Summary
In this engaging podcast episode, Dr. Aubrey Grey, founder of the SENS Research Foundation, talks about the foundation's mission to prevent aging as a disease. He emphasizes that aging is a side effect of being alive and that cellular damage can accumulate and exceed the body's ability to tolerate it. Dr. Grey points out that while weak inflammatory responses can protect individuals from age-related diseases, it may also increase their susceptibility to infections. He explains that the CRISPR technology provides a way to target certain genes and enhance their anti-inflammatory capabilities to reduce age-related damage.
The episode also explores different methods to reverse aging, including parabiosis, plasma exchange, and phoresis. Dr. Grey and Dr. Rhonda Patrick discuss how to rejuvenate the blood by identifying and changing cells and repairing the damage caused by breathing oxygen and eating food. They emphasize that repairing the damage is the key to slowing down aging, and advancements in CRISPR technology and pluripotent stem cells are playing a crucial role in advancing the field.
Dr. Grey also addresses the issue of antagonistic pleiotropy and its impact on the immune system, as well as the growth hormone and IGF-1. He argues that these are examples where it's good in the old and bad in the old in different ways, rather than strictly speaking antagonistic pleiotropy. Additionally, the potential of using placenta as a source of pluripotent stem cells is briefly mentioned.
Overall, the podcast episode highlights the importance of understanding the complex interactions between various genetic and environmental factors that contribute to aging and the challenges in developing effective therapies for age-related illnesses. The discussion provides valuable insights into the cutting-edge research being conducted in the field of anti-aging and offers hope for a future where aging is no longer considered an inevitable part of life.
