Author: BalanceGenics Longevity Research Team (How100.com)
Contents
- Introduction to Dr. Morgan LaVine
- Understanding Biological Aging
- Measuring Biological Age
- Reversing Aging
- The Role of Behavior in Aging
Introduction to Dr. Morgan LaVine
Meet Dr. Morgan LaVine, a former Yale professor and currently a founding principal investigator at Alto Labs, a $3 billion anti-aging biotech startup reportedly funded by Jeff Bezos. Dr. LaVine specializes in the molecular mechanisms that drive biological aging.
Understanding Biological Aging
"Biological age is actually more flexible than we might think. We know it’s possible to slow down aging. This is evident when we compare different species. They do not all age at the same rate. Some age so slowly—a phenomenon known as negligible senescence—that it’s challenging to observe aging in these organisms."
Chronological age is the number you see on your driver's license. However, this differs from biological age, which truly reflects the state of your body's functioning. For instance, someone might be 50 years old chronologically but have the biological markers of a 60-year-old. The good news is that we can slow down the rate at which these biological changes accumulate and potentially even reverse them, thus giving people more years of life free from the debilitating aspects of aging.
"We estimate that only about 10% to 20% of our lifespan is determined by our genes," Dr. LaVine explains. "This is good news because it suggests we have significant control over how quickly we age. There is even evidence indicating we can reverse aging to a degree, particularly in cells."
Biological age reflects our body's functionality, influenced by lifestyle choices. It’s a more accurate predictor of disease risk or mortality than chronological age. While most people's biological age will be within a five-year range of their chronological age, outliers can exceed 10 years.
Compared to chronological age, the remarkable aspect of biological age is its modifiability. We don’t yet fully understand how to optimize it, but behavior can slow the clock or even rewind it. Conversely, it can also accelerate aging.
Measuring Biological Age
The initial step in addressing biological age is obtaining a valid and reliable measure, a focus of Dr. LaVine's research. Can we measure biological age? If you've had an annual blood test, you might be eligible for a phenotypic age test, which predicts health status better than chronological age. There are online calculators that list the nine biomarkers necessary for calculating phenotypic age, accessible for free on the web. You simply need to input your latest lab values, and the algorithm will provide a phenotypic age calculation.
Reversing Aging
Is it possible to reverse aging? Dr. LaVine emphasizes that lifestyle changes, including diet, play a crucial role in maintaining healthspan. By implementing healthy behaviors, we can enhance our bodies' resilience. Dr. LaVine identifies four lifestyle changes that can effectively slow the aging process.
The Importance of Exercise
Exercise is an essential component of this strategy. "Exercise is such a simple yet often undervalued activity," says Dr. LaVine. "Everyone's waiting for the magic pill, but exercise really is transformative—it makes you feel good. Personally, I enjoy activities that are fun, like hiking or taking various classes. However, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is probably the most beneficial exercise."
HIIT involves rounds of high-intensity movements that elevate heart rates to at least 80% of their maximum, followed by short periods of lower-intensity exercise. Initially introduced in the 1950s, HIIT can enhance performance significantly.
"There isn't compelling evidence that exercise isn't beneficial," Dr. LaVine notes. "Studies have shown limited increases in lifespan for active mice versus sedentary ones, but the significant finding is the extension of healthspan, which, to me, is the more critical metric."
Healthspan refers to the number of years one remains healthy without chronic and debilitating disease, distinct from lifespan, which is merely the number of years lived. Our ultimate goal is to extend healthspan, maintaining full functionality as long as possible.
Three Dietary Principles to Extend Healthspan
Now, let’s explore the dietary adjustments that can prolong healthspan. Three main dietary components impact aging: how much we eat, what we eat, and when we eat.
How Much We Eat
Significant research has focused on caloric restriction (CR), which involves reducing overall calorie intake by about 20% without inducing starvation. Studies show that animals on caloric restriction tend to live longer.
For most people, avoiding overeating can have beneficial effects, even if they can't commit to strict caloric restriction.
What We Eat
Numerous studies indicate that a diet lower in animal products and higher in fruits, vegetables, and whole foods is beneficial for longevity. Plant-based diets, rich in nutrients and low in harmful components like refined sugars, support overall health and can extend lifespan.
Dr. LaVine adheres to this principle: "I eat 90 to 95% plant-based. I do include some fish and try to follow a diet similar to the traditional Japanese diet," she shares. The traditional Japanese diet, rich in rice, vegetables, and fermented foods like miso and pickles, is renowned for its health benefits.
When We Eat
The timing of our meals is a burgeoning field in aging research. Intermittent fasting, which restricts eating to a small window of time each day, can mimic some benefits of caloric restriction. This approach leverages hormesis, a process where mild stressors like fasting enhance the body’s resilience.
Dr. LaVine practices intermittent fasting: "I don’t eat until about 1 PM. While the benefits are still being studied, I find it effective for now."
The Role of Behavior in Aging
Since an estimated 10 to 30% of lifespan is genetic, the majority of aging is influenced by our behaviors. By adopting a routine that includes exercise to enhance heart rate and circulation, preventing overeating, and maintaining a predominantly plant-based diet with regulated eating intervals, we can slow the aging process, which is at the heart of many diseases.
BalanceGenics: Personalized One-Stop Longevity Platform (How100.com)
Launched in California in 2018, BalanceGenics ("How100") started out as a solution to our own needs. Our team consists of seasoned health experts, doctors, and entrepreneurs with a common interest in anti-aging.
We use the latest findings from global leading longevity scientists to develop products and services, focusing on Longevity Supplements (cellular anti-aging) and Physical Therapy Exercises (physical anti-aging).
BalanceGenics' Mission is to create personalized solutions to live longer but stay younger.
We will be your personalized one-stop anti-aging platform and help you stay younger for longer.
Related Academic Papers and Articles:
1. "Effects of Caloric Restriction on Aging" by Fontana, L., & Partridge, L. (2015).
- This paper discusses how caloric restriction can affect the aging process.
- Link to the paper
2. "The Association between Plant-Based Diets and Mortality" by Baden, M. Y., et al. (2019).
- This study examines the link between plant-based diets and longevity.
- Link to the paper
3. "Intermittent Fasting and Human Metabolic Health" by Patterson, R. E., & Sears, D. D. (2017).
- The benefits and mechanisms of intermittent fasting in metabolic health.
- Link to the paper
4. "The Role of Exercise in Health and Longevity" by Booth, F. W., Roberts, C. K., & Laye, M. J. (2012).
- This review highlights how different types of exercise impact healthspan and lifespan.
- Link to the paper
5. Harvard Health Publishing: "The benefits of a plant-based diet."
- This article explores the health benefits of a plant-based diet.
- Link to the article
By integrating these dietary and lifestyle changes, we can significantly impact our biological age, leading to improved health and longevity.
