Lifespan

Your favorite books and links
steveo73
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Lifespan

Post by steveo73 »

I read this book recently. I think it's really interesting and something that I think we should be interested in considering ER to me is about living the best life you can. Aging well to me is very important.

chenda
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Re: Lifespan

Post by chenda »

What are the pertinent points from the book ? :)

steveo73
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Re: Lifespan

Post by steveo73 »

The main point he makes is that ageing is a disease. Since ageing is a disease that means we can treat it. If we can treat we can theoretically live for a long long time. It will probably come in incremental steps though. At the moment basically no one lives to 120 however he believes that this will start happening.

Then he covers how we do this. He has a bunch of stuff available now that may help such as:-

1. Calorie Restriction - he also states Intermittent fasting may work.
2. Hard exercise.
3. Medicine/supplements. Metformin, NAD+ precursors and Resveratro appear to help you age.
4. Plant based diets.

I should state that it's not about living longer but being old and decrepit. It's about being able to live well for a longer period of time.

Then he goes onto where we may end up in the future. Some ideas he has are:-

1. Computer chips or whatever inserted into us that will monitor our health. So if we are developing cancer it will notify us and we can get this looked at.
2. Better drugs.

This is an article by the guy who wrote the book:- https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/201 ... re-old-age

LookingInward
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Re: Lifespan

Post by LookingInward »

Funny side note: on new year's eve I went to a dinner with mostly total strangers. They laughed at me when I told them the only reason I exercise is to decrease the probability of pain and suffering in the future.

steveo73
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Re: Lifespan

Post by steveo73 »

LookingInward wrote:
Tue Jan 28, 2020 5:30 pm
Funny side note: on new year's eve I went to a dinner with mostly total strangers. They laughed at me when I told them the only reason I exercise is to decrease the probability of pain and suffering in the future.
One thing I've noticed is that if you live like a peasant rather than a King it tends to be better for you.

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Ego
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Re: Lifespan

Post by Ego »

David Sinclair is starting a podcast with the same name as the book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FmeBA12zFk
steveo73 wrote:
Tue Jan 28, 2020 5:12 pm
NAD+ precursors
During covid we began taking niacin for its cytokine modulation (think cytokine storm)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/a ... MC3805984/

A positive side effect of niacin supplementation is the NAD+ boost
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 312030190X

There is more than one form of niacin. Nicotinic acid is the form that has the above benefits but it also causes flush. Literally like an hour long sunburn. Apparently harmless but shocking that first time.

steveo73
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Re: Lifespan

Post by steveo73 »

Thanks. I subscribed.

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Ego
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Re: Lifespan

Post by Ego »

The first of eight episodes was released today. It covers why we age.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1kLizzdb2c

Future topics include the latest cutting edge research on things we frequently talk about here including epigenetics, hormesis, intermittent fasting, diet, supplementation, types of exercise, cold therapy, heat therapy, and more, all through the lens of functional longevity.

theanimal
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Re: Lifespan

Post by theanimal »

Thanks for posting.

One statistic that stuck out to me: the genetics that we get from our parents only contribute about 20% to the control of aging. The other 80% is determined by how you live your life.

I'm not sure that I knew that it was that significant. My dad's side of the family has a history of weight/heart issues. My grandfather died early of a stroke and both his sons (my uncle and my dad) have heart issues now (late 50s, early 60s). I remember well over a decade ago, during one of my many failed attempts to get my dad lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle, he said something to me along the lines of that he used to be like me and that I'd eventually get like him when I get older. He has probably long forgotten saying that but that has stuck with me and lit a fire under me ever since. Nobody on that side of the family has ever made a serious effort to improve their health, but they have served as models of what not to do.

Anyways, excuse the personal anecdotes...I'll be eagerly following along.

DutchGirl
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Re: Lifespan

Post by DutchGirl »

While I think the premise that "everyone can live until 120 if only we master all these complicated internal processes AND external influences that kill us over time" is a ... tad ... optimistic* - I have to add that indeed: living your life well definitely helps. This is also why getting a scan of your genes by 23andme will NOT tell you that you won't get diabetes because if you fuck up your diet enough, you will get diabetes.

As an anecdote, theanimal: my FIL lived a much healthier lifestyle than his father or brothers, due to him being in the army (lots of exercise) and due to him quitting smoking when he was 40 or so (in the 70s or so when it became wildly known that smoking was bad for you). His father died at age 55 or so of a heart attack; his brothers died in their late 60s or early 70s (testament to the improved healthcare available because they survived their first heart attacks). FIL lived a happy healthy life until age 80 (biking long distances for fun twice a week, driving his car around the country to visit relatives, living in a cabin in the woods with MIL from spring to fall, etc). Then he did have his first heart attack and unfortunately expired from heart failure at age 82. But I think he got 15 to 20 more good years compared to his brothers due to his active lifestyle.

* For me it falls in the category of "quantum computers will solve world hunger", "dentists hate this weird trick" and "bitcoins will make everyone rich". It is definitely meant to attract funding for their books and for their research.

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Ego
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Re: Lifespan

Post by Ego »

DutchGirl wrote:
Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:12 am
* For me it falls in the category of "quantum computers will solve world hunger"....
One of the aspects I like about it - whether he is right or wrong - is that the prospects of much longer lives can be used to convince the generation of sociopaths that they have skin in this game. The possibility of reversing age related decline could drastically change whether people give a shit about the world they are (perhaps not) leaving behind. "Who cares? I'll be dead soon anyway!" may no longer be valid.

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Ego
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Re: Lifespan

Post by Ego »

theanimal wrote:
Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:06 am
One statistic that stuck out to me: the genetics that we get from our parents only contribute about 20% to the control of aging. The other 80% is determined by how you live your life.
It is mindboggling. We should probably restart that epigenetics thread. The field is exploding.

chenda
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Re: Lifespan

Post by chenda »

Ego wrote:
Thu Jan 06, 2022 9:31 am
One of the aspects I like about it - whether he is right or wrong - is that the prospects of much longer lives can be used to convince the generation of sociopaths that they have skin in this game. The possibility of reversing age related decline could drastically change whether people give a shit about the world they are (perhaps not) leaving behind. "Who cares? I'll be dead soon anyway!" may no longer be valid.
I am hoping that an increasing belief in reincarnation might have the same effect, rather than the YOLO got-to-make-the-most-of-it-while-your-here way of thinking.

WFJ
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Re: Lifespan

Post by WFJ »

Article was behind paywall. Does the book cover the statistics of the systems the sustain the human body? The human body is an incredibly complex web of connecting systems that all must operate independently and in unison. Each system has an expected lifespan, volatility and distribution. When one starts to pencil out the probability that all vital systems function beyond the average to sustain life beyond age 77, it becomes unlikely. When one starts to claim they can deliver functionality of all vital systems 4, 5, 10 standard deviations from the mean, one has to wonder if they own a calculator or just trying to sell books and "snake oil".

I have no medical training but understand the probability of having all vital human organs function until the age of 120 is less likely than winning the Powerball, twice in a row. A friend who is an internist at a high-volume hospital, estimates that if the human body were a car and warranties were issued, manufacturer warranties would end for all systems at 55 years. After this everything and anything can fail regardless of how one lives/genes/environment. What is difficult to estimate is if your parents were Toyotas (300,000 miles) or Jaguars (engines are good anchors at 50,000).

J_
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Re: Lifespan

Post by J_ »

LookingInward wrote:
Tue Jan 28, 2020 5:30 pm
They laughed at me when I told them the only reason I exercise is to decrease the probability of pain and suffering in the future.
Yes, this reaction I often notice too. It stems from ignorance, from not making the effort to study/understand how to stay healthy as long as possible in one's life.

I have more reason to exercise than only that one. I feel/sleep better as I sport, I am much more able to react with my body and strength in adverse situations, I am able to do (and enjoy) all kind of outbound sports which people of my age think they are too old for it. I can do many jobs which require a supple/agile body.

In the luxury parts of the world we take the access to hospitals for granted. To cure or diminish every sickness/disfunction we develop by living/eating/drinking without caring if it is good for our body or not. So stupid/shortsighted. Only now with the (temporarily) overcrowded hospitals, people can see (if they wish) that such access to hospitals is not everlasting. (And: most of the so called "cures" are (still) limiting the normal pleasure we have of a healthy body/brain)

Let's use this situation of overcrowded hospitals as an example of "putting the music off" instead of calling "the party is over" as Jacob so eloquent writes about ERE 2.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Lifespan

Post by AxelHeyst »

Or, if you’re in the US, a stay in the hospital at any point regardless of Covid-crowdedness will convince you of the wisdom of putting “stay out of hospitals” as goal #1 of one’s health and fitness practice. The hit to one’s dignity (due to sensation of being grist in a vast dysfunctional system that cares nothing for you) is reason enough alone, but there are others.

My dad just had a stay in the hospital over the holidays, which has renewed my motivation to start digging into biology and nutrition textbooks, so this book rec is timely. Was 1.99usd on kindle a few days ago if that’s relevant to anyone.

theanimal
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Re: Lifespan

Post by theanimal »

2nd episode came out today. On all things eating.

They said the one thing that has biggest impact on longevity- eat less often. Doesn’t mean eating fewer calories, rather the time period in which you are eating. Sinclair suggested that you want to have at least 16 hours not eating. This corresponds well with all the studies on intermittent fasting that have been discussed in threads here like this one. viewtopic.php?t=6950

Things they said that clearly harm longevity that should be avoided
-Sugar
-Super high protein

They recommend reducing meat consumption, more particularly processed red meat.
Sinclair recommends a more plant-based diet, like the Mediterranean diet. he himself has gone vegetarian recently.

They added that all of the above applies to kids as well and that the way that people constantly feed kids is an epigenetic nightmare that may show up in the future.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Lifespan

Post by AxelHeyst »

I’m 12 days in to 16/8 IF and I feel great. I’m interested to experiment with 4/20 and 1/23 too.

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mountainFrugal
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Re: Lifespan

Post by mountainFrugal »

I have been doing 16/8 for 5 months now as an experiment after reading about it on the forum. Only coffee in the am and exercising before my first meal. My endurance capacity without eating (or eating minimally) has increased dramatically. This is presumably from metabolizing a greater proportion of fat during exercise. Only a small change in weight because I still eat a similar number of calories. My craving for fatty foods like nuts has increased. It honestly feels amazing. Now when I eat something before 11 am (or anytime really) that is carb heavy I feel crappy within an hour.

white belt
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Re: Lifespan

Post by white belt »

In the scientific literature, intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding are two different things. This is important to understand when trying to draw conclusions from particular studies, especially if you’re not reading the original paper in its entirety.

What people are talking about when they mention having a specific feeding window each day is called time-restricted feeding. On the other hand, intermittent fasting refers to protocols like alternate day fasting or fasting two days a week.

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