The "Redox-Refinery" Protocol

The Core Concept We are engineering a "Clean Combustion" engine for the aged body by synchronizing three maintenance layers: Chemical Shielding (THIO), Waste Diversion (AKB), and Systemic Reboot (FMD). We don't just slow down metabolism; we force it to burn cleaner.

Why This Works Single-agent interventions (like THIO in the ITP) often fail because they are "protective" but not "corrective"—they armor the engine but don't unclog the fuel lines.

Sodium Thiosulfate (THIO): Acts as a chemical "galvanizer," driving protein persulfidation to shield delicate cysteine residues from oxidative rust (ROS) in the electron transport chain.

Alpha-Ketobutyrate (AKB): Revs up the peroxisomes (the cell's heavy-duty incinerator), forcing them to burn the toxic "heavy crude" lipids (VLCFAs) that usually choke the mitochondria.

Monthly FMD: This is the "controlled blackout." By periodically crashing IGF-1 and mTOR, we force the cell to switch to emergency power (ketogenesis) and scrap the junk (autophagy) that the other two agents loosened up.

The Test We take 18-month-old mice and subject them to this "Shield, Burn, & Starve" rhythm: THIO/AKB chronically, punctuated by a 5-day FMD cycle every month.

The Win Condition: If we see a 25–35% lifespan extension and a restoration of mitochondrial-peroxisomal crosstalk, we prove that aging is largely a waste-management crisis. Stop the engine from flooding, and it will run indefinitely.