Can We Increase Our Lifespan? Science Provides Answers
Genes alone are not enough to live longer; healthy lifestyle and risk prevention play a key role
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Life expectancy and longevity are fascinating topics that relate to various aspects of human life. A long life is not exclusively predetermined by genetic predisposition. Science shows that a healthy lifestyle and avoiding risk factors can have a positive impact on life expectancy.
The term “longevity” is often used as a synonym for longevity. It should be emphasized that medical advances have made a significant contribution to many people reaching their potential maximum age. But this progress alone is not the only factor influencing life expectancy. Research shows that, in addition to genetic factors, lifestyle and environmental factors also play a decisive role. Some of these influences can be influenced, others are more or less constant.
What is the difference between longevity, lifespan, and life expectancy?
There are nuances between the three terms. Longevity refers to a longer life expectancy compared to most people who live healthy lives. Life expectancy is how long a person is likely to live based on their year of birth and other demographic factors. Thanks to decades of medical innovation, the average life expectancy has been extended.
Increasing life expectancy paves the way for longevity research
In the 20th century, life expectancy rose significantly thanks to advances in medicine and health care. This increase is due in particular to the prevention of premature death in childhood. However, there has been a rather modest increase in overall life expectancy for some time, as people live longer and age-related chronic diseases increase.
Longevity research is now focused on extending life at an older age. The central question here is: How can life expectancy be increased and what role does genetics play in this?
Contrary to the assumption that our genes determine how long we live, research shows that only 20 to 30 percent of the differences in life expectancy of twins are hereditary. Whole-genome sequencing allows a more accurate analysis of genetic variants associated with aging. Studies have shown that children of parents with a long life expectancy have certain genetic variants that are linked to heart health, BMI, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
How does lifestyle affect life expectancy?
The impact of lifestyle on life expectancy is considerable. Factors such as sleep, diet, physical activity, intermittent fasting, social networks, and alcohol and tobacco consumption play a decisive role.
Sleep
Sleep plays an important role in attention, perception, mood, stress management, and cell and muscle repair. It has been found that there are some common sleep characteristics among people with a long lifespan. A small study from 2014 compared the sleeping habits of 85-year-olds and older people with those of 60-year-olds. The analysis revealed that the older group had a strict sleep-wake rhythm and deep sleep. They also had higher levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and lower triglyceride levels than their slightly younger peers.
Even though this study doesn't mean that good sleep extends life by decades, it does show that there is a connection between sleep, longevity, and fat metabolism.
Nutrition
There is plenty of evidence that there is a close link between food, nutrition and aging. Here are some foods that may promote or hinder aging:
• Red meat
A study that examined the relationship between animal and plant protein sources and the risk of death found that both a higher ratio of animal to vegetable protein and an overall higher meat consumption were associated with an increased risk of death.
• Coffee and green tea
Coffee and tea consumption are associated with longevity. Compared to quitting coffee, drinking three cups of coffee a day is associated with a 12 to 17% lower risk of dying from all causes. Consuming four cups of green tea per day is associated with a five percent reduction in overall mortality.
• Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale contain sulforaphane, a sulfur-containing compound that activates anti-inflammatory and detoxifying mechanisms. Sulforaphane can support the aging process on a cellular level and help the body deal with everyday stressors.
Physical activity
The natural loss of muscle and fat-free body mass starts with age and can start from the early forties. Resistance training stimulates muscle growth and is the best way to counteract this age-related muscle loss. A large-scale study has shown that middle-aged and older people who increase their physical activity are better protected from all-cause mortality than inactive people.
Intermittent fasting
Regular interval fasting — including intermittent diets, alternating fasting, or 5:2 intermittent fasting — can extend life expectancy and has been shown to protect against age-related chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Social networks and relationships
Social relationships have been shown to have an impact on health and longevity. Studies show that social isolation, particularly among older people, can increase the likelihood of dying by 50 to 91 percent.
Alcohol consumption and smoking
A study from 2020 has shown that moderate alcohol consumption, i.e. no more than one glass per day, increases life expectancy by almost one year, while higher alcohol consumption results in a loss of almost seven years. The loss was more than 10 years when drinkers also smoked, which was the case for the majority (65-80%).
A previous study found that smokers who quit smoking at age 35 can extend their life expectancy by seven to almost nine years.
How can you determine how well you age?
Today, it is no longer impossible to live to be 100 years and older. But people age at different rates. And your birthday isn't the best indicator of how old you really are. Lifestyle decisions such as diet, physical activity and social contacts play a role when it comes to delaying or prematurely causing death. But even before that, these lifestyle decisions have either a positive or negative effect on the internal state of the body.
To find out how fast you age, there are the following common methods:
• Biomarker
There are certain biomarkers that can indicate oxidative stress and specific aging processes, such as glycation end products (AGEs), which are associated with aging processes.
• Biological age
This method attempts to determine the biological age resulting from the combination of genetic factors and environmental factors. There are various tests based on different biological parameters, such as telomere length, methylation patterns, epigenetic tests, immune function tests, etc.
• Physical tests
Some physical tests can be used to monitor aging behavior. This includes, for example, determining muscle strength, balance and posture, measuring heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other blood parameters.
• Cognitive testing
Cognitive function can be a good indicator of the aging process. The use of cognitive tests can help measure the aging process and decline in cognitive function.
Even though it is possible to monitor aging using biomarkers and various tests, it should be emphasized that no method alone allows an absolute statement about aging.
In general, however, research suggests that a balanced lifestyle based on regular sleep, a healthy diet, physical activity, strong social relationships and a moderate lifestyle is the key to a longer life.
References
- Olshansky, S.J. & Carnes, B.A. (2019). Inconvenient Truths About Human Longevity The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 74(Supplement_1), S7—S12. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glz098
- Pilling, L.C., Atkins, J.L., Bowman, K., Jones, S.E., Tyrrell, J., Beaumont, R.N., Ruth, K.S., Tuke, M.A., Yaghootkar, H., Wood, A.R., Freathy, R.M., Murray, A., Weedon, M.N., Xue, L., Lunetta, K., Murabito, J.M. Ries, L.W., Robine, J.M., Brayne, C.,. Melzer, D. (2016). Human longevity is influenced by many genetic variants: evidence from 75,000 UK Biobank participants. Aging, 8(3), 547—560. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.100930
- Giuliani, C., Garagnani, P. & Franceschi, C. (2018). Genetics of Human Longevity Within an Eco-Evolutionary Nature-Nurture Framework. Circulation Research, 123(7), 745—772. https://doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.118.312562
- Worley SL. The Extraordinary Importance of Sleep: The Detrimental Effects of Inadequate Sleep on Health and Public Safety Drive an Explosion of Sleep Research. P.T. 2018 Dec; 43 (12) :758-763. PMID: 30559589; PMCID: PMC6281147.
- Mazzotti, D.R., Guindalini, C., Moraes, W.A.D.S., Andersen, M.L., Cendoroglo, M.S., Ramos, L.R. & Tufik, S. (2014). Human longevity is associated with regular sleep patterns, maintenance of slow wave sleep, and favorable lipid profiles. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2014.00134
- Virtanen, H.E., Voutilainen, S., Koskinen, T.T., Mursu, J., Kokko, P., Ylilauri, M.P., Tuomainen, T.P., Salonen, J.T. & Virtanen, J.K. (2019). Dietary proteins and protein sources and risk of death: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 109(5), 1462-1471. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqz025
- Malerba, S., Turati, F., Galleon, C., Pelucchi, C., Verga, F., La Vecchia, C. & Tavani, A. (2013). A meta-analysis of prospective studies of coffee consumption and mortality for all causes, cancers and cardiovascular diseases. European Journal of Epidemiology, 28(7), 527—539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-013-9834-7
- Poole, R., Kennedy, O.J., Roderick, P., Fallowfield, J.A., Hayes, P.C. & Parkes, J. (2017). Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes. BMJ, j5024. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j5024
- Kubo, E., Chhunchha, B., Singh, P., Sasaki, H. & Singh, D.P. (2017). Sulforaphane reactivates cellular antioxidant defense by inducing NRF2/Are/PRDX6 activity during aging and oxidative stress. Scientific Reports, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-14520-8
- Mattson, M.P., Longo, V.D. & Harvie, M. (2017). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing Research Reviews, 39, 46—58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005
- Yang, Y.C., Boen, C., Gerken, K., Li, T., Schorpp, K. & Harris, K.M. (2016). Social relationships and physiological determinants of longevity across the human life span. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(3), 578—583. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1511085112
- van den Brandt, P.A. & Brandts, L. (2020). Alcohol consumption in later life and reaching longevity: the Netherlands Cohort Study. Age and Ageing, 49(3), 395—402. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa003
- Abdullah, S.M., Defina, L.F., Leonard, D., Barlow, C.E., Radford, N.B., Willis, B.L., Rohatgi, A., McGuire, D.K., de Lemos, J.A., Grundy, S.M., Berry, J.D. & Khera, A. (2018). Long-term Association of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol With Cardiovascular Mortality in Individuals at Low 10-Year Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation, 138(21), 2315—2325. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.118.034273
- Furman, D., Campisi, J., Verdin, E., Carrera-Bastos, P., Targ, S., Franceschi, C., Ferrucci, L., Gilroy, D.W., Fasano, A., Miller, G.W., Miller, A.H., Mantovani, A., Weyand, C.M., Barzilai, N., Goronzy, J.J., Rando, T.A., Effros, R.B., Lucia, A., Kleinspreer, N. & Slavich, G.M. (2019). Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nature Medicine, 25(12), 1822—1832. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0
Publiziert
22.7.2024
Kategorie
Longevity
Experte
Life expectancy and longevity are fascinating topics that relate to various aspects of human life. A long life is not exclusively predetermined by genetic predisposition. Science shows that a healthy lifestyle and avoiding risk factors can have a positive impact on life expectancy.
The term “longevity” is often used as a synonym for longevity. It should be emphasized that medical advances have made a significant contribution to many people reaching their potential maximum age. But this progress alone is not the only factor influencing life expectancy. Research shows that, in addition to genetic factors, lifestyle and environmental factors also play a decisive role. Some of these influences can be influenced, others are more or less constant.
What is the difference between longevity, lifespan, and life expectancy?
There are nuances between the three terms. Longevity refers to a longer life expectancy compared to most people who live healthy lives. Life expectancy is how long a person is likely to live based on their year of birth and other demographic factors. Thanks to decades of medical innovation, the average life expectancy has been extended.
Increasing life expectancy paves the way for longevity research
In the 20th century, life expectancy rose significantly thanks to advances in medicine and health care. This increase is due in particular to the prevention of premature death in childhood. However, there has been a rather modest increase in overall life expectancy for some time, as people live longer and age-related chronic diseases increase.
Longevity research is now focused on extending life at an older age. The central question here is: How can life expectancy be increased and what role does genetics play in this?
Contrary to the assumption that our genes determine how long we live, research shows that only 20 to 30 percent of the differences in life expectancy of twins are hereditary. Whole-genome sequencing allows a more accurate analysis of genetic variants associated with aging. Studies have shown that children of parents with a long life expectancy have certain genetic variants that are linked to heart health, BMI, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
How does lifestyle affect life expectancy?
The impact of lifestyle on life expectancy is considerable. Factors such as sleep, diet, physical activity, intermittent fasting, social networks, and alcohol and tobacco consumption play a decisive role.
Sleep
Sleep plays an important role in attention, perception, mood, stress management, and cell and muscle repair. It has been found that there are some common sleep characteristics among people with a long lifespan. A small study from 2014 compared the sleeping habits of 85-year-olds and older people with those of 60-year-olds. The analysis revealed that the older group had a strict sleep-wake rhythm and deep sleep. They also had higher levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and lower triglyceride levels than their slightly younger peers.
Even though this study doesn't mean that good sleep extends life by decades, it does show that there is a connection between sleep, longevity, and fat metabolism.
Nutrition
There is plenty of evidence that there is a close link between food, nutrition and aging. Here are some foods that may promote or hinder aging:
• Red meat
A study that examined the relationship between animal and plant protein sources and the risk of death found that both a higher ratio of animal to vegetable protein and an overall higher meat consumption were associated with an increased risk of death.
• Coffee and green tea
Coffee and tea consumption are associated with longevity. Compared to quitting coffee, drinking three cups of coffee a day is associated with a 12 to 17% lower risk of dying from all causes. Consuming four cups of green tea per day is associated with a five percent reduction in overall mortality.
• Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale contain sulforaphane, a sulfur-containing compound that activates anti-inflammatory and detoxifying mechanisms. Sulforaphane can support the aging process on a cellular level and help the body deal with everyday stressors.
Physical activity
The natural loss of muscle and fat-free body mass starts with age and can start from the early forties. Resistance training stimulates muscle growth and is the best way to counteract this age-related muscle loss. A large-scale study has shown that middle-aged and older people who increase their physical activity are better protected from all-cause mortality than inactive people.
Intermittent fasting
Regular interval fasting — including intermittent diets, alternating fasting, or 5:2 intermittent fasting — can extend life expectancy and has been shown to protect against age-related chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Social networks and relationships
Social relationships have been shown to have an impact on health and longevity. Studies show that social isolation, particularly among older people, can increase the likelihood of dying by 50 to 91 percent.
Alcohol consumption and smoking
A study from 2020 has shown that moderate alcohol consumption, i.e. no more than one glass per day, increases life expectancy by almost one year, while higher alcohol consumption results in a loss of almost seven years. The loss was more than 10 years when drinkers also smoked, which was the case for the majority (65-80%).
A previous study found that smokers who quit smoking at age 35 can extend their life expectancy by seven to almost nine years.
How can you determine how well you age?
Today, it is no longer impossible to live to be 100 years and older. But people age at different rates. And your birthday isn't the best indicator of how old you really are. Lifestyle decisions such as diet, physical activity and social contacts play a role when it comes to delaying or prematurely causing death. But even before that, these lifestyle decisions have either a positive or negative effect on the internal state of the body.
To find out how fast you age, there are the following common methods:
• Biomarker
There are certain biomarkers that can indicate oxidative stress and specific aging processes, such as glycation end products (AGEs), which are associated with aging processes.
• Biological age
This method attempts to determine the biological age resulting from the combination of genetic factors and environmental factors. There are various tests based on different biological parameters, such as telomere length, methylation patterns, epigenetic tests, immune function tests, etc.
• Physical tests
Some physical tests can be used to monitor aging behavior. This includes, for example, determining muscle strength, balance and posture, measuring heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other blood parameters.
• Cognitive testing
Cognitive function can be a good indicator of the aging process. The use of cognitive tests can help measure the aging process and decline in cognitive function.
Even though it is possible to monitor aging using biomarkers and various tests, it should be emphasized that no method alone allows an absolute statement about aging.
In general, however, research suggests that a balanced lifestyle based on regular sleep, a healthy diet, physical activity, strong social relationships and a moderate lifestyle is the key to a longer life.
Experte
Referenzen
- Olshansky, S.J. & Carnes, B.A. (2019). Inconvenient Truths About Human Longevity The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 74(Supplement_1), S7—S12. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glz098
- Pilling, L.C., Atkins, J.L., Bowman, K., Jones, S.E., Tyrrell, J., Beaumont, R.N., Ruth, K.S., Tuke, M.A., Yaghootkar, H., Wood, A.R., Freathy, R.M., Murray, A., Weedon, M.N., Xue, L., Lunetta, K., Murabito, J.M. Ries, L.W., Robine, J.M., Brayne, C.,. Melzer, D. (2016). Human longevity is influenced by many genetic variants: evidence from 75,000 UK Biobank participants. Aging, 8(3), 547—560. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.100930
- Giuliani, C., Garagnani, P. & Franceschi, C. (2018). Genetics of Human Longevity Within an Eco-Evolutionary Nature-Nurture Framework. Circulation Research, 123(7), 745—772. https://doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.118.312562
- Worley SL. The Extraordinary Importance of Sleep: The Detrimental Effects of Inadequate Sleep on Health and Public Safety Drive an Explosion of Sleep Research. P.T. 2018 Dec; 43 (12) :758-763. PMID: 30559589; PMCID: PMC6281147.
- Mazzotti, D.R., Guindalini, C., Moraes, W.A.D.S., Andersen, M.L., Cendoroglo, M.S., Ramos, L.R. & Tufik, S. (2014). Human longevity is associated with regular sleep patterns, maintenance of slow wave sleep, and favorable lipid profiles. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2014.00134
- Virtanen, H.E., Voutilainen, S., Koskinen, T.T., Mursu, J., Kokko, P., Ylilauri, M.P., Tuomainen, T.P., Salonen, J.T. & Virtanen, J.K. (2019). Dietary proteins and protein sources and risk of death: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 109(5), 1462-1471. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqz025
- Malerba, S., Turati, F., Galleon, C., Pelucchi, C., Verga, F., La Vecchia, C. & Tavani, A. (2013). A meta-analysis of prospective studies of coffee consumption and mortality for all causes, cancers and cardiovascular diseases. European Journal of Epidemiology, 28(7), 527—539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-013-9834-7
- Poole, R., Kennedy, O.J., Roderick, P., Fallowfield, J.A., Hayes, P.C. & Parkes, J. (2017). Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes. BMJ, j5024. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j5024
- Kubo, E., Chhunchha, B., Singh, P., Sasaki, H. & Singh, D.P. (2017). Sulforaphane reactivates cellular antioxidant defense by inducing NRF2/Are/PRDX6 activity during aging and oxidative stress. Scientific Reports, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-14520-8
- Mattson, M.P., Longo, V.D. & Harvie, M. (2017). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing Research Reviews, 39, 46—58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005
- Yang, Y.C., Boen, C., Gerken, K., Li, T., Schorpp, K. & Harris, K.M. (2016). Social relationships and physiological determinants of longevity across the human life span. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(3), 578—583. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1511085112
- van den Brandt, P.A. & Brandts, L. (2020). Alcohol consumption in later life and reaching longevity: the Netherlands Cohort Study. Age and Ageing, 49(3), 395—402. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa003
- Abdullah, S.M., Defina, L.F., Leonard, D., Barlow, C.E., Radford, N.B., Willis, B.L., Rohatgi, A., McGuire, D.K., de Lemos, J.A., Grundy, S.M., Berry, J.D. & Khera, A. (2018). Long-term Association of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol With Cardiovascular Mortality in Individuals at Low 10-Year Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation, 138(21), 2315—2325. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.118.034273
- Furman, D., Campisi, J., Verdin, E., Carrera-Bastos, P., Targ, S., Franceschi, C., Ferrucci, L., Gilroy, D.W., Fasano, A., Miller, G.W., Miller, A.H., Mantovani, A., Weyand, C.M., Barzilai, N., Goronzy, J.J., Rando, T.A., Effros, R.B., Lucia, A., Kleinspreer, N. & Slavich, G.M. (2019). Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nature Medicine, 25(12), 1822—1832. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0
Publiziert
22.7.2024
Kategorie
Longevity
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