March 2, 2023

Everyone wants to slow down the signs of aging, but very few people are going about it the right way.

The negative aspects of aging are one of the most ubiquitous challenges to quality of life. However, one thing is for sure: scientists believe that a big part of the reason we experience aging the way we do is because of stressed or worn-out cells called senescent cells.

Senolytics is a term used to describe ingredients shown to help decrease these damaging senescent cells. A well-formulated senolytic's goals are similar to those of pruning a plant: support efficient use of cellular resources, encourage the regeneration of more youthful cells, and ultimately support tissue health and appearance—promoting whole-body cellular rejuvenation.

Since senescent cells are experts at surviving, a senolytic formula can't rely on just a single ingredient to deliver results. Instead, a multi-pronged approach helps give the body the best opportunity to reduce its senescent cell load. My guest on this show – Gregory Kelly – has helped to develop several rare and powerful compounds that have scientifically shown senolytic activity, and which collectively cover a broader range of mechanisms than existing senolytic supplements on the market.

His protocol, which we discuss on this show, involves a two-day rejuvenation regimen that he suggests using every month. Intermittent short-duration dosing is the most common way that senolytics are used in studies, and data suggests that it can take weeks for senescent cells to re-accumulate in the body, which is why Greg recommends this approach.

Greg's compound, called “Senolytic” and made by my friends at Neurohacker Collective, includes the following senolytic ingredients:

• Fisetin (from Rhus succedanea Stem Extract): Supports tissue health by helping with pruning of stressed cells
• Quercefit® Quercetin Phytosome (Sophora japonica L. Flower Extract / Phospholipid Complex from Sunflower): Supports tissue health by helping with pruning of stressed cells*
• Longvida Optimized Curcumin® Extract (from Curcuma longa Root): Supports brain health and cognitive function*
• Olive Leaf Extract: Supports management of stressed cells in joints*
• Soybean Seed Extract: Supports healthy cellular functions involved in managing stressed cells*
• Luteolin (from Sophora japonica L. Flower Extract): Supports tissue health by helping with pruning of stressed cells*
• Milk Thistle Seed Extract: Supports liver health and management of stressed cells*
• Piperlongumine (from Piper longum Root Extract): Supports senolytic and immune functions to help manage stressed cells*
• Senactiv® (Panax notoginseng Root Extract and Rosa roxburghii Fruit Extract): Supports exercise recovery and management of senescent cells in muscle

So who is Greg, exactly?

Dr. Gregory Kelly, a highly accomplished naturopathic physician (N.D.), has an extensive background in natural medicine and nutrition. As the Director of Product Development at Neurohacker Collective and author of the book Shape Shift, Dr. Kelly has made significant contributions to the field. He has also taught Advanced Clinical Nutrition, Counseling Skills, and Doctor-Patient Relationships at the University of Bridgeport in the College of Naturopathic Medicine, and was the editor of the journal Alternative Medicine Review. With numerous articles and more than 30 journal articles indexed on Pubmed, Dr. Kelly is a leading authority in areas such as nootropics, anti-aging and regenerative medicine, weight management, and the chronobiology of performance and health.

During our discussion, you'll discover:

-Who is Dr. Gregory Kelly?…06:38

• Cellular senescence
• Neurohacker Collective (use code SENOBEN to save 15% off any purchase)
• Podcast with Daniel Schmachtenberger:
  • 42 Different Ways To Build A Better Brain, The Problem With Modern Smart Drugs, Hacking Your Neurons & More.
• Shape Shift by Dr. Gregory Kelly
• Senescent cells = Zombie cells
  • Cells that haven’t died and can turn other cells into senescent cells
• Senescent cells = yellowing leaves that need to be removed from the garden is a more appropriate metaphor

-The science behind cellular senescence…10:19

• Hayflick’s 1961 study: cells stop dividing after 50 times – the Hayflick limit
• 1970's – idea of telomeres was identified
  • Shortening of telomeres over time as cells copied themselves and would eventually run into the Hayflick limit
  • Cellular senescence is a natural and prominent part of aging
• DNA damage response
• Cellular senescence as an anti-cancer mechanism
• Embryogenesis and placental aging
• Wound healing
• Beneficial senescent cells and lingering ones that cause problems 
• The Science of Senolytics

-The best use of senolytics…19:52

• Use a few times during the year
• The Longevity Diet by Dr. Valter Longo
• Dr. Valter Longo
• Autophagy – removes senescent cells
• Fasting mimicking diet
• Qualia Senolytic by Neurohacker Collective (use code SENOBEN to save 15% off any purchase)
• Senolytics mimic short periods of fasting
  • Only for short periods
• The idea of senolytics was coined by Mayo clinic, Scripps Research Institute, in 2015
  • The original stack they identified was Dasatinib and Quercetin (D&Q)
  • Induce cells to go through apoptosis, to fall off like leaves
  • Finding a way to make them stop resisting apoptosis
• D&Q stack
  • Side-effects
  • Hit and run dosing
• Rapamycin and Metformin
  • Senotherapeutics
    • 1st leg – Senolytics
    • 2nd leg – Senomorphics, sometimes called senostatics
    • 3rd leg – The immune system
  • More senomorphic than senolytic
  • Helping cells near senescent cells not to become senescent

-Other strategies that can limit senescence…29:40

• Very few strategies are studied
• Lots of things could cause premature senescence
  • Stress induced premature senescence
  • Make cells more stress resilient
• Buck Institute is one of the leading researchers in cellular senescence and senolytics
• DNA repair and autophagy
• Practicing habits that reduce stress
• Tissue autopsy needed to monitor senescent cells and tissues
• Jinfiniti
  • Blood panel:
    • Beta-galactosidase
    • inflammatory cytokine markers in the blood
    • NAD
• Not having enough NAD is one of the things known to cause premature cellular senescence

–Qualia Synolytic…47:48

• Daily dose of 6 capsules for 2 days out of the month every month
• Pilot study:
  • 3 cycles over the course of a month – 2 days on, 12 days off, 2 days on, 12 days off
• Slowest amount I would recommend – two days once a quarter
• Consensus is that DNA methylation is not a useful way to measure senescent cells
• WOMAC scale (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index) – an osteoarthritis scale
• Recruit people and measure performance of Qualia Senolytic (use code SENOBEN to save 15% off any purchase)
  • Positive results in areas of
    • Energy
    • Emotional well-being
    • Stress in general
• Threshold effect – senescent cells can impact different people differently

-Polyphenols in the formula…52:39

• Qualia Senolytic ingredient Senactiv®
  • Notoginseng 
  • Sweet rose chestnut extract
• Fisetin and Quercetin 
• Dutch famine of World War 2 – people were eating tree bark, leaves and grass
  • High level of quercetin in oak tree, white onions (skin and bottom part)
  • Fisetin is found much more in outer parts of plants, leaves
• Luteolin
• Dr. Mercola’s “autophagy tea” – nightly fast to limit mTor activation and increase autophagy
  • 1 tsp Pau d’ Arco powdered tea
  • ½ tsp hydroxycitrate and garcinia (HCA/Garcinia powder)
  • ½ tsp quercetin powder
  • ½ tsp glycine powder
  • ½ teaspoon chamomile powder
  • Lakanto monk fruit sweetenerto taste
• Podcast with Dr. Mercola:
  • KetoFasting: The Dark Side of Fasting & Ketosis (+How To Use Cyclic Ketosis To Fix The Issues)
• Concerns about soybean seed extract

-Adaptogens in the formula…1:05:57

• Piper longum (long pepper) – tastes a lot like black pepper but more pungent (because of piperlongumine)
  • MA in South East Asian studies focused on medical and nutritional anthropology
  • Ayurveda and Thai medicine trilogy of ingredient stacks 
    • Ginger
    • Black pepper
    • Long pepper
  • Rasayana or rejuvenator
  • Piperlongumine is also a senolytic
• More bioavailable Turmeric and Curcumin (Longvida)
• The original Qualia Mind, OG Qualia used Mareeba
• Mareeba needs bioperine to enhance absorption and bioavailability, Longvida does not 

-Tonic herbs in the formula…1:09:55

• Olive leaf
  • Rudolf Steiner
  • Getting different components of compounds from the root, the leaf, and the fruit of plants
• Milk thistle
  • Used as a liver tonic since Romans
  • Works on tyrosine kinases that are important in shifting the balance towards apoptosis

-The efficacy of senolytics…1:16:30

• A shotgun approach
• The process of creating the product
  • Safety, tolerability, and efficiency
• Experiencing the effects would depend on someone’s health
• Simple dosing – 2 days a month
• Qualia Senolytic (use code SENOBEN to save 15% off any purchase)

-And much more…

Upcoming Events:

• Shine Event / VIP Dinner: March 10th – March 12th

I want to personally invite you to an intimate VIP dinner experience with my family and I in beautiful Sedona, Arizona. I'll be in AZ during that time presenting as a keynote speaker at the Breath, Body & Beyond ‘Shine' event from March 10th to the 12th, and I'd love to see you there for my formal dinner on the 11th. At this dinner, you'll be presented with an exquisite home-style dinner personally prepared by the entire Greenfield family, a free signed copy of Boundless Cookbook, a personalized Q&A with me, and entertainment by local vocal artist and my younger sister, Aengel Greenfield. Learn more here.

• Keep up on Ben's LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar!

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

– Dr. Gregory Kelly:

• Qualia Senolytic (use code SENOBEN to save 15% off any purchase)
• Shape Shift by Dr. Gregory Kelly

– Podcasts:

• 42 Different Ways To Build A Better Brain, The Problem With Modern Smart Drugs, Hacking Your Neurons & More.
• KetoFasting: The Dark Side of Fasting & Ketosis (+How To Use Cyclic Ketosis To Fix The Issues)

– Other Resources:

• The Longevity Diet by Dr. Valter Longo
• Buck Institute
• Jinfiniti
• NAD Regen
• Pau d’ Arco Powdered Tea
• HCA/Garcinia Powder
• Quercetin Powder
• Glycine Powder
• Chamomile Powder
• Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener
• Dr. Valter Longo
• Rudolf Steiner
• Scripps Research, Mayo Clinic Scientists Find New Class of Drugs that Dramatically Increases Healthy Lifespan
• Senotherapeutics For Healthy Ageing
• Senotherapeutics: Emerging Strategy For Healthy Aging And Age-Related Disease
• Targeting Senescent Cells: Approaches, Opportunities, Challenges

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Shine Sedona: Join my family and me in Sedona Arizona from March 10-12, 2023 at an amazing event hosted by SHINE. I'll be giving a keynote talk on breathwork and biohacking, and hosting a VIP Greenfield-style home-cooked dinner prepared by my family. For tickets to the Shine Event where I'll be a keynote speaker visit bengreenfieldlife.com/shinesedona.  To book your spot for our VIP dinner visit bengreenfieldspeaking.com/sedona-dinner. 

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Gregory Kelly or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!