“I am 29 but feel 43.”

Many of us can remember the feeling of being a spry and youthful young adult. The ability to stay up all night with friends or to be able to consume massive amounts of food that seemingly would not have any negative repercussions. My hope is not to reminisce on “better times” but to take a step back and ask the question – what changed?

The study of aging is a hot topic amongst lay persons and diligent scientists alike. 

Why is my “metabolism” not what it once was? 

Why do I not have as much energy as I used to?

For many, it is an accepted fact that as one ages, you will no longer be able to do what you once could. While this may hold true for certain pursuits, I tend to take a more optimistic view of human potential. 

Do I think we can live to the age of 600? 

Well my response would be “I’m not sure, but I would definitely like to find out.”

Now, I think it’s important that we go over a concept known as biological age. For the sake of this discussion, we will simplify the definition of biological age to “how well our biology allows us to function.” For example, an individual who has the ability to consume massive amounts of ice cream without any weight gain may have more to do with the individual’s biology than their chronological age. Chronological age is typically defined as the amount of time since birth (i.e. it has been 29 calendar years since I was born – therefore my chronological age is 29 years).

With that said, nothing I am about to say is novel and there are many resources that may help you understand this information from different vantage points. One resource I would strongly recommend is Peter Attia’s The Drive podcast episode with Matt Kaeberlein, PhD. 

Although the discussion between Dr. Attia (physician) and Dr. Kaeberlein (researcher) is quite topic specific – I’ve found that listening to these types of discussions inspires me to ask foundational questions. Exploring the details of specific topic, at least initially, may also provide real life examples that provides context and motivation for studying foundational principles. 

Other resources I think you should check out if you want to learn more about the discussion of aging:

Podcast between Dr. Attia and Dr Richard Miller – testing longevity drugs

Podcast between Dr. Attia and Steve Austad, PhD – landscape of longevity science

Tim Ferriss Show – #193 My Life Extension Pilgrimage to Easter Island

STEM-Talk Podcast with David Sabetini – mtor and its role in disease, longevity, and healthspan

These are just a few podcasts that I’ve enjoyed and have learned a great deal from respected experts in the field. 

With that said, the “Hallmarks of aging” is a concept mentioned in the discussion between Dr. Attia and Dr. Kaeberlein. I think it would be to take a deeper dive on this concept. My hope is that you and I can learn a few things along the way that will quite frankly help us not feel so old. 

In future posts I hope to discuss more about the “Hallmarks of aging.”

• Genomic Instability
• Altered intercellular communication
• Stem cell exhaustion
• Cellular senescence
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Deregulated nutrient-sensing
• Loss of proteostasis
• Epigenetic alterations
• Telomere attrition

Until next time, じゃあね