Slowing aging across all ages: from theory to practice

Aging is a primary risk factor for multi-morbidity and declining quality of life. The geroscience hypothesis posits that targeting biological aging mechanisms may prevent or delay morbidity. However, new concepts are needed to fulfill the field’s translational aspirations. This review conceptualizes aging as a cycle of discrete stages analogous to the regenerative cycle. Considering these processes together forms the basis for what is termed here as the regeneration model of aging. The review consequently reasons that slowing biological aging also carries the risk of impairing regeneration in healthy individuals. A novel framework is then presented to mitigate these risks. An emphasis is placed on validating AMPK, DNA damage, and their related biomarkers as surrogates for healthy (and unhealthy) aging. The continued validation of this framework may lead to identifying new anti-aging interventions, determining who can benefit most, and revealing how best to intervene in each individual.