Curious about the science of aging? Join me as I explore ways to improve healthspan and longevity.
The systems that control the rate of aging may be ‘hackable’.
All animals have a normal lifespan for their species. Small animals, such as a mouse, live shorter lives than large animals, such as elephants.
When you look at the outliers, the animals that live 5 to 20 times longer than they should, it becomes apparent that there is more to lifespan than just size and similarity.
Understanding how to reverse or slow cellular aging is a tantalizing concept for which scientists are coming closer and closer to the solutions.
I’m not willing to wait for decades while common medical practice catches up with the research. Frankly, I don’t have that kind of time. Instead, my goal is to apply current research now in order to prevent the disease of aging.
Targeted solutions for healthspan:
Aging isn’t something we can tackle with one pill or one lifestyle change; instead, we need a multi-pronged approach. These articles address various aspects of aging, including possible supplements to target different pathways.
- Alzheimer’s Trial with 4 Common Supplements: Potential Benefits
A recent phase II clinical trial showed significant improvements in cognitive scale scores for Alzheimer’s patients. Importantly, these are natural supplements that are readily available. Plus, it is rare to see a clinical trial with positive results in Alzheimer’s after just 3 months! I’m going to break down what was used in the clinical trial … - Methylene Blue: Mitochondrial function, cognitive benefits?
Methylene blue (Methylthioninium chloride) has been used in pharmacology for over a century. It is a fascinating compound that was first synthesized as a blue dye. In 1891, it was discovered that it could treat malaria. It is also used as a stain for microscope slides.[ref] Currently, methylene blue is an FDA-grandfathered drug. It is … - Genetics and Healthspan: Teasing out what is important
Genetic studies, especially large genome-wide association studies, can be informative when looking at what is really important for healthspan. Essentially, these types of studies look to see which genetic variants are linked to outcomes — real-life people, real outcomes, and large data sets. A new study recently published in Nature Medicine estimated the effects of … - Spermidine and Healthspan
Spermidine is a biogenic amine with many potential anti-aging benefits, ranging from extending healthspan to improving vaccine efficacy in older adults. I’ll dig into the research on the topic, explore the clinical trials, and explain why increasing spermidine can sometimes be a bad idea. For this supplement, it is essential to go beyond the headlines … - Glymphatic brain clearance system – draining the brain
The glymphatic system, which was identified in 2012, is the network that clears out waste products from the brain and central nervous system. Essentially, this system is the way that fluid surrounding the brain and spinal column moves out of the brain, carrying waste products with it. The glymphatic system is found in the areas … - Low dose lithium reduces cellular senescence
A recent study shows that low-dose lithium may act as a senolytic.[ref] This has important implications in healthy aging – including preventing mortality from respiratory diseases, such as COVID, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. First, let me go into a little background information on lithium and then cellular senescence. Next, I’ll explain the new study … - Senolytics for COVID and other respiratory illnesses?
New research on COVID-19 shows the important role of cellular senescence in the high mortality rates in the elderly. Elderly people are much more vulnerable to the flu, respiratory infections, and sepsis than middle-aged or younger adults. We all know that when grandma gets the flu in the nursing home, it is a serious matter. … - Clinical trial showing reversal of early Alzheimer’s
A pre-print study posted in May 2021 shows positive results in a clinical trial with the goal of reversing early Alzheimer’s disease. This is big! An attitude of acceptance that Alzheimer’s is a non-reversible fate prevails in medical practices, and a positive clinical trial showing marked improvement in many participants is wonderful to see. The … - Preventing muscle loss in aging
Kind of like pornography, we all know aging when we see it. There is a specific point when suddenly someone looks old. Like they have crossed some invisible threshold, moving from healthy and older into the twilight area at the end of life. I’m not talking about gray hair or laugh lines that became more … - Alpha-ketoglutarate for longevity
Alpha-ketoglutarate is a key molecule produced in your cells. Recently, research studies have shown that it may play a key role in healthy aging, including increasing healthspan and lifespan. What is alpha-ketoglutarate? Alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) is a molecule that cells produce. It has several important functions in the body:[ref] It is involved in the Krebs cycle … - Glycine for improving slow-wave (deep) sleep
A recent study on sleep and dementia points out (once again) that sleep is essential for good health in aging. The study found that decreased sleep, such as 6 hours or less per night, during your 50s and 60s increases the risk of dementia in your later decades by 30%. Quality sleep is foundational for … - Supplementing with Glycine and NAC: reduce oxidative stress, increase mitochondrial function
Mitochondrial dysfunction and elevated oxidative stress are part of the root cause of aging. With poor mitochondrial function, cells can’t perform at an optimal level, leading to an increase in ROS (reactive oxygen species). Oxidative stress, due to an increase in ROS, increases the risk of cognitive decline, inflammation, heart disease, and insulin resistance. So … - Lithium orotate: A natural mineral that affects mood, Alzheimer’s disease, and aging
I read a lot of studies on health and genetics, and I keep finding research on the mineral lithium popping up. Topics such as circadian rhythm dysfunction, Alzheimer’s disease, telomere length, type 2 diabetes, and obesity…all linking to lithium? The rest of this article explains the research showing the importance of this mineral in our … - TNF-alpha and Inflammaging
TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha) is a proinflammatory cytokine upregulated in aging. TNF-alpha acts as a signaling molecule in our immune system and is important in our innate immune response. But chronically elevated TNF-alpha is one cause of the diseases of aging. Inhibiting chronic inflammation is one tool available for longevity and healthspan. This article … - Targeting cellular senescence with natural compounds
Cellular senescence is a natural process that stops the reproduction of cells. While senescence happens throughout life, in aging, an accumulation of excess senescent cells seems to be at the heart of many age-related diseases. What is cellular senescence? Senescence is when a cell can no longer divide and has been damaged — but yet …