Health
Simon Cowell says he’s ‘aging backwards’ thanks to controversial blood-rinsing procedure
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Simon Cowell is opening up about the unconventional wellness procedure that he claims is helping him age backwards — one that “rinses” and “filters” his blood before returning it to his body.
Although the music mogul, 66, didn’t specify which particular procedure he undergoes, the description is similar to apheresis, which is a medical procedure that draws blood from the body, spins it to separate and remove certain elements, then returns it to the body, according to Cleveland Clinic.
“I go to this place, this wellness clinic, where they actually take your blood, they rinse it, they filter it and then they put it back into your body,” Cowell, 66, told The Sun in the interview. “You do all these tests, and they tell you your age, so I’ve actually aged backwards by eating better, more exercise, less stress and certain supplements. My brain is still there, I still have the energy.”
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The “X Factor” judge has previously shared other procedures he has undergone, including filler and Botox, but stated in 2022 that he “might have gone a bit too far” and has since stopped getting filler.
“For me now, a lot of it comes down to healthy eating and drinking tons of water,” he told The Sun at the time.
Simon Cowell admitted to getting a lot of treatments done, including a placenta facial. (Photo by PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
What to know about blood treatments
EBOO — which stands for extracorporeal blood oxygenation and ozonation — is an alternative wellness treatment in which a person’s blood is circulated outside the body, exposed to medical-grade ozone and oxygen, run through a filter and then returned to the bloodstream, according to clinics that offer the service.
While older forms of ozone therapy have been used to treat autoimmune conditions, the newer EBOO method has been touted for potential anti-aging benefits — although experts warn that evidence of its effectiveness is lacking.
“I go to this place, this wellness clinic, where they actually take your blood, they rinse it, they filter it and then they put it back into your body,” Cowell, 66, told The Sun in the interview. (Getty Images)
Ralph Montague, longevity expert from The Longevity Clinic in London, shared with Fox News Digital why this procedure is gaining attention as a potential longevity-booster.
“Celebrities have turned to EBOO, which filters the blood using advanced technology, helping them to age backwards,” he said. “For many people, it’s not about adding a few years to their life — it’s about living healthier and better.”
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Montague claimed that EBOO has been shown to increase energy and boost the immune system while improving mood and sleep.
“Many people who do this also describe the improvements in mental clarity, mood stability and general well-being,” he added.
Risks and regulations
Montague noted that the EBOO treatment is not for everyone.
“Those who have blood-clotting or bleeding disorders are typically advised to stay away from this medical method, as there’s a potential that it could increase the risk of clotting happening,” he warned.
“It’s essentially a ‘reset’ for the bloodstream.”
Ozone therapy can also create oxidative stress, which may lead to the breaking down of red blood cells, according to Montague.
People with G6PD deficiency — a hereditary enzyme deficiency that makes red blood cells more fragile and more easily damaged — are especially vulnerable to this, so they should avoid treatments like ozone therapy, he said.
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“Those with heart problems are also advised to get advice from a doctor beforehand, particularly those who have had a recent heart attack or been diagnosed with severe heart failure, as this treatment can shift blood pressure levels,” Montague noted.
“There’s also insufficient evidence that this is fine to do for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and it’s better to be safe than sorry if you’re in that category.”
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert (pictured with his team at Senolytix), offers “therapeutic apheresis,” which separates and filters blood plasma while returning the red blood cells to the patient. (Senolytix)
The treatment should only be performed in medical environments after getting consent from a doctor.
The Food and Drug Administration only approves apheresis (blood filtering) devices for specific medical indications, such as autoimmune disorders, certain blood cancers and plasma exchange for specific diseases.
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They are not approved for anti-aging, detox, microplastics removal or wellness purposes.
“The device is not FDA-approved for the treatment of any disease or condition,” the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Doctors weigh in
Medical experts widely caution that ozone-based blood cleansing procedures remain unregulated, unproven and potentially unsafe.
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, warns against these procedures, calling them “dangerous.”
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“The process could hemolyze red blood cells, leading to organ damage, blood clots and other issues,” he told Fox News Digital.
“I’m also concerned about metabolic derangements (abnormalities or disruptions) that could occur, including high potassium.”
EBOO is an alternative wellness treatment in which a person’s blood is circulated outside the body, exposed to medical-grade ozone and oxygen, run through a filter and then returned to the bloodstream. (iStock)
Siegel said he believes these treatments are “ineffective” and don’t have any effect on the pace of aging, noting that the liver and kidneys are designed to naturally filter waste.
Other doctors are proponents of the technique, including Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert. At Osborn’s longevity practice, Senolytix, he offers “therapeutic apheresis,” which separates and filters blood plasma while returning the red blood cells to the patient.
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“It’s essentially a ‘reset’ for the bloodstream, removing inflammatory proteins, antibodies and other harmful factors,” he told Fox News Digital.
Some potential benefits include lower blood pressure, reduced iron load (a powerful oxidant believed to accelerate the aging process) and reduced inflammatory cytokines, according to the doctor.
“Nutrition, strength training, sleep and stress mitigation remain the foundation of longevity.”
Osborn agreed that this practice should be performed by physicians to ensure safety.
“The main risk is mild — transient hypotension from a so-called ‘citrate reaction’ — which we monitor for and treat immediately,” he said. “Otherwise, modern apheresis is a well-established medical procedure used to treat autoimmune, neurological and metabolic diseases.”
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While the procedure can remove inflammatory cells that drive aging and chronic disease, Osborn said it’s not a “magic bullet” — and not a replacement for personal responsibility.
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“Nutrition, strength training, sleep and stress mitigation remain the foundation of longevity,” he said. “But in a world where Americans increasingly seek proactive, preventive care, plasma filtering represents a modern refinement of an ancient medical instinct.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Simon Cowell’s representatives for comment.
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A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body’s biological aging process, according to new research.
The study, published in the journal Aging, investigated how a diet change and easy exercise regimen affected men between the ages of 50 and 74 over a three-month period.
Researchers designed a clinical trial involving 48 overweight men in Japan. Over a 12-week period, half of the participants followed a strictly structured wellness routine, while the other half maintained their usual habits.
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For the intervention group, the routine required consuming 100 grams of plain yogurt every day.
This group also received individualized dietary counseling that advised them to curb overeating, avoid excessive snacking and cut out sugary drinks.
A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body’s biological aging process, according to new research. (iStock)
They were also instructed to walk or use a stepper machine for roughly 30 minutes a day, at least three days each week.
To measure the impact of these changes, the scientists collected blood samples from all participants before and after the study, and also analyzed DNA for chemical changes that act as indicators of cellular age.
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Specifically, they used a measurement tool called DunedinPACE. Rather than assessing a person’s chronological age in years, this tool calculates the precise rate at which an individual’s body is currently aging.
The men who consumed the probiotic yogurt, adjusted their diets and exercised showed a statistically significant reduction in their pace of aging compared to the control group, the researchers said.
The anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component on its own due to the variety in the study, the researchers noted. (iStock)
On average, the speed of their biological aging slowed by approximately 2.2%. This reduction is roughly comparable to the slowing of biological aging observed in a previous two-year U.S. study, in which participants reduced their daily calorie intake by 25%.
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This reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss , meaning it did not directly correlate with changes in the participants’ body mass index or the exact number of exercise sessions they logged.
The researchers also recorded a noticeable improvement in a specific DNA marker that is linked to kidney function.
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Because this study combined three distinct factors — probiotics, diet and exercise — the authors concluded that the anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component. Instead, the slowed aging rate appears to be the result of a combined effect.
The reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss, the study found. (iStock)
The researchers also acknowledged clear limitations of the study, including its small sample size and short duration. Also, the participant pool was restricted to overweight men of a single nationality.
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More research is needed to determine whether these short-term biological shifts can translate into permanent, long-term health benefits, the study stated.
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The simple act of noting how fast your heart is beating while you’re at rest may be the key to measuring your overall health.
Resting heart rate is defined by Mayo Clinic as the number of times your heart beats each minute while you’re awake, calm and not moving.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults. A slower resting heart rate means the heart does not have the work as heard to pump blood through the body — something typical of someone who is more fit.
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Athletes who are very fit may have a resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute, according to Mayo Clinic.
Your resting heart rate can vary due to a variety of factors, including age, physical activity levels, sleep health, smoking, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress, anxiety, hormones, body type and certain medications.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults, according to medical experts. (iStock)
But a resting heart rate that’s often too high or too low may signal a health issue.
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A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body, such as anemia, an infection or a thyroid problem, according to Cleveland Clinic.
A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body. (iStock)
If your heart rate is regularly above 100 beats per minute, this is a sign to talk with your heart care provider.
The same advice applies if you are not a trained athlete and your resting heart rate is frequently below 60 beats per minute.
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Talk to your doctor if other symptoms such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath occur.
How to measure your heart rate
You can check your own heart rate by tracking your pulse on your wrist or neck. The best time of day to measure resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, says Mayo Clinic.
Place your index and middle fingers inside the wrist below the thumb, to feel the radial artery; or, do so on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery.
Place your index and middle fingers on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery — and count how many beats per minute. (iStock)
Count the number of times your pulse beats in 15 seconds, then multiply this number by four to calculate beats per minute.
Wearable devices can also detect and track resting heart rate, although this may not always be accurate.
How to lower your heart rate
If your resting heart rate is higher than normal, there are a few ways to work toward lowering it.
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Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate and increase the heart’s aerobic capacity and max heart rate, according to Harvard.
For those who don’t exercise regularly, it’s important to work your way up in difficulty when following a new workout routine.
Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate, Harvard Health says. But it’s vital to work your way up carefully. (iStock)
Some medications, such as beta blockers, can also lower heart rate. In the same way, managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can also help.
Cleveland Clinic also recommends cutting back on harmful substances such as drugs and alcohol, which can dehydrate you and raise your heart rate.
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Adequate sleep can also help bring your heart rate down, in addition to maintaining a healthy weight.
Cardiologist Tamanna Singh, M.D., shared with Cleveland Clinic that lowering your heart rate takes time as various lifestyle changes kick in.
Managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can help lower your resting heart rate,
“Just like building your biceps and triceps, it takes time for your heart to become stronger,” the doctor said.
Singh recommended focusing on heart rate patterns rather than dialing in on just the number.
Take note of how your heart rate changes after eating certain foods, when you’re dehydrated or after you’ve begun a new exercise or stress management routine.
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“If you notice that your heart rate is consistently over 100, mention it to your doctor, especially if you’ve tried making lifestyle changes and they don’t seem to be working,” she said.
“Your resting heart rate isn’t the be-all, end-all of your health, but it’s definitely a marker that you should pay attention to.”
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