Rankings / Longevity
Longevity — Senolytics & Polyphenols
Dasatinib+quercetin, fisetin, spermidine, resveratrol, sulforaphane — the botanical and repurposed-drug senolytic and autophagy-inducer corner.
| # | Compound | Ev | Bn | Sf | Grade · Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cocoa flavanols (Theobroma cacao) Polyphenol / endothelial modulator | 8 | 3.5 | 9 | A- 7.7 |
| 2 | Spermidine Polyamine (autophagy inducer) | 6 | 5 | 9 | B+ 7.1 |
| 3 | Resveratrol Polyphenol | 4.5 | 3.5 | 9 | B- 6.2 |
| 4 | Fisetin Senolytic / polyphenol | 4 | 5 | 9 | B- 6.2 |
| 5 | Senolytics (D+Q combo) Senolytic | 6 | 5 | 5 | C+ 5.5 |
| 6 | Luteolin Flavonoid (senolytic-adjacent) | 2 | 2 | 9 | C 4.8 |
| 7 | Pterostilbene Polyphenol | 2.5 | 3.5 | 7 | C- 4.5 |
This is the senolytic and autophagy-inducer corner — compounds meant to clear "zombie" senescent cells or mimic fasting at the cellular level. Mechanistically it is the most exciting longevity story; in humans it is almost entirely unproven. The rankings keep that gap between mechanism and outcome front and centre.
Senolytics
Dasatinib plus quercetin (D+Q) is the most-studied senolytic combination, with early human pilot data in specific diseases (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, diabetic kidney disease) but nothing approaching a longevity outcome. Fisetin is the supplement-form senolytic everyone watches; it remains overwhelmingly preclinical, with Mayo Clinic human trials ongoing. The mechanism is promising, the human evidence is thin.
Polyphenols and polyamines
Spermidine has intriguing observational longevity associations and small memory trials in older adults. Sulforaphane (from broccoli sprouts) upregulates the body’s own protective enzymes, with moderate data. Resveratrol is the cautionary tale — enormous hype, poor oral bioavailability, and unimpressive human trials. Pterostilbene and quercetin round out the group with mostly mechanistic support.
How to read these
This is the category where the distance between mouse and human is largest. A moderate or weak score is not dismissal — it means the cellular rationale is interesting and the human outcome data does not exist yet. Treat anything here as experimental, and watch the senolytic trials (Mayo and others) for the readouts that would actually move a tier.
Frequently asked
Do senolytics like fisetin work in humans?
Not proven yet. The senolytic concept has compelling preclinical support, and dasatinib+quercetin has early human pilot data in specific diseases, but no human longevity outcome exists. Fisetin remains largely preclinical, with Mayo Clinic trials ongoing.
Is resveratrol worth taking for longevity?
The evidence does not support the hype. Resveratrol has poor oral bioavailability and a track record of unimpressive human trials, which is why it scores low here despite its fame.
What is the difference between a senolytic and a polyphenol here?
Senolytics such as D+Q and fisetin aim to clear senescent "zombie" cells; polyphenols and polyamines such as resveratrol, sulforaphane, and spermidine act more on stress-response and autophagy pathways. They are grouped together because the human evidence is early across the board.
Scores reflect the published evidence, not a recommendation to use any compound or protocol. Nothing here is medical advice. How we score →