Aging

Just 90–120 minutes of strength training a week may deliver some of the biggest long-term health rewards, according to a study tracking more than 147,000 people for 30 years.

An analysis of biological clocks throughout the human body suggests that too few hours of sleep—and too many—may speed aging in the brain, heart, lung, and immune system and is associated with a wide range of diseases.

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which are often high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, and additives, have been repeatedly linked with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

A sulfur-based compound called LASSS appears to protect and supercharge a key protein involved in repairing damaged muscle. The discovery could eventually lead to new ways to slow muscle loss and preserve strength as people age.

The Mediterranean diet may influence aging through tiny proteins produced inside the cell’s mitochondria. Older adults who followed the diet most closely had higher levels of humanin and SHMOOSE, which have been linked to heart and brain protection.

A recent Harvard study involving more than 16,000 older women found that those who got at least 4,400 steps a day greatly reduced their risk of dying prematurely when compared with less active women. The study also noted that the longevity benefits continued up to 7,500 steps but leveled off...

We’re not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes. Researchers assessed thousands of different molecules in people from age 25 to 75 — as well as their microbiomes — and found that they do not shift in chronological fashion.

At baseline, older adults exhibited reduced expression of genes associated with cellular respiration and energy metabolism compared to young adults with comparable activity levels.

The greatest gains in longevity — 9.35 years — and health span — 9.46 years — were achieved with a combination of lifestyle changes including moderate exercise, quality sleep, and a healthy diet.

After hitting a plateau around the age of 20, the data suggest that our metabolisms don’t really start to decline until after age 60. The slowdown is gradual, only 0.7% a year. But a person in their 90s needs 26% fewer calories each day than someone in midlife.