February 2025 Longevity Review
As we emerge from the depth of winter, this month we will take a look at how the combination of Omega 3, Vitamin D and resistance exercise can slow down the aging process; how young blood plasma can help with surgical outcomes in a human trial; how Klotho gene therapy can increase the lifespan of mice; and in the Canadian content study, how cellular reprogramming can protect retinal neurons and maintain vision in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.
In the Supplemental Section, you’ll find in Lifestyle, the optimum combination of sleep, exercise and nutrition to reduce mortality; in Melatonin, how it can improve DNA damage repair; in Other Supplements, how we might need to increase our vitamin B12 intake; in Blood Factors, how young bone marrow transplantation delays bone aging; in Lifespan, how Glibenclamide increases mouse longevity; in Microbiome, how microbiota protect against frailty; and, in Senolytics, a pilot study of Dasatinib & Quercetin for Alzheimer’s.
(To make these suggestions easier to find, I’ve marked them with ***)
Video TalkThrough of this Newsletter
Canadian Longevity Association News
In February I got into the swing of producing weekly videos with four Longevity Snapshots being released. It’s already made a big difference to my stress levels, not having to record four or five videos in succession, and is enabling me to get stuck into other projects, which I will reveal at a later date.
We also onboarded a new volunteer this month, who is already playing an active role for us, so a warm welcome to Faye!
Link to the CLA’s Online Store
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Previous newsletters can be found in the CLA Facebook Group, and also my Patreon account, which includes bonus material for supporters if you want to buy us a coffee.
Finally, we are always looking for more help or volunteers, regardless of your skill set or time availability. If you’d be interested in helping us, please fill out this Volunteer Registration Form.
February 2025 Highlights:
In this subanalysis of the DO-Health trail where older adults were treated with either individual or combinations of 1000 IU Vitamin D, 1g Omega 3 and 3/week resistance exercise over three years, found that Omega 3 supplementation and even more so the combination of all three treatments, slowed down biological aging according to four epigenetic age clocks. The effects were relatively modest, ranging from 2.9 to 3.8 months, but when extrapolated over a longer period of time, could make a substantial difference.
It has been known for some time in old mice that giving them blood plasma from young mice can cause a fair amount of rejuvenation, however data from humans has been sorely lacking. In this innovative trial, researchers took advantage of the opportunity presented by older adults undergoing joint replacement surgery to see what would happen to their recovery if they gave them four transfusions of blood plasma taken from 35 year olds. This was a small study, but the results were encouraging, with the treated group recovering four days faster from fatigue and impairment of daily functioning, and six days faster from pain.
*Young Plasma Decreases Inflammation After Surgery in Trial Full Text
Klotho was one of the first longevity genes discovered in mice in the 1990’s and there has been considerable interest in bringing the benefits to humans. Unfortunately, the molecule is too big to cross the blood brain barrier and it would also be broken up by the digestive system, therefore gene therapy is a potential solution. Although there have been previous attempts at genetic manipulation, this is the first study to use a single dose in naturally aging normal mice. This led to a 20% increase in lifespan as well as improving physical fitness, muscular regenerative capacity and bone microstructure. An unrelated company is hoping to move Klotho gene therapy into human trials later this year.
A Klotho Gene Therapy Extends Life in Male Mice Full Text
Canadian Content Study
I was excited to see this study out of the lab of Alyson Fournier of McGill University, which is the first Canadian study that I have seen using cellular reprogramming for rejuvenation in multiple sclerosis. Using a mouse model, they successfully reduced the death of retinal ganglion cells (neurons in the eyes which transmit signals to the brain) and preserved the vision of the mice. As for next steps, I received correspondence from Alyson, who stated that they “are planning a study to do a pan-neuronal rescue with the OSK construct and to test if the intervention works if the mice are transduced following symptom onset.” It is great to see such research coming out of Canada and hope to see more of it!
Cellular rejuvenation protects neurons from inflammation-mediated cell death Full Text CAN
Further Canadian content is indicated by CAN
Supplemental Section
Lifestyle
Diet
*Mediterranean Diet and Quality of Life in Adults: A Systematic Review Full Text
Exercise
Non-prescription Supplements (in alphabetical order)
Curcumin
Effect of spermidine intake on overload-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy in male mice Full Text
Natural Polyamine Spermidine Inhibits the In Vitro Oxidation of LDL Full Text
Other available supplements or natural substances (in alphabetical order)
*'Healthy' vitamin B12 levels not enough to ward off neuro decline Full Text***
*Krill oil for knee osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Full Text
Combinations
Prescription Supplements
The Anti-Aging Mechanism of Metformin: From Molecular Insights to Clinical Applications Full Text
Rapamycin (sirolimus)
Miscellaneous Molecules & Prescription Drugs
*Age and Sex Differences in Efficacy of Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes
A Network Meta-Analysis Full Text
Novel Molecules
Other Areas of Interest (in alphabetical order)
Blood Factors or other Heterochronic Transplantation
Young bone marrow transplantation delays bone aging in old mice Full Text CAN ***
Epigenetics & Cellular Reprogramming
Exosomes (small packets of information released by cells)
Genetics including CRISPR
A Potential New Target for Normal Brain Aging Full Text
Lifespan Lengthening Interventions
Observational Studies
*Receiving Care in Your Language Linked to Lower Health Risks Full Text CAN
*We are no longer living longer: Study across Europe Full Text
Opinion/Editorials/Theory/Policy
A field guide to aging Full Text CAN
Playful brains: a possible neurobiological pathway to cognitive health in aging Full Text
Other Ageing Biology
Enhanced paracrine action of FGF21 in stromal cells delays thymic aging Full Text
Regenerative Medicine
Creating a Functional Pancreas From Human Cells Full Text
Reproductive Health
Nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation improves oocyte developmental
competence in different ovarian damage conditions Full Text
Reviews
Newer Therapeutic Approaches in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease: A Comprehensive Review Full Text
Non-pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: an update Full Text
Recent advances in immunotherapy targeting CETP proteins for atherosclerosis prevention Full Text
Senolytics/Senescent Cells
Senolytic compounds reduce epigenetic age of blood samples in vitro Full Text
Study Shows Anti-Aging Potential for Insilico’s IPF Candidate Full Text
Skin & Beauty
Functional regeneration strategies of hair follicles: advances and challenges Full Text
Stem Cells
Sustaining Brain Youth by Neural Stem Cells: Physiological and Therapeutic Perspectives Full Text
Circular RNA Telomerase Reverses Endothelial Senescence in Progeria Full Text
37 kDa LRP::FLAG enhances telomerase activity and reduces ageing markers in vivo Full Text
Odds & Sods
Effects of cannabis smoke and oral Δ9THC on cognition in young adult and aged rats
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***Disclaimer 1 – 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 you need 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 above 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 *starred any human trials.*
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