3 Ways to Boost Autophagy Naturally (And Why You Should)

When autophagy becomes inefficient, it can lead to inflammation and chronic diseases.

There are very few living things on our planet that are basically immortal. Some jellyfish can rewind their lifecycle indefinitely and, in theory, live forever.

Humans can’t do that; our lives come with expiry dates. But, that doesn’t mean we’re constantly deteriorating. Processes in our bodies work to keep us young and healthy for as long as possible.

Enter: Autophagy. The word actually means “self-eating” which sounds like something out of a sci-fi horror movie. In truth, autophagy is a good thing.

It’s a natural process that occurs within our cells, serving as a form of internal maintenance and recycling system. Imagine a car that, instead of gradually deteriorating over time, has the ability to repair itself and repurpose old components for new uses. That’s what autophagy is. 

The process also plays a pivotal role in sustaining our overall health and prolonging our lifespan. When autophagy becomes inefficient, it can lead to various complications, including inflammation and chronic diseases. 

The impact of declining autophagy on the body 

Like many biological processes, autophagy isn't immune to the effects of aging. As autophagy slows down with age and becomes less efficient, so too does our body as a whole. 

The link between declining autophagy and chronic diseases is a topic of intense research. Reduced autophagy can have significant health consequences and may even contribute to aging. 

For instance, inefficient autophagy can lead to impaired cell function and the development of insulin resistance where obesity can progress to type 2 diabetes. In neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's, a decline in autophagy has been associated with the build-up of toxic protein plaques in the brain. Autophagy is key to removing these protein aggregates.

Reduced autophagy has also been linked to cancers and aging as a whole. And some research suggests that maintaining “proper autophagy” could help extend longevity, while reduced autophagy could have the opposite effect.

In essence, a lot of the illnesses that we have come to associate with old age may actually result from reduced autophagy. 

Exploring the potential benefits of autophagy 

While reduced autophagy can wreak havoc on your body, boosting autophagy comes with many benefits. As I’ve said before, chronic diseases shouldn’t be treated as a “natural” part of aging. We shouldn’t fear getting old because there are steps we can take to prevent chronic diseases and improve our health span as a result. 

Autophagy is a key component of longevity and health. Here are just some of the benefits of boosting autophagy in the body: 

• Cellular clean-up: Autophagy helps remove toxic proteins and damaged cells, keeping cells healthy and promoting cell regeneration.

• Preventing neurodegenerative diseases: By eliminating damaged cells, autophagy may help prevent diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

• Preventing cancer from developing: Early research suggests that boosting autophagy could prevent cancer altogether because it promotes the death of damaged cells. 

• Keeping your heart young: Boosting autophagy can reduce age-related cardiac deterioration thereby keeping your heart young and healthy.

• Keeping inflammation in check: Autophagy can regulate inflammation by removing pathogens and broken organelles from the body. 

• Keeping your skin young: Autophagy’s cell regeneration processes may help boost collagen and keep your skin looking younger as a result. 

• Helping you live longer: By maintaining cell health, autophagy could potentially contribute to a longer, healthier lifespan. Several studies have linked autophagy to an extended lifespan. 

How to boost autophagy naturally 

Now that we understand some of the benefits of autophagy (and the health consequences of reduced autophagy), it’s time to turn our attention to some strategies that can help boost this cellular process. 

Although this is a fairly new field of research, there are a few ways to boost autophagy naturally. These include specific diets, such as the keto diet, fasting, and exercise. 

The keto diet, otherwise known as the ketogenic diet, focuses on high fat, moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate intake. When you significantly reduce your carb intake, your body switches to burning fat for fuel, a state known as ketosis. This shift can trigger autophagy, as cells begin to break down old and damaged components to provide the necessary energy for survival.

The keto diet can be an effective way to trigger autophagy because when the body is in ketosis, it provides similar responses in the body as intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting. During the fasting periods, your cells undergo stress similar to that induced by exercise or calorie restriction. This stress can trigger autophagy as cells scramble to recycle components and generate energy. 

However, it’s not clear how long you’d need to fast to trigger autophagy. Some sources suggest a fast between 16-18 hours is sufficient, while others state you’d need to fast at least 72 hours to see any benefits. 

Another way to benefit from autophagy is exercise. Exercise can kickstart the autophagy process. Studies suggest it takes about 30 minutes of consistent exercise to get into this state. Whether it's a brisk walk, a heart-pumping run, or a calming yoga session, getting your body moving can help keep your cells in top shape.

So, to sum up, some tried and tested strategies that could help boost autophagy in your body include: 

• Adopting the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet 

• Practicing intermittent fasting for at least 16 hours a day 

• Exercising for at least 30 minutes a day 

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DISCLAIMER

All content is for informational purposes only. No content or opinions are offered as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it based on any content herein.