Can ketamine therapy turn back the biological clock?

A new study published in Translational Psychiatry adds an intriguing dimension to what we know about ketamine therapy. Researchers at Yale found that people with depression and PTSD who received a short series of ketamine infusions showed measurable changes in their DNA consistent with a reversal of biological aging. In other words, their “epigenetic clocks” — markers of how old our cells act, rather than how many birthdays we’ve had — appeared to turn back slightly after treatment. While this doesn’t mean ketamine makes anyone younger, it suggests that its effects reach beyond mood and trauma symptoms, potentially influencing deeper cellular pathways linked to stress, inflammation, and resilience.

At Innate Ketamine Therapy, we see these findings as part of a growing body of evidence that healing the mind can also support the body. Depression and chronic stress take a biological toll; recovery may likewise show up at the molecular level. This is early, small-scale research and not something to hang our hats on yet — but it’s a hopeful sign that inner transformation and physical wellbeing may be more tightly connected than we’ve ever appreciated.