Trials of Life will run research programs utilising clinical trials and virtual cohort studies to optimise longevity and health span. The virtual programs will be available free to everyone and they will be designed to integrate the key integrative health interventions which influence our longevity biomarkers and overall health: such as diet and supplements, exercise, stress reduction strategies, and other wellness practices. You can Subscribe for future programs and the newsletter.
Below, we highlight how our first research project, the BRAIN diet, with its leading nutritional and neuroscience research is designed to support longevity while enhancing brain health and cognitive performance.
If evidence-based preventative health strategies form the foundations of our lives we can lower the risk of chronic diseases, enhance overall well-being, and perhaps gain a little more precious time with our loved ones.
Trials of Life is dedicated to longitudinal research and utilising anonymised real-world-evidence from our community to shine a light on health interventions that work, while exposing those which do not. We will also bring you up-to-date research from our university and longevity research partners and important updates from the current scientific literature.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive valuable scientific updates, special offers such as our upcoming longevity ebook and theBRAINdiet ebook and invites to some of the leading trials that we will be running.
Hallmarks of Ageing against Dietary and Lifestyle strategies
While biologists have long since been aware of the presence of biological events that represent major stages in our ageing, there is one paper which stands out more than others. ‘The Nine Hallmarks of Aging’ were proposed by Carlos López-Otín et al in their landmark 2013 paper published in Cell [1].
Ten years later after broad acceptance scientists have put forward natural extensions to the model which the authors rolled into their original work. Most of the global ageing research we see today falls within the mechanisms defined by this work.
During our research phase for ‘The BRAIN diet’ we touched on strategies that have shown some efficacy against all the hallmark biological mechanisms. We highlight some of these dietary and other lifestyle strategies alongside the twelve mechanisms below and we hope that you will stay tuned as we bring you more research findings and evidence :
1. Genomic Instability
- Diet: Foods rich in antioxidants (e.g., berries, leafy greens, nuts) can reduce DNA damage by neutralizing free radicals.
- Lifestyle: Avoiding toxins (e.g., tobacco, excess UV exposure) and managing stress support genomic stability.
2. Telomere Attrition
- Diet: Emphasis on omega-3s, polyphenols (e.g., from dark chocolate, green tea, berries, nuts etc), and folate-rich foods i.e. spinach, kale etc, support telomere maintenance.
- Lifestyle: Regular exercise, stress reduction (e.g., meditation), and adequate sleep have been shown to slow telomere shortening.
3. Epigenetic Alterations
- Diet: Nutrients that support methylation (e.g., folate, B12, choline) can influence epigenetic regulation.
- Lifestyle: Regular physical activity and reducing environmental toxins can improve epigenetic markers associated with aging.
4. Loss of Proteostasis
- Diet: Adequate protein intake, intermittent fasting, and autophagy-stimulating foods (e.g., green tea, turmeric) promote protein maintenance and reduce misfolded proteins.
- Lifestyle: Stress reduction and proper hydration are crucial for maintaining cellular protein balance.
5. Deregulated Nutrient Sensing
- Diet: A focus on low-glycemic foods, balanced protein intake, and intermittent fasting optimizes insulin sensitivity and mTOR pathways can optimize nutrient-sensing pathways.
- Lifestyle: Intermittent fasting and exercise improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility
6. Mitochondrial Dysfunction
- Diet: Coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, and foods rich in polyphenols (e.g., dark chocolate, green tea) support mitochondrial health.
- Lifestyle: Regular aerobic exercise and cold exposure enhance mitochondrial biogenesis and efficiency.
7. Cellular Senescence
- Diet: Senolytic compounds found in foods like quercetin (onions, apples) and fisetin (strawberries) may reduce senescent cells.
- Lifestyle: Exercise promotes cellular turnover, reducing the burden of senescence.
8. Stem Cell Exhaustion
- Diet: Anti-inflammatory diets with high omega-3s, antioxidants, and prebiotic-rich foods support stem cell function.
- Lifestyle: Adequate sleep and stress reduction (to lower cortisol) protect stem cell reserves.
9. Altered Intercellular Communication
- Diet: Anti-inflammatory foods (e.g., turmeric, ginger, omega-3s) reduce chronic inflammation that disrupts cellular signaling.
- Lifestyle: Practices like yoga, mindfulness, and avoiding chronic stress improve hormonal and cytokine signaling.
10. Inflammation (“Inflammaging”)
- Diet: Anti-inflammatory diets (Mediterranean or DASH) and high-fiber foods (to support the gut microbiome) can mitigate systemic inflammation.
- Lifestyle: Regular physical activity, stress reduction, and good sleep hygiene combat chronic low-grade inflammation.
11. Compromised Autophagy
- Diet: Intermittent fasting and foods like green tea, turmeric, and resveratrol activate autophagy pathways.
- Lifestyle: Exercise, especially high-intensity or endurance training, stimulates autophagy.
12. Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis
- Diet: Probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods (e.g., yogurt, kimchi, garlic) help maintain gut microbial diversity.
- Lifestyle: Avoiding unnecessary antibiotics, managing stress, and staying physically active support a healthy microbiome.
Sources:
(1) The Hallmarks of Aging , Carlos Lopez-Otin et al , 6 June 2013 Cell doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.05.039