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What is Autophagy?

5-minute read 25 XP in app 8 cards

Your cells eat themselves — and that's good

Autophagy (from Greek: 'self-eating') is the process where cells break down and recycle damaged components. It's your body's cleanup crew.

Fact

How it works

When autophagy is activated, a double membrane wraps around damaged proteins and organelles, forming an 'autophagosome.' This fuses with a lysosome, which digests the contents and recycles them into usable parts.

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True or False

Autophagy only happens when you're sleeping.

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Insight

Why it matters for aging

As we age, autophagy slows down. Damaged proteins accumulate, cells malfunction, and disease risk rises. Boosting autophagy is a core strategy in longevity science.

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Fill in the blank

Complete the sentence about autophagy.

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What happens during a 24h fast?

Tap through each stage to see how autophagy ramps up.

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Build the autophagy pathway

Tap each step in the correct order to recycle a damaged protein.

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Takeaway

Key Takeaway

Autophagy is your body's recycling system. Keeping it active through lifestyle choices is one of the most powerful anti-aging strategies.