You’ve probably talked about them in a negative way; You may have blamed them for your weight, bad habits, or thinning hair. But while you can’t change the genetic hand you’ve been dealt, you actually have more control over how your genes work than you think.
We are born with approximately 20,000 genes, which are stretches of DNA that contain instructions for cells. There are two copies of each; one we inherited from each of our parents.
Scientists know that certain genes predispose us to a higher risk of ill health. For example, some genetic variants may increase the risk of becoming obese, developing Alzheimer’s, and developing cancer.
However, lifestyle habits are intertwined with how our genes are expressed and can effectively turn certain genes “on” or “off,” similar to light switches in your home.
Ultimately, this means that in many cases you can reduce genes linked to disease and increase those linked to longevity.
“Research has shown that longevity in humans is about 25 percent heritable. This means that how long we live is largely (75 percent) determined by the environment, and only 25 percent is determined by our genes,” he says. Birmingham.
“If you exercise, changes occur in your body, which affects how your genes are expressed. The same goes for diet.”
Prof Magalhaes notes that it is “very difficult” to draw a line between lifestyle changes, change in gene expression and the knock-on effect on longevity. But there is some promising research.
calorie restriction
The group leader at the Babraham Institute, where researchers study the aging process, said Dr. “There is a gene called mTOR that regulates how our cells perceive nutrients and decide whether to grow or not,” explains Nick Ktistakis.
“Reducing mTOR activity has been shown to extend lifespan in many organisms and will likely do the same in humans. So reducing mTOR activity is good for longevity,” he says.
One way to effectively shut down mTOR is to reduce calories, according to studies on animals whose food was cut in half.
But scientists admit the “sheer willpower” required for people to follow suit makes this unachievable, and warn blatantly that the approach could trigger dangerous side effects such as too much weight loss.
That’s why researchers are working on a pharmaceutical alternative, a drug called rapamycin. It was originally developed as an immunosuppressant for organ transplant patients, but like calorie restriction, it turns off mTOR. “There are a lot of studies being done with these drugs to see if they will affect longevity,” Dr Ktistakis says.
“Rapamycin is one of the most powerful life-extending drugs, as it extends lifespan in rodents (up to 15%) and is currently being tested in dogs. [It] is one of the most active research areas in longevity pharmacology,” says Prof Magalhaes.
However, separate studies have supported the evidence for cutting calories to live longer. A team at Columbia University found that people who reduced their food intake by 25 percent for two years slowed their biological aging by 2 to 3 percent. This conclusion was reached after taking blood samples from volunteers to track chemical tags that regulate the expression of genes related to longevity.
Dramatic calorie reduction “probably isn’t appropriate for everyone,” but followed by intermittent fasting (eating little or no food for a set period of time, such as one or two days per week) or time-restricted eating, the researchers noted. (consuming foods at a fixed interval, such as 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day) can trigger similar results.
To exercise
Scientists are also excited about the gene called FOXO3. Studies dating back more than a decade show that it activates autophagy, the process by which cells get rid of old and damaged parts, which is vital for extending healthy lifespan.
While everyone has two copies of it, as with all genes, Dr. According to Craig, three in 10 people in the UK have a “supercharged” version, while one in 10 has two; This means they have the “jet engine” FOXO3 gene. Willcox, a professor of public health and gerontology at Okinawa International University in Japan. Only a genetic test can reveal which version a person has.
“Our studies have shown that FOXO3 is at the center of an aging hub. It combines signals from dozens of other genes that influence the aging process. Think of it as a controller gene that directs the aging process and also protects against age-related diseases,” he says.
Studies have shown that FOXO3 protects against cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death in the UK, and cardiometabolic diseases including heart attack, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Dr Willcox explains that exercise can activate FOXO3 by alerting it that it “needs to get to work”, offsetting the stress that physical activity puts on the body. In turn, FOXO3 triggers the release of antioxidants that reduce inflammation.
How quickly the gene is activated depends on a person’s genes and lifestyle. But this will happen gradually over time, “just like exercising will change your body shape over time,” he says. “The key to lifestyle change is persistence and consistency,” adds Dr Willcox.
To sleep
Other studies show that sleep is vital.
When scientists at the University of Rochester compared how genes were arranged in dozens of animals, they found that genes linked to inflammation and the process of converting food into energy were reduced among the longest-living species.
Rather than the expression of these genes being predetermined, whether they were turned up or down was actually determined by the body’s circadian network (also known as the body’s internal clock).
Despite animal studies, the team concluded that this meant that an unhealthy sleep pattern or exposure to light at night could increase the expression of genes that shorten lifespan among humans.
Drink green tea and eat broccoli, oranges and strawberries
Medical director of the longevity-focused Harpal Clinic in London, Dr. “AMPK is often viewed as the ‘master switch’ of our metabolism and is also viewed as a central junction for many nutrient-sensitive pathways associated with longevity,” says Harpal Bains.
He says both green tea and the antioxidant quercetin, found in onions, broccoli, citrus fruits and berries, can activate AMPK.
“Finding a good quality green tea is a fundamentally good way to support longevity because green tea can support many areas of genetic expression,” Dr Bains adds.
He says calorie restriction and exercise also increase this gene.
“Calorie restriction is definitely not about eating as little as possible,” Dr Harpal says. “This would be unhealthy, causing nutrient deficiencies and leaving us under-fueled, which is not good for our longevity. Instead, it’s more about not overeating: We should aim to feel full about 80 percent of the time at each meal.”
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