Could plasma exchange therapy help you live longer?
UC expert offers insight on trendy anti-aging treatment
A person's blood can accumulate potentially damaging particles that may be flushed out. Some anti-aging influencers, along with a handful of scientists, believe exchanging the plasma in a person's blood can help slow biological aging.
One of the first trials examining plasma exchange for anti-aging in humans was published recently in the journal Aging Cell, offering early evidence that it may be able to slow the biological breakdown that comes with age, even in otherwise healthy people. Caroline Alquist, MD, PhD, interim co-director of the Hoxworth Blood Center at the University of Cincinnati, offered her take on the study to The New York Times.
Plasma exchange is a well-established treatment for certain blood disorders, autoimmune diseases and neurological conditions, and it’s typically covered by insurance when deemed medically necessary. It is not covered for anti-aging purposes.
The small study of 42 participants, with an average age of 65, found those who had plasma exchange therapy during the course of a few months had lower concentrations in their blood of the biological compounds that accumulate with age, compared with a control group. The trial was sponsored by Circulate Health, a plasma exchange startup.
Still, many other scientists who study plasma exchange are skeptical. Its anti-aging benefits for healthy people have not been proven in large clinical trials, and drawing blood and replacing plasma with added fluids could put patients at risk for unnecessary medical complications without a clear payoff.
Most of the research into the anti-aging benefits of plasma exchange has been done on animals, so the findings don’t necessarily carry over to humans, said UC's Alquist. Also, until now, the research in humans has focused on patients who already have an age-related disease.
Read the open questions from this latest study as reported in The New York Times.
Featured image at top: iStock/Bet_Noire.
Related Stories
The subtle changes in hearing you should never ignore
July 24, 2026
It’s easy to dismiss changes in hearing as minor. But as The Washington Post recently reported, these symptoms could also signal a medical emergency that many people don’t recognize — known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss, a rapid decline in hearing that occurs suddenly or over a few days.
UC experts say proper produce washing is key defense against Cyclospora
July 24, 2026
Hamilton County Public Health reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, as concerns persist. Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a stomach illness lasting days — sometimes even weeks. University of Cincinnati medical experts say it is usually linked to contaminated water or food, often fresh produce.
What are the options for male birth control?
July 24, 2026
Despite major advances in contraception during the past several decades, responsibility for pregnancy prevention falls largely on women. As recently reported in Endocrinology Advisor, a new generation of male contraceptive candidates is advancing into early- and mid-stage clinical trials.