Metabolism and Aging in Co-Evolution: Bidirectional Regulatory Mechanisms and Intervention Strategies

The connections between metabolism and ageing are becoming pivotal as two-way relations rather than one-way. Although metabolic processes, including mitochondrial activity, nutrient sensing, and autophagy, have been known to affect the rate at which one ages, the ageing process conversely impairs metabolic efficiency and regulatory mechanisms. As discussed in this paper, the relationship between these two forces is dynamic, and some questions that are prone to emerge are: which force is the driver of ageing, and which is the driven force? Metabolic ageing represents a nascent research frontier spanning molecular biology, gerontology, and pharmacology, and the essay will reflect on how metabolic degradation leads to cellular senescence and how age-induced dysregulation compromises metabolic pathways. By using the comparative analysis of the interventions, such as caloric restriction, metformin, and NAD+ supplementation, the paper points to the strategies that would address metabolism to slow down the ageing process. Finally, the essay demonstrates that a cyclical model is the most likely, where metabolism and ageing are co-evolving. This framework offers translational pathways for leveraging the association to promote healthy longevity