The senior generation of 2024, led by 1 million people born in the Year of the Dog (1958)—the "newcomers" to the elderly demographic—is investing generously in their health. In particular, they are opening their wallets for "anti-aging" products. Consequently, the medical and healthcare industries have set out to find the "secret key" to turning back the clock on aging. Among these, the anti-aging keywords drawing the most attention from the medical community are "telomeres" and "stem cells." Can telomeres and stem cells truly be the key to reversing the aging process?

Elderly with Short Telomeres Can Prepare for Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

Telomeres, which are attracting attention in modern medicine, are referred to as "longevity genes." The human body is composed of countless cells, and each cell’s nucleus contains a total of 46 chromosomes, arranged in 23 pairs. These chromosomes contain DNA, which serves as the blueprint for our bodies. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes, and they shorten slightly each time a cell divides. When telomeres can no longer shorten, the cell stops dividing. Telomere length serves as a biological clock and a measure of biological age, determining how many times a cell can divide.

Research findings on the average telomere length corresponding to human age have been reported. Telomere length is measured in kbp (kilobase pairs). At birth, the average telomere length in humans is typically between 8.5 and 13.5 kbp. With each passing year, telomere length decreases by approximately 0.03 to 0.035 kbp. Research reports indicate that telomere length is measured at about 6.7 kbp at age 40, about 6.1 kbp at age 60, and about 5.5 kbp at age 80. In other words, telomere length shortens with age. Generally, when telomere length reaches about 5 kbp, it is considered a threshold indicating that a person’s lifespan is nearly over.

Globally, research on telomeres is still in its infancy. However, research findings by Korean medical professionals, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society last June, indicate that as telomere length shortens with age, the risk of cognitive impairment or dementia increases. A research team led by Professor Han Myung-hoon of the Department of Neurosurgery at Hanyang University Guri Hospital examined the relationship between “cognitive complaints,” depressive symptoms, and telomere length in 137 relatively healthy elderly individuals aged 60 to 79. Here, “cognitive complaints” refer to a state in which individuals experience subjective anxiety or dissatisfaction, feeling that their cognitive function is declining, even though they test normal on dementia screening. Telomere length was measured by collecting blood samples.

The results showed that individuals with relatively longer telomeres exhibited fewer subjective cognitive complaints and depressive symptoms compared to those with shorter telomeres. Conversely, those with relatively shorter telomeres reported higher levels of cognitive complaints and depression. Professor Han Myung-hoon explained, “While telomere length is generally known to range from 5 to 15 kbp, having a telomere length of 15 kbp does not guarantee a long life.” However, he added, “It has been reported that deviations from the average telomere length for one’s age may be associated with various pathological conditions.”

Telomere length is gradually becoming a more common screening tool in the medical field. In South Korea, some hospitals and health screening centers, including Hanyang University Guri Hospital, are conducting tests to measure telomere length. Professor Han Myung-hoon stated, “Knowing telomere length could be important for predicting high-risk groups for dementia and depression in the elderly.” He added, “If elderly individuals with short telomeres undergo selective screening for cognitive impairment or depression to identify high-risk groups and begin preventive treatment early, it may be possible to delay or prevent the onset of dementia or late-life depression in the future.”

Traveling to Japan for Stem Cell Therapy… Passage of the Revised Advanced Biotechnology Act Is Key

Advanced regenerative medicine, led by stem cell therapy, has emerged as a major force poised to change the paradigm of anti-aging treatments. Advanced regenerative medicine refers to medical procedures in which the body’s tissues and cells (such as stem cells and immune cells) are cultured and processed to regenerate or restore the body’s structure or function, and then administered to patients to treat or prevent disease. It is a new medical field that is garnering high expectations as it could be of great help not only to general patients but also in treating chronic, rare, and intractable diseases that cannot be cured with current medical procedures.

Globally, Japan is the leader in this field. In 2014, Japan enacted the Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine, among other laws, granting authority to physicians. Through this proactive legislative framework, Japan has established itself as a hub for regenerative medicine. There are over 1,000 regenerative medicine institutions in Japan. Japan also grants licenses for cell culture facilities abroad. If stem cells are cultured at an overseas cell culture and processing facility licensed by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the cultured stem cells cannot be injected for therapeutic purposes in South Korea; however, if brought to Japan, they can be administered via injection there.

Consequently, it is estimated that 10,000 to 20,000 people travel to Japan annually from South Korea to receive stem cell therapy. Dr. Cho Seong-hoon, Director of the I-eum Center at Seoul Yes Hospital and former Director of the Chaum Integrated Immunology and Stem Cell Center, stated, “Even if stem cells and NK cells are cultured in Korea, they cannot be used for therapeutic purposes,” “It is a regrettable situation where Koreans are culturing stem cells at 11 domestic GMP facilities (as of September 30 of last year) licensed by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for cell therapy, then flying to Japan to receive injections and returning home.”

This is because both the cultivation of unapproved stem cells and the use of cultivated stem cells for therapeutic purposes are illegal in Korea. Director Cho Seong-hoon remarked, “Every time the administration changes, the government has promised that people will be able to receive cell therapy domestically without having to go to Japan, but it will still take a considerable amount of time to enact or amend the relevant laws.” Director Cho added, “It is now time to view treatments utilizing immune cells from one’s own blood and adipose-derived stem cells from fat as ‘component cell therapy’ that makes use of one’s own body,” lamenting, “This is a treatment that can certainly be performed here in Korea, and I don’t know how much longer we can just stand by and watch patients having to go abroad.”

In response, the amendment to the Advanced Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Regenerative Biopharmaceuticals Act (hereinafter referred to as the Advanced Regenerative Medicine Act), which would enable stem cell therapy in Korea, passed the first subcommittee of the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee on the 18th of last month and is now gaining momentum. However, patient advocacy groups—including the Korean Cancer Patients’ Rights Council, the Korean Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients’ Association, and the Korean Multiple Myeloma Patients’ Association—along with the Campaign Headquarters to Stop the Privatization of Healthcare and Realize Free Medical Care, are strongly opposing the bill, arguing that “companies will target patients who are desperate enough to grasp at any straw in order to make a profit,” and that “the number of people dying or suffering serious side effects from indiscriminate stem cell treatments will increase,” significant backlash and controversy are expected before stem cell therapy is applied in clinical settings.