Since we will be focused mainly on the somatic cells of sexual organisms, here is only a short discussion of organismic energy efficiency. Evolution acts on organisms as well as “selfish genes” (see Richard Dawkins book “Selfish Gene”). Interesting considerations from organismic energy efficiency in humans included the energy availability with positive emotions when the subconscious brain calculates evolutionary prospects are good and energy reserve with negative emotions when the subconscious brain calculates evolutionary prospects are bad. There is a variance of this in the population as well with individuals with “high/low disease” (or manic depression as it used to be called) augmenting the effect. There is here an evolutionary basis for the swings in economic markets since humans are herd animals. Of note: Exercise is seen by some as a therapy for negative emotions and may be due to its acting as a surrogate marker for a positive evolutionary outlook by the subconscious since energy was available to exercise. Exercise has also been shown to cause nerve growth which is also thought to be a physical manifestation of positive emotions. Significant scientific research has shown that individuals with more positive emotions over time tend to live longer and be more healthy than individuals with more negative emotions over time.
A second consideration is when you look at your peers and judge them to be lazy, stupid, or corrupt. Are these not energy efficiency solutions? Lazy being physical energy saving, stupid being mental energy saving, and corrupt being social energy saving mechanisms. There is here an evolutionary rational for serious human social problems. (For more on other possible evolutionary reasons for human stupidity see Denial by Ajit Varki) Note: evolution uses feedback loops to solve energy problems, could feedback loops (on whether individuals use or do not use their personal energy and how they use their personal energy) be used here as well for social problems? One would probably need the signals emanating from a person’s subconscious for them to self-correct. Deception is the main social tool to guard one’s right to energy efficiency in social situations, and to use one’s power (energy) for one’s self-benefit (surviving in evolution).
Other preliminary discussions
First) the turning on of somatic cell repair systems in theory and in what has been seen in preliminary human studies does not change the interactions of cells in the organism (although each cell performs better). In layman’s terms, this means if you took part in cellular age reversal you would still be you. You would not lose the hard fought neural connections that you’ve gained over time that shape who you are.
Second) the turning on of somatic cell repair systems in theory and in what has been seen in preliminary human studies does not change the developmental stage of your cells, In layman’s terms this means you will not become pre-pubescent and your heart and other differentiated cells will not revert to a less differentiated precursor cells.
Thirdly) cells that have died (and therefore been dissolved and taken away) are not there to repair and so cannot be. Examples of effects seen in the elderly that are due to cells that have died: these include hair follicle cells in baldness, pigment cells in grey hair, hair cell in the ear in hearing loss of this type as well as cells lost in car crashes and war wounds. For promising possible future answers to these “lost cells” problems see research into “Wnt” biological technology.
Fourthly) cells that are under repair tend not to divide. Cells are programmed to repair first and then divide second after their damage has been repaired out so the resulting new daughter cells have the best start possible. Of note here are female’s eggs: she never divides these eggs prior to giving them to her offspring since cell division locks in damage that has not yet been repaired out. This understanding may have ramifications for infertile older adult females who wish to become pregnant well as individuals with slow growing (“watch and wait”) cancers looking to stop the cell division of these cells. Each cancer is defined by its own specific DNA damage and epigenetic changes so no catch-all statements can be made on this topic.