Zombie Cells' Buildup in Your Body May Play Role in Aging

Researchers are exploring drugs to destroy so-called "zombie cells" that studies suggest promote aging and age-related deterioration, reports Fox News . Senescent cells start out normal but then encounter stressors, such as DNA damage or viral infection, which either kill them or turn them into zombie cells. These cells can release chemicals that damage normal cells, and drugs that eliminate such cells in mouse studies have helped relieve maladies like cataracts, diabetes, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, heart enlargement, kidney problems, clogged arteries, and age-related muscular deterioration. Administering such drugs to aged mice improved walking speed, grip strength, and treadmill endurance. In extremely old mice, the drugs extended lifespan by 36 percent, on average. The first human study on zombie-cell drug treatment involved 14 participants with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, who after three weeks improved on some physical-fitness measures, such as walking speed, but did not improve on others.