Cellular Self-Cleaning / Lysosomal Degradation
A fundamental cellular recycling process — from Greek "self-eating" — by which cells identify, tag and degrade damaged proteins, dysfunctional organelles and other cellular debris using specialised structures called autophagosomes, delivering waste to lysosomes for digestion and recycling into building blocks. Autophagy is a critical quality-control mechanism: it removes the misfolded protein aggregates (amyloids, tau, alpha-synuclein) implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, clears damaged mitochondria (mitophagy), and removes pathogens (xenophagy). Dysregulated or insufficient autophagy is implicated in aging, cancer, neurodegeneration and metabolic disease.
Autophagy inducers with human clinical evidence: caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, exercise, spermidine, rapamycin (prescription). Inhibitors to minimise: chronic overnutrition, sedentary behaviour, chronic mTOR activation.
Build a routine using Skin Stacker's free AI-powered tool — decode any product, check ingredient compatibility, and get a personalised AM/PM schedule.
Open Skin Stacker →