Lisa Broyles, MD explains the new science of aging and how to apply it outlined in the best selling book, Lifespan by David Sinclair, PhD. We’ve always thought of aging as the inevitable fate for humans and other living things, but scientists are discovering that aging is better understood as a disease that can be treated, slowed and eventually reversed. Dr. Sinclair, a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, surveys the new research around aging and shows how we can add years to our lives, years of health and vibrancy. If aging can be slowed, halted, or even reversed, then age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s can be slowed or prevented altogether. 

Aging is complicated, caused by many factors. The old paradigm was that aging was the cumulative result of damage to our DNA, but new research and clinical studies point to certain genes and enzymes that turn on and off the expressions of our DNA. We are learning how to inhibit the “bad genes” and promote the “healthy ones” in ways that will increase our longevity and avoid so many devastating age-related diseases. 

We can encourage these longevity genes in three main ways: 

-lifestyle changes 
-diet 
-certain supplements

One of the most effective of the lifestyle interventions is intermittent fasting. This turns on the genes that increase healthy DNA and turns off the bad genes that cause cancer. Fasting  can reset your insulin sensitivity while you’re sleeping. This is one of the best ways to improve insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, or diabetes. One of the more popular ways to fast is to wait 14 to 16 hours after dinner before eating anything again. 

Another important factor is regular exercise. High-intensity exercise like interval training  releases your natural endorphins and improves the function of your body at a cellular level. Dr. Sinclair suggests getting either 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days a week, or 1 hour, 3 days a week. Putting your body under this kind of stress sends a signal to your cells to stop replicating so fast in order to conserve your energy, thus prolonging longevity. There are other ways to safely stress your body, like cold therapy, which can have similar effects.

Diet, of course, is an especially potent way to prolong a healthy life. Dr. Sinclair suggests eating lots of vegetables and less animal protein. But, as Dr. Broyles points out, diet really should be an individualized concept. There is not any one diet that fits everybody.  Not everybody needs an autoimmune diet, or a paleo diet or a vegan diet. It really depends on your genetics and your past exposures.

Finally, there are new supplements being developed which can greatly promote the body’s natural longevity genes. The anti-inflammatory drug Resveratrol, derived from the skin of red grapes, decreases cellular aging. So does the diabetic drug Meformin, which is proving to have remarkable anti-aging properties. Dr. Broyles discusses these and other newly discovered supplements like the powerful enzymes NMN, (nicotinamide mononucleotide) and NR, (nicotinamide riboside), both NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) boosters, which appear to have dramatic effects in preventing and slowing cellular aging.  In the Links & Resources tab below Dr. Broyles provides a list of NMN, NR and NAD products that have the amount they say they do, don’t have any heavy metals and are actually bioavailable for you.