frail as we age. 

12. Altered Intercellular Communication

Our cells need to communicate with each other to help keep homeostatic functions like glucose metabolism, immunity, cholesterol levels, and even mood and sleep regulated. They begin to lose their communication skills with age, which negatively impacts homeostatic function and can result in disease and dysfunction in these areas. 

The good news is, with all the research we have about how our cells age, we now know some key ways to slow the process down and even reverse it. 

How Can I Reverse Aging Naturally?

You can spend money on creams and moisturizers, but you’re fighting an uphill battle until you focus on the source of aging: your cells. Real anti-aging therapies start in the cells and help reverse aging on a cellular level. 

If you are passionate about the aging process and ensuring your biological age doesn’t come close to your chronological age, there are some lifestyle changes you can take to alter your cells and promote age reversal on a daily basis. 

If you’re familiar with biohacking, a DIY biology experiment you perform on your own body, you might have encountered some of these methods of reprogramming your cells, improving your cognitive function, and (hopefully) increasing your lifespan. 

Fasting

We’ll admit that fasting doesn’t seem enjoyable, but science supports that there are some benefits. You probably won’t find a popular biohacker who isn’t actively participating in some type of fasting schedule. 

One of the most popular is the intermittent fast, which can last anywhere from 12 hours and up. Research on fasting shows that it increases longevity and reduces frailty in older adults. In addition to its ability to slow aging, it’s also thought to help improve mental health and cognitive function. 

High-Intensity Interval Training

You already know the benefits of exercise for reducing your risk of heart disease, helping regulate cholesterol, and keeping your waistline from expanding, but you might not know that some forms of exercise are linked with longevity. 

High-intensity interval training, for instance, is linked with a decrease in telomere attrition. HIIT training involves performing high-intensity activity for short bursts (think 30 seconds of jump squats) followed by a brief rest period. 

These workouts are usually shorter than traditional workouts, help maintain your heart health, and have the added benefit of taking care of your troubled telomeres. 

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity is a problem, and it can lead to many unhealthy, chronic illnesses. It is often associated with chronic age-related illnesses like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your risk of developing these illnesses. 

Most “hacks” for living longer involve taking better care of your body. Eating a balanced diet, managing stress levels, exercising, and keeping your weight balanced can all pay dividends in your personal health portfolio. 

Another solution? Adding a supplement that science supports as having the ability to reverse cellular aging. 

C15:0 and Cellular Aging

The hallmarks of aging happen in our cells. If we can support our cells better and fight back against these cellular phenomena, we can increase our longevity. Scientists researching longevity (full disclosure, it was in dolphins, not humans in the beginning) discovered that a particular odd-chain, saturated fatty acid called C15:0 was linked to improvements in health and longevity. 

They furthered their research and discovered the underlying mechanisms that give this essential fatty acid its cell-supportive properties. Click here if you want to nerd out on their research. In summary, C15:0 restores cellular strength, revitalizes mitochondria, and reverses aging in the cells in ways that directly address some of the most important hallmarks of aging.

• Strengthening Cell Membranes. For cells to carry out their functions, they need to retain their shape. That starts with their protective cellular membranes. These membranes wear out with age, but C15:0 is a sturdy fatty acid that integrates into cell membranes to protect and fortify them. In studies, C15:0 improved the strength of cells by 80 percent. 

• Clearing Out Nonfunctioning Cells.AMPK (that important protein involved with nutrient sensing) is responsible for clearing unusable cells. C15:0 activates AMPK, which helps clear damaged cells. AMPK activation also helps restore homeostasis to functions like glucose uptake and immunity. 

• Recharging the Mitochondria. C15:0 helps fix broken mitochondria by increasing mitochondrial function and decreasing levels of ROS by 45 percent. It also increases mitochondrial production of ATP. In one peer-reviewed study, it increased levels of ATP in cells by 350 percent.

• Restoring Cell Signaling Pathways. C15:0 activates PPARɑ and PPARẟ receptors, which are involved with immunity, heart health, liver health, and even mood and sleep. By activating these receptors, C15:0 can help restore balance to these functions. 

• Modulates Inflammatory Response. C15:0 has a significant impact on the inflammatory response in the body. Studies show that it lowers proinflammatory cytokines, which are known to play an active role in cellular aging. 

Adding C15:0 to your day can help you battle the hallmarks of aging at the source: in the cells. It’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to reverse aging at the cellular level and support longevity. 

How To Get C15:0 

You probably aren’t getting much C15:0 in your diet, and that’s because it’s found primarily in whole-fat dairy products, like whole milk and full-fat butter. Increasing your intake of whole dairy wouldn’t be the most efficient (or healthful) way to get more C15:0 because it would mean consuming both the good and bad saturated fats, as well as consuming additional calories and sugars. 

Many studies have looked at outcomes of increasing one's full fat dairy intake and the results are mixed. Some show a benefit to our health while others do not. A recent large-scale metaanalysis suggested a health protective effect of increasing full fat dairy intake, however no firm conclusions could be made. 

Many people have changed to consuming plant-based milks with the intent of improving their health, unfortunately plant-based milks are completely void of C15:0 and may be worsening population wide deficiencies of this essential fatty acid. 

A solution? Fatty15.

Fatty15 is the first and only supplement, born of scientific research, that contains just one ingredient, the pure, vegan-friendly, sustainably-produced, award-winning version of C15:0 called FA15TM. 

Fatty15 has been shown to enhance longevity pathways, but also improve our metabolic, heart, immune and liver health. Further, the only known side effect of taking Fatty15 is decreased snacking between meals. It’s a win/win that can support our cells, as well as our healthspan, and possibly even our lifespan..

Reverse Aging With fatty15

Yes. It’s possible to turn back the hands of your biological clock on the cellular level. As aging research progresses, we’ll know more about how to protect our bodies and increase our cells’ ability to thrive with age. For now, you can trust a few simple lifestyle hacks and the cell-supportive power of fatty15. 

Sources:

The Hallmarks of Aging | PMC

AMPK and Autophagy | SpringerLink

Effect of the glyceride of pentadecanoic acid on energy metabolism in hair follicles - ADACHI - 1993 - International Journal of Cosmetic Science | Wiley Online Library

Efficacy of dietary odd-chain saturated fatty acid pentadecanoic acid parallels broad associated health benefits in humans: could it be essential? | Scientific Reports

Broader and safer clinically-relevant activities of pentadecanoic acid compared to omega-3: Evaluation of an emerging essential fatty acid across twelve primary human cell-based disease systems | PLOS ONE

Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease | NEJM

Differential effects of endurance, interval, and resistance training on telomerase activity and telomere length in a randomized, controlled study | European Heart Journal

Dairy consumption and overweight and obesity: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies | Wiley