Trauma in Our DNA ? Epigenetics, Cannabis, and the Legacy of Stress | Ep. 257 - The Aging Well Podcast

Episode Transcript
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(00:11):
Welcome to the Aging Well podcast, where we explore the
science, stories and strategies behind living a longer,
healthier, and more purposeful life.
In this episode, we explore the fascinating science of
epigenetics and how trauma doesn't just affect the mind,
but can actually leave a biological imprint on our DNA
passed down through generations.From the lasting effects of war

(00:33):
and famine to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we
examine how stress can shape human biology over time.
The conversation also turns to cannabis it's increasing use as
a coping mechanism, its influence on gene expression,
and what current research reveals about its long term
effects. Stay tuned as we discuss how the
environment, daily choices, and even your ancestors experiences

(00:57):
might be influencing your DNA and your efforts to age well.
Yeah, I'm really excited for today's episode.
I've come across something that I think it's really going to
blow your mind, Doctor Armstrong.
See, I found this article on intergenerational transmission
of trauma and how trauma can be passed down from one generation

(01:19):
to the next in ways that we never could have imagined.
Basically, trauma can actually alter the DNA and even the DNA
of the future generations of whoever it traumatized.
And this this to me, this kind of sounds like the origin story
of a superhero. Well.
I don't know about the superheropart, but I am fascinated by the

(01:41):
epigenetics. And for our listeners and
viewers who might not know, epigenetics is a study of how
environmental factors and lifestyle choices can influence
gene expression without necessarily altering the DNA
sequence. So to me, this is such an
exciting area of research. The idea of our experiences

(02:02):
leaving in a molecular imprint on our genes and that those
changes can actually affect future generations.
I think that's pretty cool. Regarding this study, it's like
trauma isn't just emotional, it becomes more biological.
So studies are showing that trauma can leave epigenetic
scarves that not only impact theperson who experienced the

(02:25):
trauma, but can also be passed down to their descendants.
And I frequently share the quotein my exercise science classes
from Per Olaf Astrand, who said if you want to be an elite
athlete, choose your parents wisely.
And I've come to kind of modify that a bit.
I started telling my students, if you want to be an elite
athlete, choose your grandparents wisely.

(02:45):
Yeah, exactly. Which is funny because I don't
think they have a choice in the matter.
We all know the article and the article that I came across.
It was written by Yehuda and Lerner, which dives deep into
how trauma, things like war, extreme stress, doesn't just
affect the person who experiences it, It actually

(03:08):
changes the way genes are expressed in their offspring.
And that's wild. That these changes might even
affect generations after this study is also referred to in
another article I came across inthe New York Post that discuss
the context of war and violence.Researchers has shown that the
trauma from events like the Syrian war can leave to lasting

(03:32):
epigenetic marks on DNA of survivors.
And those marks can actually be inherited by their children and
even grandchildren. And I think that's incredible.
Yeah, it is pretty huge. And it makes you think about the
long term effects of events likewar, famine and even something
like the COVID-19 pandemic. Now we're living in a time of

(03:54):
collective trauma. And this research really
suggests that the impacts could be far more reaching than we
think. That, you know, that study on
the families who survived violent conflict in Syria both
during the 1980s and the 2011 uprising.
And the researchers examined DNAfrom three generations of these

(04:15):
families and found clear epigenetic modifications.
And these are altered genetic markings and these are linked to
the trauma of the parents experienced.
And these modifications were present not just in the
children, but even in the grandchildren of those who lived
through the violence. And it also ties with what we're

(04:35):
seeing today. Take the last few years of
chaos, for example. For some, it's been a huge
source of stress. We've seen wars, famines,
natural disasters and of course,a global pandemic.
Could these type of environmentsbe altering DNA in ways to make
future generation more susceptible to stress, mental

(04:56):
health issues and even physical illness?
It's entirely possible the concept isn't just theoretical.
Studies have already shown that children, Holocaust survivors
for instance, often show signs of anxiety, depression, and
hyper vigilance, even though there weren't even directly
exposed to the trauma of genocide.

(05:18):
And these symptoms have been linked to changes in stress
hormone regulation, something that epigenetic mechanisms could
explain. So we're talking about real
changes in how genes are expressed.
It's like the trauma of the parents is encoded in their
biology and is passed down to their children.
To me, I think that's powerful. The study also mentions how

(05:42):
things like maternal stress during pregnancy or even a
preconception trauma in parents,could affect the way that the
offspring's genes are expressed.This can influence brain
development and stress hormones,right?
Exactly. And this goes beyond just what
the parent feels, the biologicalenvironment like cortisol levels

(06:04):
during pregnancy and and even the levels during puberty when
the the hormones are developing,when the, you know, eggs are
developing in the female, the sperm are developing in the
male. These can impact fetal
development. And for example, research on
famine exposure during pregnancyhas shown that children born to
mothers who endured famine tend to have a higher risk of mental

(06:27):
health disorders and chronic diseases like diabetes later in
life. Take the study on the war in
Syria. The researchers identified
specific sites in the DNA of mothers, children and even
grandchildren that showed altered methylation patterns.
What's striking is that these epigenetic changes aren't
random. They're linked to stress and

(06:48):
trauma, and with direct evidenceof how these experiences are
passed down biologically across generations.
And it's not just biological effects, there's societal layers
to it too. Right now, we're seeing high
levels of anxiety and depressionglobally due to the pandemic.
Dr. Armstrong, do you think thatthis current global trauma could

(07:10):
be having long lasting effects, not just on those directly
affected, but on their children too?
Well, absolutely. And I think we've seen a sort of
trauma cascade in real time, youknow, with the COVID-19
pandemic, you know, uncertainty and collective stress may very
well have altered the way genes are expressed in children of

(07:33):
parents who live through it. If we're not addressing these
stressors, especially for very vulnerable populations, this
could have lasting effects on physical and mental health.
We're not even including mRNA are we in regards to long term
physical health? No, I'd, I'd like to just stick
to the subject of epigenetics today.
But because the current mental health crisis linked to COVID-19

(07:56):
pandemic, social isolation, economic stress, politics and
all the other shit going down inthe world.
The stress, anxiety and fear so many people have experienced and
are experiencing could be, you know, we could be looking at a
wave of mental health issues in future generations.
And it's a cycle, right? I mean, without intervention,

(08:19):
trauma gets passed down and the effects get compounded.
And that's why it's so importantto provide support, mental
health services, trauma informedcare and community healing so we
can start breaking that cycle, which kind of segs way into our
next subject. Now, I'm sure you know that some
people are doing their best to cope with whatever it is that

(08:42):
they're going through, but some tend to go a path of self
medication. And with the legalization of
cannabis in most of the continental USI came across a
couple of interesting reads. One study focused on cannabis
use and it's linked to epigenetic changes, and the
other examine how cannabis use both recent and cumulative

(09:05):
effect DNA methylation. Dr. Armstrong, these articles
really made me think about how stress relief practices like
cannabis use can impact us even at a genetic level.
Yeah, it's a fascinating topic, and it's one that ties perfectly
into really what we've been discussing about how our
environment and behaviors influence our health.

(09:26):
But before we continue, let's explain what methylation is.
Methylation is a chemical process where a methyl group
attaches to a DNA, influencing gene expression and potentially
affecting an individual's traitsand health without changing the
genetic code itself. Now let's break these studies
down. And you know, what did the first
study say? Yeah.

(09:47):
The first paper was published inNature Molecular Psychiatry.
The researchers explored the relationship between marijuana
use and DNA methylation specifically looking at both
recent and cumulative of use over time.
The researchers found that marijuana use affected hundreds
of DNA methylation markers, which are regulatory processes

(10:09):
that can turn genes on or off without altering the DNA
sequence. They identify genes linked to
psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar
disorders, as well as genes related to cellular
proliferation, hormone signalingand immune responses.
The study touches on something critical and genetics, how our

(10:31):
lifestyle choices, like cannabisuse, affect gene expression over
time. The changes aren't in the DNA
sequence themselves, but in how genes are activated or silenced.
As you pointed out, some of the genes affected by cannabis use
are tied to conditions like schizophrenia, which suggests a
potential long term impact on mental health.

(10:53):
So there's also a growing a bodyof evidence suggesting that
substances like cannabis could be influencing the very pathways
that regulate stress and emotional responses, which is
something we should be very cautious about.
Yeah, exactly. And that's one of the things
that struck me. I mean, while cannabis is legal

(11:14):
in many States and is used to treat everything from chronic
pain to anxiety, the research isstill catching up with the
widespread usage. We often see people turning to
it as an outlet for stress. But here's the thing, using it
regularly might be altering the epid, the epigenomes in ways

(11:34):
that we don't even fully understand.
You bring up a great point. The societal acceptance of
cannabis as a quote UN quote safe stress release tool doesn't
necessarily mean we understand its long term effects.
Just because something is legal doesn't always mean it's
harmless. DNA methylation study that you
mentioned suggests that long term marijuana use could lead to

(11:58):
epigenetic changes that might beassociated with psychiatric
disorders and altered brain function.
And to build on what we've talked about before, stress and
trauma leave epigenetic marks. So if someone is already dealing
with stress or trauma, adding tothat with a substance like

(12:19):
cannabis might compound the issue.
That's a key insight, Doctor Armstrong.
When we look at trauma, we know it changes the epigenomes
influencing the stress response system and even passes through
changes down to future generations.
So if cannabis is affecting geneexpression in ways we're not

(12:39):
fully aware of, it could be adding another layer of the
complex web of environmental stressors that impact our DNA.
Absolutely. We we we've seen this in the
trauma studies we discussed earlier.
Epigenetic changes from trauma can affect not just the person
who experienced it, but also their descendants.
It's similar with substances like cannabis, even if it's used

(13:04):
for what seems like benign purposes.
It's important to consider the broader biological impacts.
And these aren't necessarily permanent, but they could
influence our risk for a range of disorders, from mental health
issues to chronic diseases. And then this brings me to my
second article that I found, which was from Science Alert.

(13:25):
This one discussed how cannabis use is linked to epigenetic
changes and gene expression. The study looked at how cannabis
alters DNA methylation patterns in the brain and other tissues,
and it finds that long term use can potentially lead to negative
health outcomes, including cognitive decline and changes to

(13:46):
how we even process stress. Something we see across many
lifestyle choices. Whether it's diet, exercise, or
substance abuse, our behaviors are constantly interacting with
our epigenome. While some behaviors might seem
like quick fixes, like using cannabis to reduce anxiety or
stress, over time these can haveunintended consequences.

(14:07):
For example, cannabis is known to affect the adeno cannabinoid
system. It's a mouthful always to say,
but which plays a crucial role in regulating mood and stress.
And when we disrupt that system,it could lead to changes in how
we handle stress in the future. Yeah, it's a good point.

(14:30):
And it gets even more complicated when you think about
how we're using cannabis socially.
It's becoming more common for people to turn to cannabis as a
way to cope with stress of everyday life, work, family and
global events like the ongoing crisis in Ukraine or economic
instability. It's also like we've normalized

(14:53):
it as an easy way out. But at what?
Cost, Well, stress is a huge factor in today's world.
People are under more pressure than ever and cannabis seems
like a easy escape. But just like trauma, it can
leave epigenetic marks, so can substances we use to cope.
You know, alcohol and other substances.
The key, I think, is balance. Yes, cannabis might offer

(15:16):
temporary relief, but it's crucial for us to also consider
long term strategies for managing stress, like a healthy
diet, regular exercise and of course, mindfulness.
Yeah, it's about finding sustainable solutions, isn't it?
I think it's a society we're leaning too heavily into
substances to cope when things like exercise and proper

(15:39):
nutrition are natural ways to regulate our stress levels and
support our mental health. Exactly.
And exercise has profound effects on the brain.
It reduces the production of stress hormones like cortisol,
and it increases the release of endorphins.
And these all naturally boost the mood.
And diet plays a huge role. Foods like anti you know, foods

(16:01):
that are rich in antioxidants, you know your omega-3 fatty
acids and other nutrients also support brain health and can
help to buffer some of the effects of stress.
And this isn't just about feeling better in the short
term. Over time, regular physical
activity and a healthy diet can actually improve epigenomes,
which as a result it will reducerisk of chronic diseases and

(16:25):
mental health disorders. It's a much more holistic
approach to stress relief than relying on something like
cannabis, especially when we don't fully understand all of
its long term effects. And even though cannabis is
legal in many places, we must remain cautious as the research
continues to unfold. As we've discussed before, it's

(16:48):
about understanding the balance between managing immediate
stress and making decisions thatare in the best interest of our
long term health. Yeah, you don't want your health
to go up and smoke. Oh my God, the viewers might
have may have caught it, but I don't think the listeners can
see my eyes roll. Well, I think this conversation

(17:08):
is great and and and a good reminder that while modern tools
and substances like cannabis mayoffer a short term release, the
best way to age well is by prioritizing long term health
through natural stress management practices, diet,
exercise, and emotional well-being.

(17:28):
Exactly. And the more we learn about the
impacts of substances like cannabis, the more we can make
informed choices. It's all about taking care of
ourselves and each other. As far as epigenetics go, it's
not about treating individuals. It's about addressing the root
causes of trauma on the societallevel.
And what's encouraging is that we know interventions can help.

(17:50):
There's growing evidence that when we support parents and
communities through these traumas, we can mitigate some of
the biological impacts and help future generations to survive.
Absolutely hopeful, no. It shows that healing is
possible not just for individuals, but for the entire
family and the community that they're a part of.

(18:13):
It's about resilience, and with the right support and
understanding, we can start to reverse the effects of
intergenerational trauma. And as science advances, we'll
have more tools to be able to help us do that.
Well, this has been a powerful conversation and it really puts
things into perspective. Now, I'm hoping today's subject

(18:33):
was educational for our listeners and of course our
viewers. And if there are any other
subjects that are out there thatyou would like to hear, please
send us a message to the links below.
And until then, as always, keep.Aging well.
Thank you for listening. Hope you benefited from today's
podcast and until next time, keep aging well.

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Trauma in Our DNA ? Epigenetics, Cannabis, and the Legacy of Stress | Ep. 257

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Trauma in Our DNA ? Epigenetics, Cannabis, and the Legacy of Stress | Ep. 257