July 2020 Longevity Review

Posted by Chris Pollyanna , 27 August 2020 · 2,323 views

supplements fasting covid19 rapamycin metformin

Hello and welcome again to this month’s longevity review. July was another month of progress, as yet more studies show the potential of rejuvenation using a variety of methods. To further demonstrate the variety of these methods, I’ve added a section for all the lifespan extension studies in model organisms. Most of them are using yeast or roundworms, but give an indication of the breadth of studies that are coming out every month. This is one of the reasons that I am so optimistic - there are so many shots on goal that although most of them will not translate to humans, some of them just might.

My highlight of the past month (August), was volunteering at EARD 2020, where I had the fun task of recording and then uploading all of the sessions. The conference was a resounding success, though I look forward to it being back in person next year. In terms of any actionable takeaways, watch out for Alpha Ketoglutarate, which I’ve covered on these pages before and is an available, albeit pricey, supplement. Thinking about getting it for my mother, as it helps with frailty in mice and there has been some preliminary anecdotal evidence in humans. Here are a couple brief reports about the conference from two attendees & I will let you know when the talks become publicly available. Attendee 1 Attendee 2

Stay safe!

Follow me on Twitter @ChrisPollyanna1 for the latest updates.
And please join my longevity Facebook group.
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NOTE: I’ve been having trouble linking to the science journal hacking site www.sci-hub.tw , so am only including Full Text links to articles not behind a paywall. I still have been able to download most of them, so if there are any that you are after, I can send them upon request, or you can simply copy the paper’s URL into the site above to get +95% of papers hidden behind paywalls.

July Round-Up:

Exercise is one of the best ways to maintain our health, both physically and mentally, and here researchers have found a blood factor which can recapitulate those benefits.
Brain benefits of exercise can be gained with a single protein Abstract

Here, a peptide has been found to improve heart function by targeting the mitochondria.
Late-life restoration of mitochondrial function reverses cardiac dysfunction in old mice Full Text

Once again biological material from a young animal proves to be rejuvenating when given to an older one. In this case it is an Eosinophil, a type of immune cell, which seems to reduce inflammation as well as improve immune function, endurance & frailty.
Frailty and Age-Related Immune Decline Reversed in Mice Abstract

In yet another case of taking something from the young to help the old, exosomes from umbilical cords have been used here to rejuvenate stem cells taken from older people and improve their ability to repair hearts.
Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord MSCs rejuvenate aged MSCs and enhance their functions for myocardial repair Full Text

Finally, in a more theoretical paper, researchers have discovered two ways in which yeast cells age and have also created a third way which leads to increased lifespan.
Scientists Induce a New Mode of Aging in Yeast Abstract

Covid-19 Longevity Related Papers:
Geroscience in the Age of COVID-19 Full Text
Curcumin: a Wonder Drug as a Preventive Measure for COVID19 Management Full Text
mTORC inhibitor Sirolimus deprograms monocytes in “cytokine storm” in SARS-CoV2 secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis- like syndrome Full Text
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Podcast to listen to:
Excellent three-way interview between Peter Attia, Nir Barzilai & Joan Mannick about Metformin & Rapamycin and their effects on longevity and as treatments for COVID-19.
Rapamycin and metformin—longevity, immune enhancement, and COVID-19
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Further sources of information:
Fight Aging! (quite opinionated about the damage theory of ageing)
Life Extension Advocacy Foundation (LEAF) (best source of longevity information on the web)
Longecity (good forums where the self-experimenters reside!)
Aging Matters (good blog from the programmed ageing side)
Research Institutes:
SENS Research Foundation (I have a recurring monthly donation)
Buck Institute

Private initiatives:
Age-Reversal Network (good information & forums for those interested in self-experimentation – this is where I found how to get non-prescription Rapamycin)
Better Humans
Gerontology Research Group
Lifespan.io (Tied together with LEAF, I have a recurring monthly donation)

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Supplemental Information

***Disclaimer 1 – As should be self-evident to anyone receiving these emails, I am NOT a doctor or indeed a scientist. All the information pertained within is for information purposes only; use at your own risk. Please consult with a healthcare practitioner if needing medical advice.***
**Disclaimer 2 – In no way should supplements be a replacement for an unhealthy diet or lifestyle. A varied, plant dominant dietary pattern is the cornerstone for health. Try to eat the rainbow – the greater the variety, the greater the benefit. Even though I might take a supplement derived from a plant source, I still eat the plant in question. Also, make sure you move as much as possible – that is what we evolved to do.**
*Also bear in mind that most of the studies mentioned below are in rodents, not humans. Rodents, needless to say, do not always react the same way to drugs as humans do – witness the countless times cancer or another disease has been cured in rodents only to subsequently fail human trials. I have *bolded any human trials.*
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Lifestyle
Fasting/Dietary Restriction – certainly the cheapest & also one of the most effective anti-ageing interventions currently available. It comes in many flavours, but I fast for at least 12 hours every day.
*Is Caloric Restriction Associated with Better Healthy Aging Outcomes? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Full Text
*Intermittent Fasting and Metabolic Health: From Religious Fast to Time-Restricted Feeding Full Text
*Two weeks of early time-restricted feeding (eTRF) improves skeletal muscle insulin and anabolic sensitivity in healthy men

Diet – let food be thy medicine…
*Myoprotective Whole Foods, Muscle Health and Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review of Observational and Intervention Studies in Older Adults Full Text
The Impact of Dietary Supplementation of Whole Foods and Polyphenols on Atherosclerosis Full Text
Long-term Low-Dose Ethanol Intake Improves Healthspan and Resists High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice Full Text

Exercise – if you could bottle the benefits of exercise, it would be the biggest blockbuster drug of all time.
*Perspective: Pragmatic Exercise Recommendations for Older Adults: The Case for Emphasizing Resistance Training Full Text
*Exercise Programs for Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Full Text
*The impact of physical activity on healthy ageing trajectories: evidence from eight cohort studies Full Text

Non-prescription Supplements (in alphabetical order)
*Due to concerns about engendering homeostasis, I’ve begun varying my intake of supplements so that I’m not taking all of them every day. Haven’t worked out a rota so far.

Astaxanthin – which is behind the pink colour of salmon & shrimp. Considered the most powerful carotenoid, it has anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuro-protective and skin-protective qualities. I take 4 or 8 mg intermittently.
*The effect of astaxanthin supplementation on performance and fat oxidation during a 40 km cycling time trial
Astaxanthin as a Putative Geroprotector: Molecular Basis and Focus on Brain Aging Full Text
Protective Effect of Astaxanthin on Blue Light Light-Emitting Diode-Induced Retinal Cell Damage via Free Radical Scavenging and Activation of PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 Pathway in 661W Cell Model Full Text