Senolytics improve physical function and increase lifespan in old age

Researchers tested dasatinib, a cancer medicine, with quercetin, a plant compound, in old mice. These are called senolytics, drugs meant to remove senescent cells, which are damaged cells that stop dividing but remain in the body. Treated mice had better strength, walking endurance, balance, and daily activity, and lived longer after treatment than untreated mice. The researchers also gave the combination for three weeks to 14 people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that scars the lungs. These people improved on walking and chair-standing tests, but there was no comparison group taking a placebo.

What this means for you: This is not a reason to buy quercetin or seek dasatinib for aging. The human test was tiny and uncontrolled, involved people with a serious lung disease, and cannot show that the treatment caused the improvement or extends human life.