Summary
In this podcast episode, Peter Atia interviews Professor David Sinclair, an expert in aging and genetics at Harvard Medical School. Sinclair discusses his background and research on sirtuins, a class of molecules that play a role in aging, DNA repair, and gene silencing. He talks about his role in the discovery of molecules that stimulate sirtuins, including resveratrol, and their potential benefits for longevity and health. The conversation delves into technical details, such as nad levels and their precursors, but also covers the potential benefits of these molecules for optimizing health and performance.
Sinclair's research on sirtuins has shown that they play a role in controlling signaling and metabolism by targeting any protein theoretically in a cell. They are involved in DNA repair, which is important for coordinating events such as mating and cell division. The sirtuin family is conserved across eukaryotes, and caloric restriction and sirtuins move hand-in-hand, evolving for survival during adversity rather than longevity.
The conversation also covers the discovery of resveratrol as a potential activator of sirtuins and its impact on the wine industry. Sinclair's study showed that mice fed a high-fat, high-sugar diet and treated with resveratrol had a 20-25% increase in lifespan. The speaker also discusses the use of supplements, particularly resveratrol and metformin, for potential health benefits, and the importance of conducting human clinical trials to determine their true effectiveness.
The podcast also delves into the challenges of measuring mitochondrial nad levels in the body and the ongoing studies to understand where the NR or NMN would be preferentially taken up. The speakers discuss the different companies working on different aspects of aging, including epigenetic changes, cell communication and information, senescence cells build up, protein misfolding, telomere loss and genomic instability, metabolic changes, and responses to amino acids and other nutrient inputs.
Finally, Sinclair discusses his unifying theory of aging, which he believes is caused by insults to the genome, such as double-strand breaks, which distract proteins that control gene expression and disrupt the structure of chromatin. However, he is optimistic that drugs like metformin and NMN precursors could extend lifespan. He suggests an experiment where a group of 5,000 people in their 70s are given these drugs and monitored for a few years to determine their effect on mortality rates. The speaker is confident that with enough investment, multiple experiments could be conducted to determine the best approach to extending lifespan.
