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Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

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Re: Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

#81

Post by lextuto »

Full disclosure: I have no medical training whatsoever.

Exercise (a combination of cardio and resistance training) seems to be a very, if not the most important thing. That's the takeaway from two podcasts I listened too recently.

In the first one[0] Stuart Phillips talks about how important resistance training is for older people. He also says that if you exercise then supplementing your diet with protein is really just the "sprinkling on top". Doing the exercise is far more important.

In the second[2] one the author (who was diagnosed with MS in her 20s but is not taking any medication and is now 58) exercises every day (mostly running, 3-4 miles). The podcast was about her book in which she sums up a lot of research on diet vs exercise. The conclusion is that as long as you exercise it's not very important what you eat. You don't have to be vegan, vegetarian, or follow any other special diet. They talked about, e.g., world class athletes with completely different diets, all performing at peak levels. Again, exercise seems to be the far more important, common, denominator.

Regarding supplements: (I took this from my personal notes, that's why there are recommendations, they are for myself [a healthy adult in middle age]. Also, I have no affiliation with any companies/products mentioned):

# Resveratrol

Source for Resveratrol: Source: https://podcastnotes.org/2020/01/07/dr-rhonda-patrick-resver...

Resveratrol exists in two molecular arrangements: trans- and cis-

- Trans-resveratrol is the predominant form found in most supplements, and also the more stable (but if exposed to light, it can convert to the less-active cis-resveratrol) - Trans-resveratrol is more bioavailable if taken both in the morning and with food - More data is needed to determine resveratrol’s effect on exercise - Resveratrol activates a variety of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant response pathways - Resveratrol is a calorie-restriction mimetic

## Resveratrol in exercise

The data surrounding Resveratrol and exercise is contradictory

- At a low dose, resveratrol acts as s a mild direct antioxidant (which bind to and sequester reactive oxygen species) - This isn’t preferable – the reactive oxygen species generated during exercise are essential for cardio-respiratory adaptations - At higher doses, resveratrol seems to act as an indirect antioxidant (which activates the body’s own endogenous antioxidant systems, like glutathione)

## My takeaway

- Take a higher (500mg or more per day) dose of Trans-resveratrol with lunch (because I'm currently 01/2020 still sticking to my time-restriced eating; no food between 8 PM and 12 PM).

# Nicotinamide riboside/Nicotinamide mononucleotide

Source: various podcasts with Rhonda Patrick, PhD.; also https://podcastnotes.org/2019/11/12/nad-nr-nmn-supplements/

Nicotinamide riboside combined with Pterostilbene is better than N mononucleotide.

## Bottom line for NR

Ideally, get Elysium Basis. https://www.elysiumhealth.com

# Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA

https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2020/07/15/WNL.0000000...

https://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/pb/96975

Pure encapsulations EPA DHA essentials twice daily.

Or maybe get https://www.purecaps.net/produkte/dha-ultimate

[0]: Building Muscle with Resistance Exercise and Reassessing Protein Intake | Stuart Phillips, PhD FoundMyFitness https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/building-muscle-with-r...

[1]: Anastacia Marx de Salcedo — Eat like a Pig, Run Like a Horse The Michael Shermer Show https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/290-anastacia-marx-de-...

Re: Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

#82

Post by feet »

dominotw wrote: post #54
Apfel wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was always struck when I lived in China how young, happy and active the elderly all seemed, even though they were much the same age as elderly folk where I grew up (the UK). I had a feeling it must be at least partly due to their increased role in child rearing among most families. This is partly just traditional Chinese culture but probably also comes in part due to the awful working hours most Chinese people tend…

> China how young, happy and active the elderly all seemed probably because they haven't been exposed to a lifetime of processed foods like here in the west.

My assumption is that it could be multifactorial, societal and family integration along with diet and who knows what else. Life is stupidly complex

Re: Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

#83

Post by ddorian43 »

minhmeoke wrote: post #73

The easiest approach is probably to avoid or reduce obviously harmful habits and behaviors that result in chronic diseases (eg: cardiovascular disease, diabetes) - Avoid smoking and hard drugs - Avoid excessive alcohol consumption - Avoid fast food, excessive salt and sugar, deep fried dishes - Avoid excessive stress and worrying Besides that, focus on the basics: - Consistent and restful sleep - Healthy, balanced di…

Dont do what this guy preaches.

My advice: no drugs, keto/carnivore diet, omad or interminent fasting, resistance training.

Good luck with choosing the correct advice.

Re: Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

#84

Post by johncearls »

dougmwne wrote: post #10

In all likelihood, diet, exercise, and sleep. Aside from managing chronic conditions through doctor’s visits this seems to be the only thing that can actually improve quality of life. High levels of physical activity seem particularly key. If there was a magic pill, that would be great, but don’t think there is any high quality evidence.

I do longevity/healthy aging research and sleep, nutrition, and exercise are by far the most important factors in healthy aging. Everything else can be considered a rounding error to those three. It's a little disheartening in fact when ones job involves looking for therapeutics to extend healthspan.

Re: Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

#85

Post by remram »

moravak1984 wrote: post #41
allisdust wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

May be because people (at least some) love their parents and miss them when they are gone?

Fair enough, but at some point it is worth asking if their longevity is on their best interest and not on yours. Many old people just want to die since they are not able to take care of themselves, and want to go away with dignity. Their descendants sometimes insist on keeping them chugging along as a weird kind of pet. That is weird and wrong. Just let them go, we are all going the same way anyway.

> Many old people just want to die

This doesn't reflect my experience, at least with my understanding of "many" and "old". My 90 yo grandma can't walk and is on oxygen most of the day and very much doesn't want to die.

Re: Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

#87

Post by tintedfireglass »

wow, as a "third-world" person, this feels really dystopian to me. We as humans haven't progressed so much that we can delay death. The only way we increased life expectancy is with Healthcare. How do you know if the pills you are giving them are doing harm or good? I personally feel really terrified of these maybe because I'm from a different culture and economic status than some tech-bro from silicon valley. just my two-cents

Re: Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

#89

Post by ampham »

A few years ago my mom was almost dying. Now she’s healthy and energetic.

The things that I’ve noticed made the biggest visible difference:

- Going to the doctors to take care of any diseases that supplements can’t fix.

- Daily exercise at home.

- Weekly physical therapy (this helps a lot with helping her be social and interact with others).

- Staying at a good weight.

- Having a hobby that gets her outside and active.

- Sleep.

Re: Ask HN: Longevity for your parents, what to do?

#90

Post by blep_ »

braingenious wrote: post #75
samus wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not all of us need a purpose in life. Only when life gets hard do we start to wonder why we keep going on. These people are probably just happy doing whatever else they have been doing so far in their life. Maybe some of these people actually have a passion for pushing the envelope. Sort of like people that pursue fitness as a lifestyle, where one can raise the same doubts about what they are actually training and li…

That’s an interesting perspective. I would still love to hear from somebody that is an actual longevity enthusiast rather than speculate as to their motives. As I’ve said, my previous actual conversations with longevity enthusiasts have been quite unsatisfying because I don’t buy “better telomeres for a higher number of years” as an actual pure human motivation. I would buy “a crippling fear of death” or “I want to s…

I kind of did answer your original question, but to do so more directly: I enjoy making stuff. More time to make stuff would mean more enjoyment.

Recently, I've been experiencing burnout that interferes with my ability to do this. It will pass, with time. But it's easier to think about that the longer my life will be, because I would have lost a smaller proportion of my limited time to it. Repeat for any other thing that one might view as wasted time, and it adds up.

The question you've turned this into in your last paragraph is a completely different one. I don't have any desire to outlive or not outlive any particular person. It's nice to have the company of people I like, but my sense of meaning, to the extent I have one, is unrelated to that. People move into and out of my life all the time for various reasons.

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