Anti-aging with Nutrition 2024

In this episode, I discussed with Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, the CEO of Optispan and a leading researcher from the University of Washington. He has significantly contributed to aging science by authoring nearly 300 research papers on anti-aging and longevity. He has received awards from various institutions, including the National Institute of Health. 

Here are the main discussion points from the episode.

If you want the details, watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/tJXADndmLtk?feature=shared

Biological Aging might be an Autoimmune Disease

Dr. Kaeberlein believes that biological aging is an autoimmune disease. As our cells get damaged over time, our immune system reacts to that damage, causing chronic inflammation. This ongoing inflammation could be a major factor in the aging process.

Lifestyle strongly affects inflammation status. For example, foods we eat may increase or reduce this inflammation, making diet a key player in how we age. In the episode, Dr. Kaeberlein covers the research on various dietary patterns, concluding that evidence supports calorie restriction and Mediterranean Diet patterns as anti-aging strategies. However, even these "anti-aging interventions" have their own risks that we cover in the episode.

Diet and Cancer

One of the standout points is the connection between insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and cancer. Lower levels of IGF-1 are linked to a reduced risk of cancer. Dr. Kaeberlein suggests that dietary changes can help manage IGF-1 levels and potentially reverse some aging-related damage.

mTOR is a central protein that regulates cell growth, proliferation, and survival. It is highly sensitive to nutrient signals and plays a crucial role in aging and age-related diseases. Calorie and protein restrictions also reduce mTOR activity, which is linked to lifespan extension in animal models. Inhibiting mTOR with drugs like rapamycin has shown promising results in increasing lifespan and health span.

While reducing mTOR activity can have anti-aging benefits, excessive inhibition can impair immune function and increase infection risks, highlighting the need for a balanced approach.

Key Terms: Anti-Aging, Healthspan, and Longevity

• Anti-Aging: This means slowing down or reversing the biological processes that lead to age-related declines. It can also mean stopping or reversing the cellular damage caused by aging.

• Healthspan: The portion of our life where we are more or less healthy. It's not a binary variable but rather a scale.

• Longevity: Not just living longer, but living healthier for longer and feeling better.

Dietary Interventions and Research Findings

Dr. Kaeberlein discusses various dietary interventions. Mice studies show that caloric restriction (CR) can significantly extend lifespan. However, translating these findings to humans is challenging due to its effects on muscle mass, bone mass, and hormonal balance. We discuss these more in-depth in the episode. We also discuss the ketogenic diet and carnivore diet. A ketogenic diet shows modest effects on lifespan. However, its impact on longevity is not as significant as calorie restriction. 

Practical Strategies for Enhancing Healthspan

Here are some of Dr. Kaeberlein's practical tips:

• Diet: Eat whole foods, reduce processed sugars, and monitor your macronutrient intake.

• Exercise: Regular exercise, including resistance training and cardio, is essential.

• Health Monitoring: Use tools like continuous glucose monitors and DEXA scans to keep track of your health and adjust your nutrition and exercise accordingly.

Dr. Kaeberlein's Personal Health Practices

• Resistance Training: He stresses maintaining muscle mass through regular strength training.

• Cardiovascular Exercise: He hikes and does endurance for a healthy heart.

• Dietary Choices: He follows a high-protein diet, avoids processed foods, and limits alcohol.

• Social Connections: He works on maintaining strong relationships and social interactions.

The Dog Aging Project

Dr. Kaeberlein discusses the Dog Aging Project, which aims to understand and extend the lifespan and healthspan of companion dogs. This research benefits dogs and provides insights that could apply to human aging. For example, initial findings suggest how often dogs are fed, and their body size can significantly impact their aging and disease risks.

Conclusion

Dr. Kaeberlein's research provides a hopeful outlook on aging. By making informed dietary choices, we can improve our healthspan with nutrition. We can enjoy a better quality of life as we age.

Podcast timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:00:25 Anti Aging Trends

00:04:00 Anti aging, longevity, and healthspan

00:11:50 Healthspan and Biology of Aging

00:13:27 Healthspan and Biology of Aging

00:14:35 Health in Organs

00:15:50 NAD, Health Decline, and Optimal Age for Anti aging

00:17:40 Reversing Aging Damage

00:19:20 Anti Aging Nutrition Research 

00:21:10 Caloric Restriction, Calorie Restriction, and Protein Restriction

00:26:00 Risks of Extrapolating and Inflammation

00:28:30 Caloric Restriction, Reproduction and Hormonal Health

00:32:00 Can Ketogenic Diet Increase Lifespan

00:32:50 Genes, Keto diet and Health Benefits

00:35:20 Tool: Blood Test, Labs, DEXA, Vo2max, etc

00:37:15 Biological Age Tests

00:38:20 Human Nutritional Strategies for Anti Aging (Anti Aging diet)

00:39:00 Non-Diet Factors

00:39:40 Sugar, Protein, Continuous Glucose Monitoring, Processed Foods

00:41:20 Mediterranean Diet, MIND Diet, Alzheimer’s Disease

00:42:45 Alcohol

00:43:21 Extreme Diet and Carnivore Diet

00:44:45 Inflammation, Food Intolerance, Immunity, Allergy and Aging

00:50:00 Biological Mechanisms of Aging

00:53:00 IGF-1, mTOR, and cancer

00:54:40 mTOR and Rapamycin, FGF21

00:58:30 Dr. Matt Kaeberlein Longevity Protocol

01:04:00 Anti Aging in Dogs: Dog Aging Project

Dr Matt Kaeberlein links

• Website: https://www.optispan.life/
• YouTube: @optispan  
• X: https://x.com/mkaeberlein
• Dog Aging Project: https://dogagingproject.org/

Watch the full episode.