If you want to understand what actually slows aging — and what’s still science fiction — watch the full conversation here. This discussion goes far beyond “anti-aging hacks” and dives into real data on rejuvenation, blood biomarkers, and what you can start doing differently today.

On this episode of the Huberman Lab Podcast, neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., sits down with Tony Wyss-Coray, Ph.D., Professor of Neurology at Stanford and one of the pioneers behind modern “young blood” research.

And yes — the science is real.

But it’s far more nuanced (and practical) than the headlines suggest.

🩸 The Big Idea: Aging Isn’t One Thing

One of the most important insights from Wyss-Coray’s work:

You don’t age as a single unit.
Your organs age at different rates.

Your brain might be aging faster than your heart.
Your liver might be younger than your chronological age.
Your muscle cells could be biologically “older” than the rest of you.

Using advanced blood proteomics (measuring thousands of proteins in a drop of blood), his team can now estimate the biological age of specific organs — and even specific cell types.

They call the difference between your chronological age and your organ’s biological age the “age gap.”

And here’s the kicker:

👉 A larger age gap predicts future disease risk in that organ.

• Faster aging heart → higher heart disease risk

• Faster aging brain → higher Alzheimer’s risk

• Faster aging kidney → higher kidney disease risk

Aging isn’t just about how many birthdays you’ve had. It’s about which systems are deteriorating fastest.

🧪 Does Young Blood Actually Rejuvenate?

In classic parabiosis experiments (where young and old mice share circulation), researchers observed:

• Reactivation of brain stem cells

• Reduced inflammation

• Increased neuronal activity

• Improved memory

Young blood didn’t just “look good” on paper. It functionally improved aging brains.

But here’s what’s crucial:

It’s not one miracle molecule.

Young blood contains:

• Fewer inflammatory proteins

• More growth-supporting factors

• Signals that support mitochondria (cell energy systems)

• Signals that preserve stem cell function

Aging = loss of helpful factors + buildup of harmful ones.

Rejuvenation likely requires adjusting both.

🧠 What This Means for Humans (Right Now)

Human trials using plasma fractions and therapeutic plasma exchange show promising but modest improvements, particularly in Alzheimer’s patients.

We are not at the stage of FDA-approved “youth injections.”

And Wyss-Coray was very clear:

Be extremely cautious about stem cell clinics and unproven injections.

He even referenced cases of severe complications from offshore stem cell treatments.

This is a field that requires rigor — not hype.

🏃‍♂️ The Most Powerful “Young Blood” Intervention We Already Have

Exercise.

Wyss-Coray’s lab showed that:

• Blood from exercised mice improved brain function in sedentary mice.

• Exercise triggers liver-derived factors that benefit the brain.

• Proteins like clusterin and other molecules increase after exercise and reduce inflammation.

Even more interesting?

High-intensity efforts (like sprinting) may release unique molecules not seen in steady-state cardio.

ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAY:

• Include both aerobic and resistance training weekly.

• Add short bursts of high intensity (20–30 seconds hard effort).

• Consistency > perfection.

Exercise is currently the closest thing we have to a proven rejuvenation therapy.

🌊 Aging Happens in Waves

Another major insight:

Aging is nonlinear.

Major biological shifts tend to occur around:

• ~35 years old

• Early 40s

• Early 60s

At ~35, large changes in blood proteins occur in both men and women.

This may reflect evolutionary biology — our bodies weren’t designed for 80+ year lifespans.

Modern medicine extended lifespan.
Now we’re trying to extend healthspan.

🍽️ What About Fasting?

Caloric restriction clearly extends lifespan in animals.

In humans? The evidence is far less definitive.

What fasting may do:

• Reduce inflammation

• Improve mitochondrial efficiency

• Improve protein recycling (autophagy)

• Shift metabolic flexibility

But Wyss-Coray emphasized:
There is no clinical trial proving fasting extends human lifespan.

ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAY:

• Avoid constant snacking.

• Allow 12+ hours overnight without food.

• Prioritize metabolic flexibility (don’t eat all day).

Extreme protocols are optional. Consistency is not.

☀️ Sunlight, Sleep & Social Connection

Longevity is not just molecules.

Key themes reinforced in the episode:

☀️ Sunlight

• Brighter days + darker nights = lower mental health risk.
  

• Get real sunlight early in the day.

😴 Sleep

• Essential for brain clearance (glymphatic system).
  

• Chronic poor sleep accelerates cognitive decline.

👥 Social Interaction

Centenarian studies consistently show:

• Strong social networks = longer lifespan.

Even moderate alcohol (like wine) may confer benefits primarily through social bonding — not the alcohol itself.

🧬 The Future: Cell-Level Aging Clocks

Wyss-Coray’s newest work takes aging clocks even deeper — down to specific cell types.

In ALS patients, for example:

• Skeletal muscle cells show dramatically accelerated aging.

• This predicts disease development years before symptoms.

In Alzheimer’s:

• Aging astrocytes (support cells in the brain) strongly predict decline.

We are entering an era where:

• You may measure which cell types are aging fastest.

• Interventions could become targeted to specific tissues.

This is the shift from generic health advice to precision aging medicine.

🧠 So What Should You Actually Do?

Here’s what this episode suggests — without hype:

1️⃣ Move Frequently

Exercise remains the most powerful rejuvenation tool we have.

2️⃣ Avoid Chronic Inflammation

• Don’t smoke.

• Minimize ultra-processed foods.

• Maintain healthy body composition.

3️⃣ Prioritize Sunlight & Sleep

• Bright mornings.

• Dark nights.

• Protect deep sleep.

4️⃣ Stay Social

Isolation is a risk factor for cognitive decline.

5️⃣ Be Cautious With “Miracle” Treatments

If it hasn’t gone through rigorous clinical trials, proceed carefully.

The Real Reframe

Longevity is not about chasing immortality.

It’s about:

Keeping your organs functioning well until the end.

Extending healthspan, not just lifespan.

Young blood may one day become a therapy.

But today, the “youthful factors” you can control are:

• Exercise

• Sleep

• Sunlight

• Social connection

• Metabolic health

Those aren’t sexy.

But they’re powerful.

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