April 4, 2025 • 18 mins
Aging science is experiencing a revolution. Rather than merely treating diseases that appear with age, researchers at the National Institutes of Health are now focusing on understanding and addressing the aging process itself—the root cause behind many age-related conditions.
This approach centers on the crucial distinction between your chronological age (the years since birth) and your biological age (the actual molecular wear and tear accumulated in your body). People age biologically at dramatically different rates, which explains why some 70-year-olds appear decades younger than others of similar chronological age.
Scientists have developed sophisticated tools to measure biological aging, including Dundon PACE (Pace of Aging Calculated from the Epigenome)—essentially an "aging speedometer" that predicts how quickly your major organ systems are deteriorating compared to average. This breakthrough allows for truly personalized healthcare approaches, where preventive screenings and interventions can be tailored to your unique aging trajectory rather than standard age-based guidelines.
Fascinatingly, research suggests different organs within your body may age at varying speeds. Groundbreaking studies involving blood transfer from young mice to older ones demonstrated improved cognitive function in the older mice, identifying a protein called TIMP2 that appears critical for maintaining brain plasticity. When administered to aged mice, TIMP2 improved their learning and memory capabilities—suggesting some aspects of brain aging might actually be reversible.
While these advanced therapies continue development, the most effective anti-aging strategies remain surprisingly accessible. Physical activity stands as "the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth," with overwhelming scientific support. Moderate calorie reduction (around 12.5%) has shown measurable slowing of biological aging markers and beneficial changes in gene expression. Other fundamental practices—balanced nutrition, quality sleep, avoiding tobacco, and preventive healthcare—can potentially add up to a decade of healthy life.
Ready to implement these science-backed approaches to extend your healthspan? Visit LifeWellMD.com or call 561-210-9999 to explore how personalized wellness planning can help you optimize your aging journey.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your supplement regimen or health routine. Individual needs and reactions vary, so it’s important to make informed decisions with the guidance of your physician.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
Today we're diving intosomething that well.
It touches all of us aging andif you're listening, you're
probably already interested inunderstanding the nuances of
health and longevity.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Definitely, and we've got some really fascinating
research today coming straightfrom the National Institutes of
Health.
That's really changing how weeven think about getting older.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Yeah, it seems like for years the focus was mostly
on, you know, treating thediseases that often come with
age heart problems, alzheimer's,that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Exactly, but the newer science is pointing
towards something morefundamental.
It's about understanding andtackling the aging process
itself as like the root cause ofmany of these issues.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Right, Instead of just like playing whack-a-mole
with every new health problemthat pops up.
The idea is to get down to thebasics, the molecular and
cellular level.
It kind of reminds me of thisanalogy I heard from Dr Tony
Waskory over at Stanford.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
He compared aging to a car.
You know it rolls off the lot.
Perfect, oh yeah.
But mile after mile you startseeing wear and tear, even if it
technically still runs.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
That's a great way to put it.
And well, just like that car,our bodies collect damage over
time damage to molecules, tocells.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
But here's the really cool part, especially for you
know, for you listening Unlike acar, we actually have these
amazing built-in repair systems.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Ah right, Self-repair .
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Exactly.
The catch is, though, thoserepair systems also get a bit
less efficient as the years goby.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
And that's where this NIH-funded research really
steps in, isn't it?
The big goal seems to befiguring out how to actually
measure the speed of that wearand tear.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Right, how fast are we really aging inside?
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Yeah, and then the crucial part finding ways to
maybe slow that down or evenpotentially reverse some of it.
Yeah, and then the crucial partfinding ways to maybe slow that
down or, you know, evenpotentially reverse some of it.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Imagine what that could mean for preventing or
treating those age relateddiseases we worry about.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It's a huge shift, moving from just managing
symptoms to potentially fixingthe underlying cause.
It's pretty revolutionary,really, and central to this
whole idea is the differencebetween your chronological age.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Your birthday number.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, exactly your birthday number and what
scientists call your biologicalage.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Okay, let's dig into that biological age concept a
bit more, because you hear thatterm thrown around.
But what does it actually meanfor you as an individual, and
why is it so important if we'retalking about trying to slow
down aging?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Well, think about it like this your chronological age
just counts the years, but yourbiological age, that reflects
the actual amount of, let's say,molecular wear and tear that's
built up inside your body.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Okay, the real damage .
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Right, and that damage is what ultimately bumps
up your risk for thoseage-related diseases, and you
know functional decline bumps upyour risk for those age-related
diseases, and you knowfunctional decline.
What's really fascinating andsomething for you to consider is
that people age biologically atreally different speeds.
You probably know people whoare the same age on paper but
seem way younger or older.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Oh, absolutely.
We all see that.
So how on earth do scientistseven start to measure this
biological age for someone likewell, like you or me?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
yeah, it's not like we have a little dial showing
our aging score huh, not quiteyet, but that's where the
exciting science of aging clocksand biomarkers comes in.
Researchers like uh dr danielbelsky are looking at all sorts
of markers in your body likewhat kind of things?
Things like um cholesterollevels, inflammation markers,
(03:23):
even tiny changes on your DNA.
They compare your profile ofthese markers to population
averages for people of differentchronological ages.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
So you could be 65, but your markers look more like
an average 55-year-old.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Exactly.
In that case, you might beconsidered biologically younger.
It gives you a kind of snapshotof your internal aging compared
to the average.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
That's amazing, like getting a peek under the hood.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
But Dr Belsky and his team, they went even further.
Right, they didn't just buildan aging clock, they came up
with this idea of an agingspeedometer.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Dundon pace.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yes, dundon, pace.
That sounds like it could giveyou a sense of how fast you're
heading down that road.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Exactly.
It's a really powerful idea forunderstanding your own aging
path.
So Dr Belsky worked with DrTerry Moffitt and the Dundon
Longitudinal Study, which isthis incredible long-term study
in New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
They developed Dundon PACE.
That stands for Dundon PACE ofAging calculated from the
epigenome.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Okay, epigenome, break that down a bit.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Right, so think of your DNA as the body's main
blueprint.
The epigenome is like a layerof chemical notes, or switches,
written on top of that blueprint.
These switches control whichgenes get turned on or off.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Got it Like sticky notes on the blueprint.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Kind of and these patterns of switches they change
predictably as you get older.
Duden and Pace specificallylooks at one type of switch
called DNA methylation.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Methylation.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
So they look at data from over 1,000 people tracked
from age 26 all the way to 45.
They measured these DNAmethylation patterns and they
looked at 19 differentbiomarkers showing how well
major organ systems were working.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Wow, that's comprehensive.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
It really is.
Then they use machine learning,you know sophisticated computer
analysis, to find patterns inthe DNA methylation at age 45.
They could actually predict howquickly those 19 organ function
markers changed over the next20 years.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Whoa.
So Dundon-Pace could basicallytell you if your internal aging
is hitting the gas or pumpingthe brakes compared to other
people your age based on thesetiny chemical changes.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
That's the idea, and what's really important for you
to know is that later studiesconfirmed it People with a
faster done-and-pay scoregenerally have a higher risk for
poor health, chronic diseasesand even dying earlier.
It's a serious predictor.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
That gives us a really powerful tool, then, for
understanding your unique agingjourney.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
It really does, and this has huge implications for
how you might approach your ownhealth care, right?
You mentioned tailoringpreventive care earlier.
Can you give an example of whatthat might mean for someone
listening?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Sure.
So imagine your Dundon-Pacescore comes back at age 75, and
it suggests you're agingbiologically faster than average
.
Your doctor might then say hey,you know what, Maybe we should
start thinking about things likecolonoscopies or checking your
cardiovascular risk a bitearlier than the standard
guidelines suggest for your age.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Ah.
Proactive screening based onyour biological pace.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Exactly or, conversely, if your biological
pace is slower, maybe you andyour doctor decide you can
safely wait a bit longer forcertain screenings.
It's about moving towardshealth care that's personalized
to your rate of aging, not justyour birth date.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
That makes so much sense.
It feels much more targeted,potentially way more effective
for managing your health longterm.
Now, something else I read wasthat it's not just your whole
body aging at one speed.
Different organs within you canage differently.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yes, that's another fascinating layer to this.
Dr Weiss-Corey's research.
The Stanford professor youmentioned earlier, has been
really key here.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Right, the car analogy guy, that's him yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
His lab showed that we can actually get clues about
how fast individual organs areaging by measuring specific
proteins floating around in yourblood.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Seriously so my heart could be aging faster than my
brain, or vice versa.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Potentially, yes, your liver might be on a
different timeline than yourkidneys.
It opens up this reallyexciting, though maybe still
future, possibility of even moretargeted health care, focusing
interventions on the specificorgans in your body that seem to
be aging faster.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Wow, this is all incredibly groundbreaking.
It really feels like we'regetting down to the nitty gritty
of how aging works inside us.
Okay, so let's shift gears abit.
Let's talk about the brain,because I think that's a major
concern for a lot of people,including you.
Know you listening?
Brain health as we age.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Definitely a hot topic, and rightly so.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
What does this new science say about?
Well, the potential for mayberejuvenating older brains.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
This is a really exciting area, honestly, with a
lot of hope for keeping ourminds sharp as we get older.
So one thing that tends tohappen with age is a decline in
something called synapticplasticity, especially in the
hippocampus.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Hippocampus.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
That's memory central right.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Exactly Crucial for learning and memory and synaptic
plasticity is basically theability of your brain cells, the
neurons, to strengthen theirconnections with each other.
When that declines, it cancontribute to those cognitive
changes we sometimes associatewith aging.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Okay, and this is where that young mouse blood
research comes in.
I remember reading about that.
It sounded almost like well,like science fiction.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
It definitely caught people's attention.
Back in 2014, Dr Weiss-Corey'slab did these really remarkable
experiments.
They found that giving bloodfrom young mice to older mice
actually seemed to benefit theolder mice's brains.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Oh so.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
They saw changes in gene activity related to that
synaptic plasticity we justtalked about and, importantly,
the older mice actually gotbetter at learning and memory
tasks.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
That is astonishing.
And then didn't they findsomething similar with human
umbilical cord blood in mice?
I mean?
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yes, that was another huge step.
They found that plasma, theliquid part of blood from human
umbilical cords, also had theserejuvenating effects on gene
expression plasticity andcognitive function in the aged
mice.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Wow, so something in young blood, maybe even human
young blood, could potentiallyhelp older brains.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
That was the implication.
It suggested there might befactors present in young blood,
maybe across different species,that are important for brain
health and decline with age.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
And they actually pinpointed one of those factors,
didn't they?
A protein called Tent-IMP2.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Exactly Tent-IMP2.
Exactly TEMP2.
That was a major breakthrough.
By carefully comparing all theproteins in young versus old
blood, they zeroed in on thisone, temp2, which stands for
tissue inhibitor ofmetalloproteinases 2.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
They found that TEMP2 levels naturally go down in the
hippocampus of mice as they age.
But here's the kicker when theydirectly gave TIMP2 back to the
aged mice just the proteinitself it improved their
synaptic plasticity andcognitive function.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Incredible.
And if they took TIMP2 out ofthe cord blood?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Then the beneficial effects disappeared.
It really pointed to TIMP2 asbeing a key player, at least in
these mouse models, formaintaining some aspects of
youthful brain function.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Wow.
So Timpy, too, seems prettycrucial for you potentially.
I know Dr Weiss-Corey evenstarted a company based on this.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yes, he co-founded a company called Alkahest Inc.
They've been running clinicaltrials exploring if plasma-based
treatments might help withneurodegenerative conditions
like Alzheimer's.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Okay, so those kinds of treatments are still being
researched.
Definitely for the future.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Oh, absolutely.
These are not things availablenow, but the broader message
from this research is reallyhopeful.
I think it suggests that atleast some parts of the aging
process, especially in the brain, might not be a one-way street.
Maybe some aspects arereversible.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
That offers a lot of hope for maintaining, you know,
cognitive vitality as we getolder.
So, while those therapies arestill down the road, what about
things you, the listener, canactually do right now to
potentially slow down your ownaging?
I'm guessing it's not asdramatic as young blood
transfusions.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
No, you're absolutely right.
As Dr Belsky said, the mosteffective things you can do
right now are often quote notvery exciting.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Okay, bring on the not so exciting but important
stuff.
What should you be focusing on?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Top of the list.
Physical activity.
Seriously, Dr Belsky calls itthe closest thing we have to a
fountain of youth, and thescience backing that up for your
overall health and slowingage-related decline is just
overwhelming.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Movement is medicine, right, okay, what else Diet has
to be in there?
There's so much noise aboutfood.
What does the science actuallysay about eating for healthy
aging?
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Healthy eating is definitely critical for you.
A balanced diet rich innutrients plays a huge role in
fighting off aging's effects.
And then there's this area ofcalorie restriction that's been
studied a lot in terms oflongevity.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Calorie restriction.
Okay, that sounds challengingfor most of us.
What did they find when theyactually studied this in people?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
It does sound tough, but there was this big NIH
funded study called Calorie.
People in the study cut theirdaily calories by about 12.5
percent on average for two years.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
OK, 12.5 percent manageable.
Maybe what happened.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Well, they lost weight about 10% on average and,
importantly, most of that wasfat loss.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Right.
What about the aging itself?
Did cutting calories actuallyslow down their biological
clocks?
That's what you'd want to know.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Yes, that was the really interesting finding.
The calorie restriction groupshowed a slower pace of
biological aging based on thoseblood biomarkers we talked about
, and they even saw a small butstatistically significant dip in
their Dundon pace score.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
So their aging speedometer actually slowed down
a bit.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
It seemed to yes, suggesting that reducing
calories, even moderately, mightimpact your rate of aging.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Wow, okay, that's compelling, but what about
muscle?
That's always a concern withweight loss or restriction,
especially as you get older.
Did they lose a lot of muscle?
Speaker 2 (12:46):
That's a great question.
They did see a small decreasein muscle tissue in the calorie
restriction group, but and thisis really interesting for you
they didn't see a significantdrop in their muscle strength.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Less muscle mass, but strength stayed roughly the
same.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Exactly, which suggests maybe the quality or
the efficiency of the musclethey had actually improved, even
though there was slightly lessof it.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
So maybe better quality over quantity for your
muscles, that's a neat idea andI think there was even more
follow-up research lookingdirectly at the muscle tissue.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
There was Dr Luigi Ferrucci, and his team did a
deep dive, analyzing musclebiopsies from people.
In the calorie study they foundover 1,000 genes whose activity
changed in the calorierestriction group 1,000 genes.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
What were they related to?
Speaker 2 (13:32):
All sorts of crucial things for you Muscle building
and repair, regulating yourbody's internal clock, the
circadian rhythm and,importantly, inflammation, which
actually decreased.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
So eating less wasn't just about weight.
It was fundamentally changinghow genes were working in their
muscles, affecting repair rhythm, inflammation.
That's profound.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
It really is.
They even found it affectedsomething called RNA splicing.
That's a process where one genecan actually produce slightly
different versions of a protein.
Calorie restriction changedwhich versions were being made,
including some involved inmuscle function and aging.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Dr Ferrucci seems pretty optimistic that even
relatively small amounts ofcalorie restriction might have
real benefits for preservingyour health as you age, though
of course he stresses moreresearch is needed.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
It's encouraging, though, for you listening, that
maybe you don't need extrememeasures.
Small, consistent changes couldadd up.
But Dr Ferrucci also circledback to those other, maybe
simpler steps you can take right.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Absolutely.
He really hammered home thepower of those well-known
healthy habits for you.
He echoed Dr Belsky sayingbeing physically active is just
huge.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Plus, obviously not smoking.
Maintaining a healthy weight,getting good quality sleep
that's crucial keeping up withvaccinations and recommended
cancer screenings, and managingthings like high blood pressure
and high cholesterol, if youhave them.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Basic stuff, but maybe the most powerful.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
He even said something quite striking about a
magic pill already being herefor you, didn't he?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
He did.
He basically said look, if youconsistently do these achievable
things stay active, don't smoke, manage weight, sleep well, get
screenings, manage bloodpressure you could potentially
add 10 years to your lifeexpectancy.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Wow, 10 years.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
His point was the real magic pill for healthier
aging isn't some fancy futuredrug.
It's the consistent applicationof these proven lifestyle
strategies that you can startdoing right now.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
That is a really empowering message.
It really highlights how muchcontrol you actually have over
your own aging path.
Okay, so let's try to wrap thisup.
What are the main takeaways foryou, the listener, from this
whole deep dive into slowingaging?
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Well, I think, first, you've learned aging.
Is this really complex processthat scientists are now studying
right down to the molecules?
Second, your biological age howfast you're really aging inside
can be different from yourbirthday age.
And we're getting better atmeasuring Right the clocks and
speedometers.
Exactly.
Third, there's excitingresearch suggesting some parts
of aging, like in the brain,might even be reversible someday
(16:05):
.
But fourth, and maybe mostimportantly for right now, there
are practical things you can doLifestyle choices like exercise
, healthy eating, maybe evensome calorie moderation.
They can genuinely impact youraging process.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
It really underscores taking proactive steps today
for a healthier tomorrow foryourself, and this ties in so
directly with the kind of workyou and Dr Kumar are doing there
at LifeWellMDcom in Florida.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Absolutely.
Our whole mission atLifeWellMDcom is helping
individuals like you understandthe science and actually
implement these strategies forhealthy aging and longevity.
Dr Kumar and our whole team,we're focused on creating
personalized wellness plansbased on the latest
understanding.
It's all about empowering youto take charge of your health
for the long run.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
So if someone listening is thinking OK, I want
to explore this further.
I want to have a personalizedplan guided by the science.
How can they connect with youand LifeWellMDcom?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
We'd love to hear from you.
The best way is to visit ourwebsite.
That's LifeWellMDcomL-I-F-E-W-E-L-M-Dcom, or just
give us a call directly at561-210-9999.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
561-210-9999.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
That's right.
Our team is ready to answeryour questions and talk about
how our services can help you onyour specific journey towards a
healthier, longer life.
We're really here to be yourguide.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Excellent.
Well, this has been incrediblyinformative, giving you, our
listener, some real insight intothe cutting edge of aging
science and, crucially, thoseactionable steps.
So, on that note, here's afinal thought for you to ponder
Knowing that different organsinside you might be aging at
different speeds, what specificpart of your own health and
well-being are you most curiousabout understanding and maybe
(17:42):
optimizing for the years ahead?
Thanks for joining us for thisdeep dive.
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
Today we're diving intosomething that well.
It touches all of us aging andif you're listening, you're
probably already interested inunderstanding the nuances of
health and longevity.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Definitely, and we've got some really fascinating
research today coming straightfrom the National Institutes of
Health.
That's really changing how weeven think about getting older.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Yeah, it seems like for years the focus was mostly
on, you know, treating thediseases that often come with
age heart problems, alzheimer's,that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Exactly, but the newer science is pointing
towards something morefundamental.
It's about understanding andtackling the aging process
itself as like the root cause ofmany of these issues.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Right, Instead of just like playing whack-a-mole
with every new health problemthat pops up.
The idea is to get down to thebasics, the molecular and
cellular level.
It kind of reminds me of thisanalogy I heard from Dr Tony
Waskory over at Stanford.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
He compared aging to a car.
You know it rolls off the lot.
Perfect, oh yeah.
But mile after mile you startseeing wear and tear, even if it
technically still runs.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
That's a great way to put it.
And well, just like that car,our bodies collect damage over
time damage to molecules, tocells.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
But here's the really cool part, especially for you
know, for you listening Unlike acar, we actually have these
amazing built-in repair systems.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Ah right, Self-repair .
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Exactly.
The catch is, though, thoserepair systems also get a bit
less efficient as the years goby.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
And that's where this NIH-funded research really
steps in, isn't it?
The big goal seems to befiguring out how to actually
measure the speed of that wearand tear.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Right, how fast are we really aging inside?
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Yeah, and then the crucial part finding ways to
maybe slow that down or evenpotentially reverse some of it.
Yeah, and then the crucial partfinding ways to maybe slow that
down or, you know, evenpotentially reverse some of it.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Imagine what that could mean for preventing or
treating those age relateddiseases we worry about.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It's a huge shift, moving from just managing
symptoms to potentially fixingthe underlying cause.
It's pretty revolutionary,really, and central to this
whole idea is the differencebetween your chronological age.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Your birthday number.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, exactly your birthday number and what
scientists call your biologicalage.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Okay, let's dig into that biological age concept a
bit more, because you hear thatterm thrown around.
But what does it actually meanfor you as an individual, and
why is it so important if we'retalking about trying to slow
down aging?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Well, think about it like this your chronological age
just counts the years, but yourbiological age, that reflects
the actual amount of, let's say,molecular wear and tear that's
built up inside your body.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Okay, the real damage .
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Right, and that damage is what ultimately bumps
up your risk for thoseage-related diseases, and you
know functional decline bumps upyour risk for those age-related
diseases, and you knowfunctional decline.
What's really fascinating andsomething for you to consider is
that people age biologically atreally different speeds.
You probably know people whoare the same age on paper but
seem way younger or older.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Oh, absolutely.
We all see that.
So how on earth do scientistseven start to measure this
biological age for someone likewell, like you or me?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
yeah, it's not like we have a little dial showing
our aging score huh, not quiteyet, but that's where the
exciting science of aging clocksand biomarkers comes in.
Researchers like uh dr danielbelsky are looking at all sorts
of markers in your body likewhat kind of things?
Things like um cholesterollevels, inflammation markers,
(03:23):
even tiny changes on your DNA.
They compare your profile ofthese markers to population
averages for people of differentchronological ages.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
So you could be 65, but your markers look more like
an average 55-year-old.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Exactly.
In that case, you might beconsidered biologically younger.
It gives you a kind of snapshotof your internal aging compared
to the average.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
That's amazing, like getting a peek under the hood.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
But Dr Belsky and his team, they went even further.
Right, they didn't just buildan aging clock, they came up
with this idea of an agingspeedometer.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Dundon pace.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yes, dundon, pace.
That sounds like it could giveyou a sense of how fast you're
heading down that road.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Exactly.
It's a really powerful idea forunderstanding your own aging
path.
So Dr Belsky worked with DrTerry Moffitt and the Dundon
Longitudinal Study, which isthis incredible long-term study
in New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
They developed Dundon PACE.
That stands for Dundon PACE ofAging calculated from the
epigenome.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Okay, epigenome, break that down a bit.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Right, so think of your DNA as the body's main
blueprint.
The epigenome is like a layerof chemical notes, or switches,
written on top of that blueprint.
These switches control whichgenes get turned on or off.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Got it Like sticky notes on the blueprint.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Kind of and these patterns of switches they change
predictably as you get older.
Duden and Pace specificallylooks at one type of switch
called DNA methylation.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Methylation.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
So they look at data from over 1,000 people tracked
from age 26 all the way to 45.
They measured these DNAmethylation patterns and they
looked at 19 differentbiomarkers showing how well
major organ systems were working.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Wow, that's comprehensive.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
It really is.
Then they use machine learning,you know sophisticated computer
analysis, to find patterns inthe DNA methylation at age 45.
They could actually predict howquickly those 19 organ function
markers changed over the next20 years.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Whoa.
So Dundon-Pace could basicallytell you if your internal aging
is hitting the gas or pumpingthe brakes compared to other
people your age based on thesetiny chemical changes.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
That's the idea, and what's really important for you
to know is that later studiesconfirmed it People with a
faster done-and-pay scoregenerally have a higher risk for
poor health, chronic diseasesand even dying earlier.
It's a serious predictor.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
That gives us a really powerful tool, then, for
understanding your unique agingjourney.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
It really does, and this has huge implications for
how you might approach your ownhealth care, right?
You mentioned tailoringpreventive care earlier.
Can you give an example of whatthat might mean for someone
listening?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Sure.
So imagine your Dundon-Pacescore comes back at age 75, and
it suggests you're agingbiologically faster than average
.
Your doctor might then say hey,you know what, Maybe we should
start thinking about things likecolonoscopies or checking your
cardiovascular risk a bitearlier than the standard
guidelines suggest for your age.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Ah.
Proactive screening based onyour biological pace.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Exactly or, conversely, if your biological
pace is slower, maybe you andyour doctor decide you can
safely wait a bit longer forcertain screenings.
It's about moving towardshealth care that's personalized
to your rate of aging, not justyour birth date.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
That makes so much sense.
It feels much more targeted,potentially way more effective
for managing your health longterm.
Now, something else I read wasthat it's not just your whole
body aging at one speed.
Different organs within you canage differently.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yes, that's another fascinating layer to this.
Dr Weiss-Corey's research.
The Stanford professor youmentioned earlier, has been
really key here.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Right, the car analogy guy, that's him yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
His lab showed that we can actually get clues about
how fast individual organs areaging by measuring specific
proteins floating around in yourblood.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Seriously so my heart could be aging faster than my
brain, or vice versa.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Potentially, yes, your liver might be on a
different timeline than yourkidneys.
It opens up this reallyexciting, though maybe still
future, possibility of even moretargeted health care, focusing
interventions on the specificorgans in your body that seem to
be aging faster.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Wow, this is all incredibly groundbreaking.
It really feels like we'regetting down to the nitty gritty
of how aging works inside us.
Okay, so let's shift gears abit.
Let's talk about the brain,because I think that's a major
concern for a lot of people,including you.
Know you listening?
Brain health as we age.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Definitely a hot topic, and rightly so.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
What does this new science say about?
Well, the potential for mayberejuvenating older brains.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
This is a really exciting area, honestly, with a
lot of hope for keeping ourminds sharp as we get older.
So one thing that tends tohappen with age is a decline in
something called synapticplasticity, especially in the
hippocampus.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Hippocampus.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
That's memory central right.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Exactly Crucial for learning and memory and synaptic
plasticity is basically theability of your brain cells, the
neurons, to strengthen theirconnections with each other.
When that declines, it cancontribute to those cognitive
changes we sometimes associatewith aging.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Okay, and this is where that young mouse blood
research comes in.
I remember reading about that.
It sounded almost like well,like science fiction.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
It definitely caught people's attention.
Back in 2014, Dr Weiss-Corey'slab did these really remarkable
experiments.
They found that giving bloodfrom young mice to older mice
actually seemed to benefit theolder mice's brains.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Oh so.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
They saw changes in gene activity related to that
synaptic plasticity we justtalked about and, importantly,
the older mice actually gotbetter at learning and memory
tasks.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
That is astonishing.
And then didn't they findsomething similar with human
umbilical cord blood in mice?
I mean?
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yes, that was another huge step.
They found that plasma, theliquid part of blood from human
umbilical cords, also had theserejuvenating effects on gene
expression plasticity andcognitive function in the aged
mice.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Wow, so something in young blood, maybe even human
young blood, could potentiallyhelp older brains.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
That was the implication.
It suggested there might befactors present in young blood,
maybe across different species,that are important for brain
health and decline with age.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
And they actually pinpointed one of those factors,
didn't they?
A protein called Tent-IMP2.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Exactly Tent-IMP2.
Exactly TEMP2.
That was a major breakthrough.
By carefully comparing all theproteins in young versus old
blood, they zeroed in on thisone, temp2, which stands for
tissue inhibitor ofmetalloproteinases 2.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
They found that TEMP2 levels naturally go down in the
hippocampus of mice as they age.
But here's the kicker when theydirectly gave TIMP2 back to the
aged mice just the proteinitself it improved their
synaptic plasticity andcognitive function.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Incredible.
And if they took TIMP2 out ofthe cord blood?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Then the beneficial effects disappeared.
It really pointed to TIMP2 asbeing a key player, at least in
these mouse models, formaintaining some aspects of
youthful brain function.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Wow.
So Timpy, too, seems prettycrucial for you potentially.
I know Dr Weiss-Corey evenstarted a company based on this.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yes, he co-founded a company called Alkahest Inc.
They've been running clinicaltrials exploring if plasma-based
treatments might help withneurodegenerative conditions
like Alzheimer's.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Okay, so those kinds of treatments are still being
researched.
Definitely for the future.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Oh, absolutely.
These are not things availablenow, but the broader message
from this research is reallyhopeful.
I think it suggests that atleast some parts of the aging
process, especially in the brain, might not be a one-way street.
Maybe some aspects arereversible.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
That offers a lot of hope for maintaining, you know,
cognitive vitality as we getolder.
So, while those therapies arestill down the road, what about
things you, the listener, canactually do right now to
potentially slow down your ownaging?
I'm guessing it's not asdramatic as young blood
transfusions.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
No, you're absolutely right.
As Dr Belsky said, the mosteffective things you can do
right now are often quote notvery exciting.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Okay, bring on the not so exciting but important
stuff.
What should you be focusing on?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Top of the list.
Physical activity.
Seriously, Dr Belsky calls itthe closest thing we have to a
fountain of youth, and thescience backing that up for your
overall health and slowingage-related decline is just
overwhelming.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Movement is medicine, right, okay, what else Diet has
to be in there?
There's so much noise aboutfood.
What does the science actuallysay about eating for healthy
aging?
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Healthy eating is definitely critical for you.
A balanced diet rich innutrients plays a huge role in
fighting off aging's effects.
And then there's this area ofcalorie restriction that's been
studied a lot in terms oflongevity.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Calorie restriction.
Okay, that sounds challengingfor most of us.
What did they find when theyactually studied this in people?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
It does sound tough, but there was this big NIH
funded study called Calorie.
People in the study cut theirdaily calories by about 12.5
percent on average for two years.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
OK, 12.5 percent manageable.
Maybe what happened.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Well, they lost weight about 10% on average and,
importantly, most of that wasfat loss.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Right.
What about the aging itself?
Did cutting calories actuallyslow down their biological
clocks?
That's what you'd want to know.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Yes, that was the really interesting finding.
The calorie restriction groupshowed a slower pace of
biological aging based on thoseblood biomarkers we talked about
, and they even saw a small butstatistically significant dip in
their Dundon pace score.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
So their aging speedometer actually slowed down
a bit.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
It seemed to yes, suggesting that reducing
calories, even moderately, mightimpact your rate of aging.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Wow, okay, that's compelling, but what about
muscle?
That's always a concern withweight loss or restriction,
especially as you get older.
Did they lose a lot of muscle?
Speaker 2 (12:46):
That's a great question.
They did see a small decreasein muscle tissue in the calorie
restriction group, but and thisis really interesting for you
they didn't see a significantdrop in their muscle strength.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Less muscle mass, but strength stayed roughly the
same.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Exactly, which suggests maybe the quality or
the efficiency of the musclethey had actually improved, even
though there was slightly lessof it.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
So maybe better quality over quantity for your
muscles, that's a neat idea andI think there was even more
follow-up research lookingdirectly at the muscle tissue.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
There was Dr Luigi Ferrucci, and his team did a
deep dive, analyzing musclebiopsies from people.
In the calorie study they foundover 1,000 genes whose activity
changed in the calorierestriction group 1,000 genes.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
What were they related to?
Speaker 2 (13:32):
All sorts of crucial things for you Muscle building
and repair, regulating yourbody's internal clock, the
circadian rhythm and,importantly, inflammation, which
actually decreased.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
So eating less wasn't just about weight.
It was fundamentally changinghow genes were working in their
muscles, affecting repair rhythm, inflammation.
That's profound.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
It really is.
They even found it affectedsomething called RNA splicing.
That's a process where one genecan actually produce slightly
different versions of a protein.
Calorie restriction changedwhich versions were being made,
including some involved inmuscle function and aging.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Dr Ferrucci seems pretty optimistic that even
relatively small amounts ofcalorie restriction might have
real benefits for preservingyour health as you age, though
of course he stresses moreresearch is needed.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
It's encouraging, though, for you listening, that
maybe you don't need extrememeasures.
Small, consistent changes couldadd up.
But Dr Ferrucci also circledback to those other, maybe
simpler steps you can take right.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Absolutely.
He really hammered home thepower of those well-known
healthy habits for you.
He echoed Dr Belsky sayingbeing physically active is just
huge.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Plus, obviously not smoking.
Maintaining a healthy weight,getting good quality sleep
that's crucial keeping up withvaccinations and recommended
cancer screenings, and managingthings like high blood pressure
and high cholesterol, if youhave them.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Basic stuff, but maybe the most powerful.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
He even said something quite striking about a
magic pill already being herefor you, didn't he?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
He did.
He basically said look, if youconsistently do these achievable
things stay active, don't smoke, manage weight, sleep well, get
screenings, manage bloodpressure you could potentially
add 10 years to your lifeexpectancy.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Wow, 10 years.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
His point was the real magic pill for healthier
aging isn't some fancy futuredrug.
It's the consistent applicationof these proven lifestyle
strategies that you can startdoing right now.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
That is a really empowering message.
It really highlights how muchcontrol you actually have over
your own aging path.
Okay, so let's try to wrap thisup.
What are the main takeaways foryou, the listener, from this
whole deep dive into slowingaging?
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Well, I think, first, you've learned aging.
Is this really complex processthat scientists are now studying
right down to the molecules?
Second, your biological age howfast you're really aging inside
can be different from yourbirthday age.
And we're getting better atmeasuring Right the clocks and
speedometers.
Exactly.
Third, there's excitingresearch suggesting some parts
of aging, like in the brain,might even be reversible someday
(16:05):
.
But fourth, and maybe mostimportantly for right now, there
are practical things you can doLifestyle choices like exercise
, healthy eating, maybe evensome calorie moderation.
They can genuinely impact youraging process.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
It really underscores taking proactive steps today
for a healthier tomorrow foryourself, and this ties in so
directly with the kind of workyou and Dr Kumar are doing there
at LifeWellMDcom in Florida.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Absolutely.
Our whole mission atLifeWellMDcom is helping
individuals like you understandthe science and actually
implement these strategies forhealthy aging and longevity.
Dr Kumar and our whole team,we're focused on creating
personalized wellness plansbased on the latest
understanding.
It's all about empowering youto take charge of your health
for the long run.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
So if someone listening is thinking OK, I want
to explore this further.
I want to have a personalizedplan guided by the science.
How can they connect with youand LifeWellMDcom?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
We'd love to hear from you.
The best way is to visit ourwebsite.
That's LifeWellMDcomL-I-F-E-W-E-L-M-Dcom, or just
give us a call directly at561-210-9999.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
561-210-9999.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
That's right.
Our team is ready to answeryour questions and talk about
how our services can help you onyour specific journey towards a
healthier, longer life.
We're really here to be yourguide.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Excellent.
Well, this has been incrediblyinformative, giving you, our
listener, some real insight intothe cutting edge of aging
science and, crucially, thoseactionable steps.
So, on that note, here's afinal thought for you to ponder
Knowing that different organsinside you might be aging at
different speeds, what specificpart of your own health and
well-being are you most curiousabout understanding and maybe
(17:42):
optimizing for the years ahead?
Thanks for joining us for thisdeep dive.
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