Reversing Aging in Humans by 2030-2035, Pets Now?
Your comprehensive guide to the 12 hallmarks of aging and the companies racing to defeat death
For hundreds of years, scientists have predicted finding a way to reverse aging within 5-10 years. They still believe that this timeline is accurate. (Yes, really. And no, we’re not holding our breath either, but the science is getting interesting enough that maybe you should start doing some planks.)
We are at an inflection point where we can:
- See how the body works at the molecular level
- Modify our genomes and microbiomes
- Analyze vast amounts of data with powerful computing and machine learning
- Produce synthetic biology at the nanoscale level
- Share and collaborate on science globally
Scientists have figured out how to increase the lifespan of roundworms by 500%. They also believe they have figured out how to reverse some aspects of aging and disease in dogs and mice. There are advantages to first commercializing age-reversal technologies on pets because owners can treat their pets without FDA regulation. Rejuvenate Bio and Phibro Animal Health are developing a novel cardio-protective gene therapy to stop the progression of mitral valve heart failure in dogs. The Cat Health Company is testing dietary supplements to reduce age-related decline in feline healthspan. Another company, Animal Biosciences is developing cellular level anti-aging and protective solutions for dogs, cats and horses. Their daily supplement is called LeapYears.
(Of note, although we haven’t yet achieved age-reversal, owning pets can increase longevity. Just choose the right ones – dogs are great, tigers are… problematic.)
Measuring Your Biological Age
To determine whether aging can be reversed, you need to start by determining your biological age (as compared to your chronological age). For example, a fifty year old may have the relative health of an average, younger, or older person. There are a variety of companies providing biological age testing. All have limitations.
Some scientists believe there are simpler, cheaper and more accurate ways to do this by asking “How old do people think you look?” and checking on “How fast do you walk?” Their study results have been rather accurate. (So if strangers keep offering you their seat on the bus, maybe it’s time to pick up the pace.)
The 12 +1 Hallmarks of Aging
Once you’ve calculated your biological age, there are twelve + one key biological hallmarks to address. Originally identified as nine hallmarks, the scientific community expanded this to twelve in 2023, adding disabled macroautophagy, dysbiosis, and splitting chronic inflammation into its own category. We add another that they clearly missed.
Think of these twelve hallmarks as the Avengers of Aging – except instead of fighting Thanos, they’re quietly destroying your body from the inside. The good news? Multiple companies are competing to bring you solutions for each of them. In alphabetical order, we present the biological culprits of What Causes Aging and the brave souls trying to fix them.
#1: Altered Intercellular Communication
When your cells forget how to talk to each other (like a bad group chat)
As cells age, they fail to communicate properly with each other. This breakdown in cellular communication affects tissue function and contributes to age-related decline. Cell-to-cell signaling pathways become disrupted, leading to coordination problems throughout the body. It’s like when your group project falls apart because nobody’s reading the messages.
Researchers are attempting to restore proper cellular communication pathways and prevent age-related communication breakdown. This includes work on improving hormone signaling, neurotransmitter function, and other intercellular messaging systems.
The Players: Research is ongoing, but no major companies have specifically targeted this hallmark yet. Most work is happening in academic labs trying to understand exactly which signals get scrambled first and why.
#2: Cellular Senescence
When zombie cells refuse to die and ruin everything for everyone
Although our bodies naturally remove old cells as we age, some old cells survive and cause dysfunction. These “senescent cells” are like that coworker who should have retired years ago but just won’t leave – except instead of boring you with stories about the old days, they’re actively poisoning your tissues.
Eating colorful fruits and vegetables helps because Fisetin (see also this ongoing clinical trial) slows aging by aiding in removing senescent cells, however that is not enough. Also, it’s important for cells to become senescent as a barrier to cancer. People with low senescence have a high risk of neoplasms. (Balance, as always, is key.)
The Senolytic Warriors:
- Partnered with Astellas Pharma in March 2025 to develop next-generation senolytics targeting fibrotic diseases
- Taking a multi-pronged approach to aging, including senolytics alongside other interventions
- Well-funded and scientifically ambitious
- In January 2025, launched a clinical trial with 108 participants testing Fisetin, Urolithin A, and Ergothioneine
- Evaluating their combined effects on skin health and organ rejuvenation when taken orally
- If successful, you might be able to age-proof yourself with supplements that sound like Pokemon
Mayo Clinic / Dr. James Kirkland
- The OG of senolytic research – Dr. Kirkland has been at this longer than most
- Tested dasatinib (an anticancer drug) combined with quercetin, theaflavins and fisetin in multiple senolytic drug clinical trials. Results were mixed.
- A February 2025 pilot study showed intermittent DQ treatment may improve cognition in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s
- Formed the Translational Geroscience Network to coordinate anti-aging work across 8 research institutions
- As of 2025, working on adaptive trials for severe cancers including glioblastoma
- Using AI platform (ALEMBIC™) to discover novel senolytic agents
- Targeting age-related diseases with small molecule senolytic agents using galactose moieties (RB1000)
- Different compounds for different contexts – there is not one cure for all
- Preclinical pipeline targeting aging-related skin conditions like dermatitis and psoriasis
- $12 million in funding
Oisín Biotechnologies (Private Seattle company, founded 2016)
- Technology can kill any class of cell with high p16 expression (a senescence marker)
- As of 2023, targeting removing visceral fat and adding muscle via follistatin therapy
- Challenge: “Not every cell that expresses high p16 is senescent; and not every senescent cell has high p16”
- $5MM seed round in 2021 (might need more cash soon)
Cleara Biotech (Netherlands, founded 2018)
- Uses engineered peptide molecule FOX04-DRI to destroy senescent cells
- Too dangerous for human trials as of 2019
- Lightly funded (2.5MM seed round in 2022)
- Hired new CMO in 2023, suggesting they’re still kicking
Senisca (UK-based)
- Based on University of Exeter research from Dr. Lorna Harries
- Found that stopping ERK and AKT pathways reduces senescent cells
- Raised $2MM seed round in 2022 and $4MM in March, 2024
- Still preclinical but making progress
#3: Chronic Inflammation
Your immune system’s version of never letting go of grudges
Chronic, harmful inflammation can have a number of causes, including a virus or bacteria, an autoimmune disorder, sugary and fatty foods, or the way you handle stress. It can also come as cells age and fail to communicate properly. As we age, low-grade chronic inflammation (scientists call it “inflammaging” because they have a sense of humor) increases throughout the body, contributing to tissue damage and age-related diseases.
This persistent inflammatory state differs from acute inflammation (which helps fight infections) and instead causes ongoing harm to tissues and organs. Chronic inflammation is linked to cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and basically every disease you’d rather not get.
The Anti-Inflammatory Brigade: Researchers are attempting to prevent immune system decline and dysfunction. See Keep Health’s article Immunity Against Aging for updates on their progress. Multiple pharmaceutical companies are working on anti-inflammatory drugs, but most focus on specific diseases rather than aging itself.
#4: Disabled Macroautophagy
When your cellular recycling program goes on permanent strike
Macroautophagy is your cells’ recycling and cleaning system. When it functions properly, cells break down and recycle damaged components, proteins, and organelles. As we age, this autophagy process becomes less efficient, leading to accumulation of cellular “garbage” that impairs function. Think of it as forgetting to take out the trash for 30 years – things get messy.
When autophagy is disabled or dysfunctional, damaged mitochondria, misfolded proteins, and other cellular debris pile up, contributing to cellular dysfunction and disease.
The Autophagy Activators:
Spermidine Supplements
- Research from 2024 showed that spermidine is essential for fasting-mediated autophagy and longevity
- Acute nutrient deprivation (fasting) causes an immediate increase in spermidine biosynthesis in yeast, flies, mice AND humans
- Multiple companies now sell spermidine supplements derived from wheat germ
- Spermidine administration extends lifespan in yeast, flies, worms, and human immune cells
- External supplementation may help as endogenous spermidine levels decline with aging
- Backed by Sam Altman with ambitious goal: add 10 years to human lifespan
- Focused on cellular reprogramming AND autophagy enhancement
- Hopes to design therapies capable of multi-disease prevention
- Emerged from stealth mode in 2022 with substantial funding
- Working on enhancement of chaperone-mediated autophagy (a specific type of autophagy)
- Also developing therapies for partial epigenetic reprogramming
- Taking a multi-hallmark approach to aging
#5: DNA Damage / Genomic Instability
When your genetic instruction manual gets coffee stains and torn pages
Free radicals, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species are generated by our body through various endogenous systems, exposure to different physicochemical conditions, or pathological states. A balance between free radicals and antioxidants is necessary for proper physiological function. If free radicals overwhelm the body’s ability to regulate them, a condition known as oxidative stress ensues. Free radicals adversely alter lipids, proteins, and DNA and trigger a number of human diseases.
As cells age, mitochondria become more inefficient and dysfunctional. When they don’t function properly, they can produce an altered form of oxygen that can cause damage to DNA and proteins.
The DNA Defenders:
NAD+ Boosters The leading potential solution for DNA-protection and repair is NAD+. See Keep Health’s article on Nicotinamide Riboside for the full scoop on NAD+ precursors and why Silicon Valley executives are obsessed with them.
SIRT6 Research Vera Gorbunova’s lab found that the gene sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) is responsible for more efficient DNA repair in species with longer lifespans. This suggests that enhancing SIRT6 activity could improve DNA repair in humans. (If we could just borrow some genes from naked mole rats, we’d be set.)
Matter Bioworks
- Focused specifically on increasing genomic stability to unlock healthy longevity
- Taking a novel approach to preventing DNA damage accumulation
- Still early stage but addressing a fundamental aging mechanism
#6: Dysbiosis
When your gut microbiome becomes a hostile real estate market
Your gut microbiome – the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms living in your digestive system – plays a crucial role in health and aging. As we age, the diversity and balance of beneficial gut bacteria decline while harmful bacteria may increase. This imbalance, called dysbiosis, contributes to inflammation, immune dysfunction, and metabolic problems.
The gut-brain axis means that microbiome health affects not just digestion but also brain function, mood, and overall health. Your gut bacteria are basically running a shadow government, and with age, that government becomes increasingly corrupt.
The Microbiome Managers:
Probiotics and Prebiotics Multiple companies are developing age-specific probiotic formulations, though the science is still catching up to the marketing. The key is diversity and maintaining beneficial species like Akkermansia mucinophila and various Lactobacillus strains.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. And yes, research shows it can improve healthspan in mice. Human trials are ongoing for various age-related conditions. No, you can’t just source this from your neighbor.
Microbiome Sequencing Companies Companies like Viome and Thorne offer microbiome testing to identify dysbiosis, though what to do with that information remains somewhat unclear.
#7: Epigenetic Alterations
When your genes start reading the wrong instruction manual
Environmental factors such as diet, temperature, oxygen levels, humidity, light cycles, and the presence of mutagens can impact how your genes are expressed. Errors during gene expression come from transcription and translation mistakes. For a coding gene with around 300 to 400 codons, approximately 10% to 20% of the proteins made contain at least one error (!), such as missense incorporation, frameshifting, or stop codon readthrough.
These alterations accumulate over a lifetime. Multiple concurrent mutations in genes that control cell division can cause cancers. The recent discovery is that wrinkly cell membranes press on genes and accidentally activate parts which are supposed to be dormant in certain cell types. (Your nucleus is basically a crumpled paper bag pressing random genetic buttons.)
The Epigenetic Reprogrammers:
- THE big player in cellular reprogramming, backed by billions from Jeff Bezos and others
- Focused on partial epigenetic reprogramming to reverse cellular age
- Employs some of the biggest names in aging research including Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte
- Still in early research stages but has essentially unlimited resources
- Raised $16 million in seed funding in October 2024
- Focused on the “epigenetic clock” developed by Steve Horvath
- Working on cellular reprogramming to turn back biological age
- More targeted approach than Altos but still well-funded
- Also working on cellular reprogramming alongside autophagy
- Goal: add 10 years to human lifespan by 2030s
- Sam Altman reportedly invested $180 million
- Taking multiple therapeutic approaches simultaneously
- Developing mRNA-based cellular reprogramming therapies
- Aiming for tissue-specific rejuvenation rather than whole-body approaches
- More clinically focused than some competitors
#8: Loss of Proteostasis
When your proteins lose their shape and their minds
Proteostasis means that each function dependent on proteins is running as it should. Proteins need to be folded correctly, in the right place, at the right concentration, and degraded when they’re done. Unfortunately, proteostasis breaks down as we biologically age, leading to accumulation of misfolded proteins that cause diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative conditions.
The Protein Police:
For more on how to keep your proteins in shape, see our article on Keep Your Proteins in Shape. The short version: heat shock proteins are your friends, and companies are working on ways to boost them. Also, remember that autophagy (hallmark #4) plays a huge role in clearing out damaged proteins, so the companies working on that are also helping with proteostasis.
#9: Mitochondrial Dysfunction
When your cellular power plants become coal-burning disasters
Mitochondria are the energy-producing factories in your cells. As they age, they become less efficient, produce more damaging byproducts, and eventually start causing more problems than they solve. When mitochondria don’t function properly, everything begins to break down. (And you thought your afternoon energy crash was just about coffee.)
The Mitochondrial Mechanics:
NAD+ Boosters (Again!) Nicotinamide Riboside produces NAD+, the communication molecule between the cell nucleus and the mitochondria. If NAD+ levels are low, communication may be impaired and mitochondrial dysfunction may result. Companies like ChromaDex (TruNiagen), Elysium Health (Basis), and others sell NR and NMN supplements.
Hydrogen Sulfide Rejuvenation of mitochondria with a tiny quantity of hydrogen sulfide shows promise in research study . A 2018 study showed it can reverse signs of aging in mice mitochondria. No commercial products yet, but researchers are working on it.
- Growing mitochondria for transplantation to bolster energy production
- Aims to regenerate aged or dysfunctional tissues
- Major challenge: 10% of your body weight is mitochondria, and your immune system gets suspicious when it finds free-floating ones in your bloodstream
- Still early stage but addressing the problem from a novel angle
#10: Nutrient Sensing Deregulation
When your metabolic GPS stops giving accurate directions
Metabolism is the process your body uses to get or make energy from the food you eat. As we age, our cells become less sensitive to nutrients and the signals that regulate metabolism. The pathways that sense and respond to nutrients – including insulin/IGF-1 signaling, mTOR, AMPK, and sirtuins – become dysregulated, contributing to metabolic dysfunction, obesity, and diabetes.
The Metabolic Managers:
See Keep Health’s Dietary Supplements section on metabolic medicines focused on preventing imbalanced metabolism.
Another potential age-reversing solution is Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT). Age Therapeutics discovered that BAT implants can fix problems of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. BAT is “good” fat that turns food into body heat. Human newborns have high levels of brown fat, but prevalence decreases as humans age. (This may explain why grandparents move to Florida.) Although Age Therapeutics failed to raise funds to commercialize this discovery, research continues at various universities.
#11: Stem Cell Exhaustion
When your body’s repair crew retires without training replacements
There are five types of stem cells:
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells (Blood Stem Cells)
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells
- Neural Stem Cells
- Epithelial Stem Cells
- Skin Stem Cells
As we age, these stem cells eventually lose their ability to divide and we are unable to replace the stem cells that have migrated, differentiated, or died. Stem cell exhaustion occurs from this decline in stem cell numbers and renewal capacity. Without stable populations of proliferating stem cells, our bodies lose their ability to recover from damage and begin to fail.
The Stem Cell Saviors:
- Emerged in July 2024 with $2 million in funding
- Focused on rejuvenating hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) found in bone marrow
- Critical for healthy immune system function
- Vision includes non-invasive outpatient procedure
- This could be huge if they pull it off
- The company that treated Star Trek star William Shatner with restorative stem cells in 2019.
- He was 88 at the time; as of 2025, he’s 94
- Makes you wonder if stem cells or his Priceline stock options are keeping him going
- Uses stem cells manufactured by Invitrx
Dietary Approach
- Novos recommends glycine and alpha-ketoglutarate to slow your biological aging of stem cells.
- Cleveland Clinic recommends eating a diet rich in protein (lean meats, fish, beans, nuts, milk, eggs)
- Maintain healthy levels of iron and vitamins B9 and B12. See our article, Bloody Good Health to learn more about bone marrow aging.
- See our article Bloody Good Health to learn more about bone marrow aging
Scientists are also using animal models to discover ways to regenerate and replace stem cells in flatworms and mice. Flatworms can regenerate entire bodies from tiny fragments, which is either inspiring or showing off, depending on how you look at it.
#12: Telomere Attrition
When your chromosomes lose their protective endcaps and start to fray
Telomeres are the protective ends of each of your strands of DNA, kind of like the plastic tips on shoelaces. They gradually decline in length as your cells divide, eventually shortening to the point of DNA dysfunction. When telomeres get too short, cells either die or become senescent (see Hallmark #2). It’s a cellular kill switch that prevents unlimited division – which is good for preventing cancer but bad for staying young.
The Telomere Extenders:
To understand how specific lifestyle and psychological habits protect telomeres, slowing disease and improving life, read the New York Times bestseller, The Telomere Effect, coauthored by the Nobel Prize winner who discovered telomerase and telomeres’ role in the aging process.
Lifestyle Factors Research shows that chronic stress, poor sleep, bad diet, and lack of exercise all accelerate telomere shortening. The good news: you have some control here. The bad news: it requires actually changing those healthy habits your doctor keeps nagging you about.
Telomerase Activation Some companies have tried to develop telomerase activators (enzymes that rebuild telomeres), but this is tricky because cancer cells use telomerase to become immortal. Activating it system-wide could theoretically promote cancer. Most research has stalled for this reason, though targeted approaches may still work. Keep an eye on Telomir Pharma (NASDAQ: TELO) and their research to protect stem cell telomeres.
TA-65 A supplement derived from astragalus that supposedly activates telomerase. Evidence is mixed, price is high, and the science is… let’s say “controversial.”
#13: Bonus Factor: Mechanical Wear & Tear
Bones, cartilage, ligaments, tissues, our extracellular matrix and our ability to heal all degrade with age. Rejuvenation and Regeneration approaches are our best hope.
Conclusion: Are We Actually Getting Closer?
This concludes our updated article on Reversing Aging and the 12 (err, 13) Hallmarks of Aging. As of 2025, we have more companies, more funding, and more clinical trials than ever before targeting these fundamental aging processes. The senolytic market alone is expected to hit $667 million by 2033, growing at 35.8% annually.
Some real progress has been made:
- Senolytics are in human trials and showing early promise
- Cellular reprogramming has billions in backing
- NAD+ boosters are widely available (if not yet proven)
- We understand the mechanisms better than ever
But let’s be real: we’re still not regenerating limbs, reversing Alzheimer’s, or seeing 150-year-old humans walking around. The 2030-2035 timeline for meaningful human age reversal remains aspirational.
We hope your life doesn’t conclude before solutions are safe, proven, and readily available! In the meantime:
- Walk fast
- Look young (or at least well-rested)
- Keep your microbiome happy
- Maybe try some spermidine
- Don’t stress too much (telomeres, remember?)
As your reward for reading and taking care of your health, why stop with reversing aging? How about reversing extinction? George Church’s team at Colossal is trying to re-engineer woolly mammoths and create the world’s first Pleistocene Park! Their journey is quite fascinating. Check out either Woolly by Ben Mezrich (2018), How to Clone a Mammoth by Beth Shapiro Chief Science Officer of Colossal (2016) or De-Extinction by Rebecca Hirsch (2017).
Because if we can’t reverse our own aging in time, at least we’ll have woolly mammoths to enjoy. Priorities.
