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Ageing and longevity

Does anything actually slow ageing?

The hardest question on the site to answer honestly, because a real longevity trial in humans would take decades and nobody has run one. What exists is biomarker work, and this says so.

45 compounds studied for this · 11 with three or more human studies cited · 10 with none

Three or more human studies cited 11

The deepest human evidence on this site for this goal. That is a statement about how much has been measured, not about whether it will work for you.

Resveratrol

14 cited

The polyphenol behind the sirtuin era of longevity research and one of the most heavily trialled supplements in this dat...

Longevity

Nattokinase

13 cited

A fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus subtilis natto fermentation with a genuinely large human trial record for a suppleme...

Longevity

MOTS-c

8 cited

A mitochondrial-derived peptide with a real human literature: a common East Asian genetic variant, circulating levels me...

Longevity

Epitalon

6 cited

A synthetic pineal tetrapeptide with more human data than its reputation suggests, including a 6 to 8 year observation o...

Anti-aging

Humanin

5 cited

A mitochondrial-derived peptide with a genuine human observational record: it declines with age, runs high in children o...

Longevity

Tesamorelin

4 cited

An FDA-approved GHRH analogue that reduces visceral fat, now also studied for cognition in older adults at Alzheimer's r...

Growth Hormone

Thymalin

4 cited

A calf-thymus peptide preparation used clinically in the Soviet Union and Russia since the 1980s, with a large Russian c...

Immune

Nicotinamide Riboside

4 cited

A well-studied NAD+ precursor that reliably raises NAD+ in humans. Raising the molecule is proven; the mouse lifespan pr...

Longevity

NAC

3 cited

A glutathione precursor that is FDA-approved as a mucolytic and antidote for acetaminophen overdose, and studied more br...

Antioxidant

Urolithin A

3 cited

A gut-derived compound that triggers mitophagy and has improved muscle function in older adults in human trials, one of...

Muscle & Performance

Methylene Blue

3 cited

An FDA-approved antidote for methemoglobinemia that biohackers take at low doses for mitochondrial energy and focus; the...

Antioxidant

One or two human studies cited 24

Something has been run in people, and it is a thin base. The count is on each card so you can see exactly how thin.

Elamipretide

2 cited

An investigational mitochondria-targeting peptide studied for rare mitochondrial disease and age-related organ decline.

Anti-aging

Glutathione

2 cited

The body's master intracellular antioxidant tripeptide, used to support redox balance, detoxification, and skin, with mi...

Antioxidant

NMN

2 cited

A direct NAD+ precursor studied for metabolic and physical-function benefits in aging, with early human trials and a con...

Longevity

Follistatin

2 cited

A natural protein that blocks myostatin and activin, studied largely through gene therapy for muscle growth and muscular...

Muscle & Performance

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

2 cited

A versatile antioxidant compound studied for diabetic nerve pain and metabolic health, sold as a supplement and used as...

Antioxidant

Argireline

2 cited

A topical cosmetic peptide marketed as a 'Botox-like' wrinkle reducer that relaxes expression lines at the skin surface.

Cosmetic

Quercetin

2 cited

A common dietary flavonoid used as a senolytic, most notably paired with the drug dasatinib in human senescence trials.

Longevity

Dasatinib

2 cited

An FDA-approved leukemia drug repurposed in research as a senolytic, most often combined with quercetin to clear senesce...

Longevity

Rapamycin

2 cited

An FDA-approved mTOR inhibitor that extends lifespan in animals and is widely studied off-label at low, intermittent dos...

Longevity

GlyNAC

2 cited

A combination of glycine and NAC studied in older adults for restoring glutathione and improving multiple markers of agi...

Antioxidant

BGE-102

2 cited

BioAge's brain-penetrant NLRP3 inhibitor that cut the inflammation marker hsCRP by a median 86% in two weeks in Phase 1,...

Longevity

Foselutoclax

2 cited

The most advanced senolytic in humans: an injected BCL-xL inhibitor that matched the biologic aflibercept on vision at m...

Longevity

RLS-1496

2 cited

Rubedo's topical senolytic that met its Phase 1 safety endpoint in psoriasis, eczema and photo-aged skin, with collagen...

Anti-aging

ER-100

2 cited

The first partial cellular reprogramming therapy in humans: Life Biosciences dosed the first patient in June 2026, deliv...

Longevity

Klotho

2 cited

The 'anti-aging gene' protein whose blood levels track with longevity and cognition; a gene therapy (KLTO-202) is headin...

Longevity

NAD+

1 cited

A central metabolic coenzyme marketed via IV and injectable forms for anti-aging and recovery, with declining levels in...

Longevity

Pinealon

1 cited

A short synthetic peptide bioregulator from the Khavinson group studied for brain protection and cognition.

Nootropic & CNS

Ergothioneine

1 cited

A diet-derived antioxidant amino acid that accumulates in cells via a dedicated transporter, studied as a possible longe...

Antioxidant

Spermidine

1 cited

A natural polyamine that induces autophagy, linked in population studies to lower mortality and studied for cardiovascul...

Longevity

Fisetin

1 cited

A plant flavonoid and leading natural senolytic. One mouse study reported extended lifespan; the multi-site programme bu...

Longevity

Calcium AKG

1 cited

A metabolite supplement studied for healthy aging. One mouse study reported longer life; the multi-site replication prog...

Longevity

RTR242

1 cited

The first clinical drug from Retro Biosciences, the Sam Altman-backed longevity company: an oral, brain-penetrant molecu...

Nootropic & CNS

ATX-304

1 cited

An oral AMPK activator with one 28-day human pilot in type 2 diabetes and recent mouse data, now sold as a research chem...

Metabolic

SkQ1

1 cited

A mitochondria-targeted antioxidant registered in Russia as an eye drop for dry eye; rodent lifespan claims come from a...

Antioxidant

No human study cited here 10

Studied in other species or in cell culture, or studied in people for something else entirely. Listed rather than hidden, because knowing a thing has not been tested in a person is the useful part.

Fasting worth reading alongside this

What the number counts, exactly

The figure on each card is the number of citations on that compound’s page whose study type is Human. It is counted the same mechanical way for all 192 compounds and you can check any of it by opening the profile and reading the citation list, which is the whole point of publishing a number at all.

It is a count of what we cite, not a claim about how much research exists. A compound with three human studies here may have thirty in the literature, and the honest thing to say is that we have read and listed three. It is also not a quality score: three small open-label studies count the same as three randomised trials, so the tiers tell you how much was measured in people and the page itself tells you how well.

Other goals