Is Aging a Treatable Disease?

What has my attention right now?  Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard University has written a book called, “Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To.” In the book, Dr. Sinclair states that aging is a disease, and that disease can be treated. 

This revolutionary idea turns conventional wisdom upside down.  What about aging gracefully?  After reading this, I wonder, as I see older friends pull out readers to decipher menus, might I avoid needing “readers” one day? And, Is Sinclair proposing a fountain of youth? Well, in a way, yes! 

Historically geneticists have thought that mutations in DNA and the subsequent loss of correct genetic code led to a disruption of cellular functioning producing aging as we know it.  Sinclair proposes that aging is not due a loss of genetic code, but rather a loss of how the genetic code is expressed (a change in the epigenetics).

This epigenetic information determines how one’s genetic code is expressed. To further explain epigenetics, he gives the example of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, the genetic code of the insect doesn't change, only the expression of its genes change. 

He goes on to suggest that if our genetic code is like digital code, which is durable and easy to replicate, our epigenetic information can be likened to analog information, which is easily changeable and can act like scratches on a DVD (our digital code). He calls his theory, the information theory of aging. 

Here is the promising part: science is actually showing that our epigenetic changes resulting in aging are reversible. Back to our analogy, if our aged DNA is a scratched DVD, then they are finding a way to polish out the scratches.

The book is divided into three sections: the past, present, and future of aging research.  In other words, what we know, what we are learning, and where we are going. In the last section, Dr. Sinclair outlines his current daily routine which incorporates the lifestyle changes discussed in the last 4 posts and involves NAD boosters that activate our longevity genes and maintain our epigenetics.

NAD is a derivative of vitamin B3 that is required by every cell to turn on our longevity genes and to create energy in our mitochondria (the cell’s powerhouse). He discusses this molecule in great detail which we will explore further in the next post.​

Overall, “Lifespan” is a fascinating look into the frontiers of research showing that we can slow down, or even reverse, aging by activating our longevity genes. For anyone over 30, this is a must read.

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