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Comment by markkat | Hacker News Reader

This is a personal anecdote, but I went through about 10 years where I was getting colds and flu-like symptoms several times each year. I did a 72hr fast almost three years ago now, and have only been stay-home sick once since, which happened just a few weeks ago. Friends and family have commented on my health, the difference was so noticeable. I am planning on doing it again soon.

Interestingly, I stored my bone marrow stem cells during this stretch of good health, which includes the long-term hematopoietic stem cells mentioned. I plan to transplant them to my older self later in life. I hope the benefits transfer as well. :)

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That made me do a cartoonish head-shake. Is that something you can request from your physician? Is it the same process as donating marrow? How much does it cost? How long does it take? Is there science on this technique?

>Is that something you can request from your physician?

In MI, NC, and CA atm. Full disclosure, I co-founded the company: https://www.foreverlabs.co/.

>Is it the same process as donating marrow?

Like an aspiration, but less. 60cc are taken from your pelvis on your lower back under local anesthetic. It takes a few minutes.

>How much does it cost?

$3500 + $250/yr

>Is there science on this technique?

Yes. There has been an explosion in clinical trials using the MSCs (and HSCs to a lesser extent) for treatments of ailments ranging from osteoarthritis to heart disease. Personally, I've been developing therapies bone mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for stroke, brain injury, and other neuropathologies for 15 years. You cells diminish in number and quality with age, so it makes sense to store young ones for treatment later.

But, beyond that, there is evidence that young-to-old transplantation increase lifespan: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23967009

We are currently doing our own young-to-old preclinical work in mice, with the aim to do the first autologous young-to-old human trials.

I've been IF for about 5 years now, eating once a day in the evening mostly. Have had one minor cold in that whole time, where as before I would get at least 3 pretty bad colds a year.

What is your IF schedule?

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