Lecture 11 Flashcards
what is longevity research done on
fruit flies, nematodes, yeast
cells and mice because they have short life spans
new thinking- extreme longevity
- Extreme calorie restriction (40% fewer calories)
- Lowered body temperature
- Telomerase through medicine
- Resilience in youth
- Resveritrol and Nicotinamide Adenine dinucleotide (NAD and NMN supplements)
extreme calorie restriction
• Has been shown since the 1940’s to slow the aging process
• Many studies on yeast, worms, spiders, flies, fish, mice, and rats. A few primate studies.
• Diet that is low in calories but meets nutritional requirements
• Known to increase average and maximal lifespan (ref 1)
• “CR reduces metabolic rate and oxidative damage, improves markers of age-related diseases
such as insulin resistance for diabetes, and has been shown to alter neuroendocrine activities
in animals”
• Diets can range from eating 25-75% of recommended daily intake based on metabolic need.
• Limitations: some studies find mood, cognition affected by CR.
Psychological challenges to CR in an obesogenic environment.
lower body temp
• Higher temperature = higher metabolism = faster aging
• This has been studied and observed since the early 1900’s starting with fruit flies and fish
(lower calorie diets = lower body temperature) warm-blooded animals,
Cold-blooded animal experiments – cool off environment to lower body temp
Mouse study – chemically lower temp in hypothalamus, lived 20% longer than regular body temp
telomeres
• Chromosomes have caps of repetitive DNA called telomeres. When
cells divide, their telomeres shorten, which eventually prompts them to
stop dividing and die.
• Telomerase prevents this decline in some kinds of cells, including stem
cells, by lengthening telomeres
• Research investigates whether activating telomerase could slow cellular
ageing
• Telomere length, if too long, allows cell to replicate too often causing
potential mutations (cancer cells can produce telomerase for this effect)
resilience and aging
• Defined as a set of personal traits that underpin resourcefulness, strength of character and
functional flexibility in response to external demands
• It is both the degree of adversity and the person’s reaction to it. Their ability to cope with
adversity
keys to dealing with adversity
– Having a meaning in life
– Traits such as positive attitude, keeping busy, counted blessings
– Reporting being healthy
– Being physically active and having good nutrition
– Having social support – people you can trust for comfort, help and appreciation especially in crisis
resveritrol
• Polyphenol found in grape skins and seeds, most colourful fruits and vegetables
especially berries, and wine
• Antioxidants bind to free radicals and control cellular damage in the body
• Also has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, cardioprotective,
vasorelaxant, phytoestrogenic and neuroprotective properties
• You can buy supplements but dose and manner of administration have been at
issue and side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and liver damage in those
with existing liver disease. You need 100-1000 bottles of red wine to get
effects
• Shows a lot of promise in anti-aging research and can mimic results of caloric
restriction effects on the body
blue zones
AREAS IN THE WORLD WHERE
PEOPLE COMMONLY LIVE PAST 100 YEARS
where are blue zones
Ikaria, Greece Okinawa japan Nicoya Penninsula, Costa Rica Loma Linda California Sardinia, Italy
angela brooks wilson
• Intro: Super Seniors research at Simon Fraser University. Began 2004-2007 and
continues today
• Super Seniors are defined as being: 85 or older (oldest old), AND
• who have never been dx with cancer, cv disease, major pulmonary disease
(except asthma), diabetes or dementia
david sinclair
Australian genetics professor who specializes in aging research – his
lab discovered resveratrol
Now looking at sirtuin proteins (genes) that regulate cellular health
• Resveritrol may activate the SIRT1 gene in yeast to slow aging
