Longevity · 7 min read
Longevity, in Plain Language
NAD+, mitochondrial peptides, and senescence — the longevity research vocabulary, without the jargon.
'Longevity' research is really several different fields wearing one label. Sorting the vocabulary makes the catalogue a lot easier to navigate.
NAD+ and its precursors
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme central to cellular energy metabolism. Levels are studied in the context of aging biology. NAD+ itself and related precursors are researched for their role in these pathways — the science is about the chemistry of energy metabolism, not a promise about it.
Mitochondrial peptides
MOTS-c and Humanin are 'mitochondrial-derived peptides' — short sequences encoded in mitochondrial DNA and studied for their signaling roles. SS-31 (elamipretide) is a separate, synthetic peptide investigated for its interaction with the inner mitochondrial membrane. All three sit in early-stage research.
Senescence and the senolytics
Cellular senescence describes cells that stop dividing but don't clear. 'Senolytic' research studies compounds — FOXO4-DRI is one frequently cited example — for their interaction with senescent-cell pathways. Epithalon is studied separately in the context of telomere biology. These are distinct mechanisms often grouped only because they share the 'aging' header.
A note on stage
Longevity is among the earliest-stage areas in the catalogue. Much of the work is preclinical, and translating cellular findings to whole organisms is exactly the hard, unfinished part. The honest summary is that these are open research questions.
General education about published research, not medical advice. Research use only.