If there’s one thing that’s remained remarkably consistent over time, it would be mankind’s obsession with reversing the aging process. Indeed, myths surrounding the discovery of that “Fountain of Youth” – the mythical spring that restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters – go back thousands of years, and appear as early as the writings of Herodotus (5th century BC). Most famously, of course, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, first Governor of Puerto Rico, was said to have been searching for the same eternal spring when he traveled to what is now Florida in 1513.
But unlike those early myths, scientists are now closer than ever to understanding more about what drives aging, and most importantly, slowing, and in some cases, even “reversing” the aging process. Is there a magical fountain of youth that can suddenly make us “young” or stop us from getting older and dying? No. But today there are numerous treatments, exercise, nutritional regimens, and supplements that can change your body’s biological makeup, in essence, reversing aging to the extent that you can become biologically younger than your actual age. As with everything else, we recommend asking your doctor about taking our functional age test – a way to measure the age at which you actually function –then monitoring your progress after undergoing any aging-reversal treatments or other health regimens.
With that introduction, let’s dive into what we know today about aging reversal advances in various areas.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
One of the bigger scientific breakthroughs in aging research came from a joint study published in late 2020 by Tel Aviv University and the Shamir Medical Center in Israel, which indicated that hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBOT) in healthy aging adults could stop the aging of blood cells and literally help those cells, in the biological sense, grow younger. The treatments were so successful in helping to stop the shortening of the telomeres on the cells’ chromosomes – one of the main indicators of biological aging – that a new aging-reversal clinic opened in Dubai in 2021 using the same hyperbaric oxygen therapy techniques.
Supplements
Supplements, like nutrition, have been proven to have a demonstrable effect on the body and the aging of cells. In particular, we’ve seen effective studies of supplements that focus on cell energy, more of which helps improve sleep, productivity, workouts, and even the ability to handle stress. One study we’re familiar with is the recent one conducted by Neurohacker, which provided its Qualia Life supplements to a group of participants in 2021. These individuals first measured their functional capability with our AgeMeter functional age test, with researchers looking at the standard biomarkers of aging such as memory, and other measures. Once those results were in, Neurohacker put the participants on the supplemental regimen, having them take 8 capsules daily, all between 7-to-9 a.m., with a glass of water for five days, followed by two days where no capsules would be taken. After 4 and 8 weeks, the participants returned to retake our AgeMeter test. The study found that individuals had:
· A 25% improvement in working memory
· A 9% improvement in highest tone heard
· A 13% improvement in speed of response to sounds
· A 14% improvement in speed of acting on a decision
While the test group was small and there was no placebo control group, the results are promising for how supplements can positively impact and potentially reverse the aging process.
Drug Cocktails
In 2019, a small clinical study in California looked at the possibility of reversing the body’s epigenetic clock – the biological aging process that could be measured in tissues using DNA methylation levels. The study took nine healthy volunteers, which, for one year, took a cocktail of three common drugs —a growth hormone and two diabetes medications. On average the participants shed 2.5 years of their biological ages after completion, measured by analyzing marks on a person’s genomes. The participants’ immune systems also showed signs of rejuvenation. Though there was no control group used, the results were a happy surprise for the trial organizers, but they also caution that findings remain preliminary.
Sleep
It’s well known that getting enough rest is critical to body functioning and the one of the ways the body renews itself. But sleep loss is also related to aging – and indeed has been found to speed up the process. A study done by UCLA researchers in 2015 discovered that just a single night of insufficient sleep can make an older adults' cells age quicker. In addition, lack of sleep has also been shown to increase the signs of skin aging and may impact other body organs as well.
What can you do to get better at sleeping? Harvard Medical School recommends the following:
· Be consistent. Train your body to sleep well by going to bed and getting up around the same time each day (even on weekends)
· Only sleep when you are sleepy. It’s bad to spend lots of time awake in bed.
· Pay attention to the temperature of your bedroom, which should be cool. A cool room with warm blankets is optimal, according to HMS.
· Avoid / limit naps. It’s key to be “tired” at bedtime. If you need a daytime nap, do it before 3 PM and for less than an hour.
· Avoid coffee, cola, chocolate, and cigarettes for four to six hours before going to bed.
· Limit alcohol intake for four to six hours before going to bed. Alcohol disrupts REM and slow wave sleep, which are important for memory.
Nutrition
Perhaps the one true holy grail of aging, it’s often the least considered by Americans as they go about their daily food routines. As our friend Dr. Layne often says, the key to aging well is “nutrition, nutrition, and nutrition.” And it makes sense. Eating poorly and, in many cases, unnatural foods, can literally age your body. An example? Fried foods heavy in bad cholesterol such as fried chicken, potato chips, French fries, and fried shrimp not only increase your risk of heart disease, but they also are known to cause inflammation (aging is often considered by doctors to be a chronic inflammatory state). It’s well established that changing your diet can change your life, and in this case, add additional years to your life in a good way. Here are some foods recommended by nutritionists and aging experts:
· Foods in selenium. A critical mineral that helps the body fight infection, selenium can be food in nuts (especially Brazil nuts), eggs, fish, chicken, sunflower seeds, and mushrooms.
· Blueberries. Though certainly expensive, this versatile fruit can be eaten on its own, with yogurt or in a green smoothie. Just be careful adding extra processed sugar that too can inflate the amount of inflammation in the body.
· Avocados. With inflammation-fighting fatty acids, avocado consumption will improve your skin, and provide key nutrients that have been shown to prevent the negative effects of aging.
· Spinach. Popeye eats this for a reason besides strength. First, it’s a super hydrating vegetable, packed with antioxidants that help to fight free radicals in the body (the ones that attack cells). It’s also rich in vitamins A, C, E, K, and magnesium.
Exercise
In terms of biological aging, regular exercise has been known to increase the length of the telomeres of cells, indicating literally that the body is younger than the benchmark for someone’s actual age. The question is what kind of exercise is best? You’ll hear all kinds of advice suggesting one workout or another, whether it’s running, biking, a high-impact workout such as Cross-Fit, or low impact yoga class. The truth is there’s no one exercise that does it better than the other when it comes to anti-aging. The key is simply continuing to move. Even an age-appropriate exercise such as walking regularly has been shown to increase individuals’ lifespans. So, no need to hit the gym and pump iron right away. Just a regular walk will often do.
Friendship and Community
We’ve been following some of the more interesting studies of aging and longevity over the past several years. One of the most interesting came from The New York Times Magazine piece, The Island Where People Forgot to Die,” which focused on several different areas around the world that had populations that lived far beyond the norm. Certainly, in those societies, a good diet and exercise played a big role. But one thing that also linked these communities – a focus on friendship and community. Indeed, one of the common aspects of those longer-living cultures was the social interactions with others. For whatever reason, scientists believe that having others around to talk to, joke with, and even have an occasional drink, helps to sustain longevity, as the desire to interact gives individuals reasons to continue to get up in the morning. More needs to be studied about this particular area, but don’t forget to stay in touch with friends. One drink (remember it’s all about moderation) won’t kill you, but may, in fact, help you live longer.
Conclusion
We hope this has been helpful. This is certainly not an exhaustive list but just a few of the more prominent methods that have been used to combat aging. As always, we recommend asking your doctor about taking our functional age test and monitoring your health regularly.
Learn more about how functional age testing works or order your AgeMeter today.