2 Genes Everyone Should Know For Increased Longevity
/Are you looking for increased longevity? Not just a long life, but one that’s also healthy and pain-free? These goals are not out of reach. Even though some people seem to effortlessly enjoy a disease-free journey over many, many decades, science has been untangling the complex codes that support the goal of longevity, and this post will show you how you can too.
Recent research in the field of genomic medicine shines a light on how certain patterns of genes (your DNA) and their variants can provide protection against age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Genomics also helps us understand the nature of how food, the environment and our lifestyle choices influence our genes. With this groundbreaking knowledge, you can begin to understand health phenomena such as how to reduce chronic diseases, improve your gene expression and reduce inflammation and toxicity, all leading the way to longevity. In this way, genomic medicine cuts through the nutrition noise to advise us exactly what to eat and the mechanisms behind how those foods can help you live a long, healthy and pain-free life.
The Science of Longevity and Centenarians
In longevity research, people who live to be over the age of 85 are considered “long-lived.” People who live to be over the age of 100 are called centenarians and experience “exceptional” longevity. There are areas around the world where research has documented the prevalence of centenarians. The most well known (but not the only ones) are—Costa Rica, Okinawa, Japan, Loma Linda, California, the Italian island of Sardinia, and the Greek island of Ikaria. These areas are sometimes referred to as Blue Zones. Scientists who study centenarians report that there is an undeniable connection between food, movement, connectivity and longevity.
In the western world, we continue to witness growth in the early onset of chronic diseases. The earlier the onset, the shorter our lifespan. People who live long lives may have gene variants that help them efficiently manage the type of food they eat, but there is no magic genomic blueprint shared by all centenarians. There is no one perfect set of genes that suggests you will live to be 100 years old or more. That being said, a burgeoning field of research continues to investigate and uncover the role our genes, food, environment and lifestyle play in longevity.
“There is no magic genomic blueprint shared by all centenarians.”
In this article, I will discuss two genes with deep-reaching impact and effects within the body, and show how they target systems and processes that are conducive to longevity. Let’s get started.
Increased Longevity Through Gene Activation
Two genes that confer many benefits for longevity are called SIRT-1 and AMPK. These genes work together to help your body manage inflammatory processes, handle immune activation (or deactivation) and facilitate detoxification. The same two genes also help to fine-tune your metabolism, shut down dysfunctional cells and also support your body’s recycling process otherwise known as autophagy.
Amanda Archibald takes you through AMPK and SIRT-1 Longevity Gene Hacks!
In other words, these genes help to achieve the homeostasis (balance) needed for increased longevity. Let’s talk about how this works so you can implement this in your life.
For more detailed insights into the information I present in this article, you can download a Longevity Gene Hacks road map and watch an explanatory video, or just keep on reading right here!
SIRT-1, AMPK and their influence on Antioxidants, Inflammation and Detoxification
When the “longevity” genes SIRT-1 and AMPK are activated, they activate another gene called FOXO.
FOXO initiates the production of your body’s own “super” antioxidants. These antioxidants are very powerful fire extinguishers, put out the fire of inflammation in your body that damages cells and tissues. A build up of inflammation over time increasing your risk for many chronic diseases.
SIRT-1 and AMPK also activate another anti-inflammatory and antioxidant producing molecule called NrF2
Not only does NrF2 also activate powerful antioxidants, it also deactivates pro-inflammatory switch Nf-kB. NrF2 also activates detoxification enzymes to help your body eliminate toxins and medications. Whenever you can reduce your inflammation burden, you improve your longevity potential..
And then there is Nf-kB
Nf-𝝹B is a master switch in your immune system. It becomes destructive, possibly contributing to the onset of autoimmune diseases if left on for too long. When SIRT-1 and AMPK are activated, they can directly deactivate Nf-𝝹B. So Nf-kB can be directly deactivated by SIRT-1 and AMPK, or by NrF2 which is also activated by the same two genes. Your body is smart and has many tools for dealing with inflammation.
As you are starting to see SIRT-1 and AMPK are two genes that can definitely increase your longevity potential? Let’s continue with some more insights.
SIRT-1 and AMPK help to optimize Several Metabolic Processes, Including Fat Burning!
SIRT-1 and AMPK activate the master gene PPARGC1A. This gene can ignite your fat-burning engine (fat for energy hooray!). It also prompts the creation of new mitochondria, the “power plants” in your cells. Your mitochondria are responsible for taking fats and carbohydrates and converting them into ATP, the energy currency of your body. The newer and more efficient your “power plants” the better you burn and utilize energy. Period.
Activating SIRT-1 and AMPK also helps to turn off m-TOR
m-TOR is needed to literally grow cells. Think babies and think muscles. This is a good thing. But growth can have a dark side. mTor activation can lead to the proliferation of unwanted cells, namely cancer cells. In this case, mTor needs to be kept in check and that is what SIRT-1 and AMPK do. Geeks can read more about mTOR here.
Another reason to keep mTOR in check (turned off), is to enable your body to preferentially burn fat, versus glucose as its energy source. What’s not to love about that? With mTor in the off position, your body can also move into ketone production mode, providing a valuable alternative energy source to glucose for your brain and body.
By promoting new mitochondria and deactivating m-TOR, SIRT-1 and AMPK can help to optimize your mitochondrial power plants and streamline your metabolism, both of which play into increased longevity.
SIRT-1 and AMPK help take out the trash and do the recycling too!
All of your cells have a lifespan and are consistently being replaced. All cells have a lifespan and when the clock runs out, they are programmed to self-destruct! Sometimes cells run beyond their programmed life and become dysfunctional. Or they become damaged along the way and become destructive to surrounding tissues. This is called senescence.
Once again SIRT-1 and AMPK to the rescue. They help the body shut down these poorly functioning cells by enhancing a process called apoptosis (programmed cell death). So you can think of this as the taking out the trash.
Now what about recycling and trash removal?
Both recycling and trash brings us back to our friend mTOR that we were just talking about.
In the “on” position, mTOR can prevent your body from entering into recycling mode. This is also referred to as autophagy. Think of autophagy as your body’s built-in house cleaning and recycling process.
It’s a process that often occurs in the middle of the night or after periods of fasting/energy deficit. Your body peacefully separates out useful recyclable materials like amino acids and sorts through piles of metabolic waste looking for toxic junk that need to be excreted. It is actually an innate process your body has for reusing materials needed to sustain you in case of potential starvation.
SIRT-1 and AMPK supports autophagy by keeping m-TOR in the off position.
Removing trash means less toxic burden in the body. Less toxic burden equates to increased longevity.
Nutrition and lifestyle strategies that contribute to increased longevity
Longevity is never based on just one thing. The foods you eat, the chemical environment you live in and the physical activity you do all contribute towards a life that can be longer, healthier and with less physical pain. Here are three strategies that can help you switch on our SIRT-1 and AMPK “longevity” genes.
“The foods you eat, the chemical environment you live in and the physical activity you do all contribute towards a life that can be longer, healthier and with less physical pain.”
Create an Energy Deficit
Our SIRT-1 and AMPK “longevity” genes are activated in a lower energy environment and are deactivated in when energy intake levels are high.
What this means is that SIRT-1 and AMPK are activated when you are hungry (energy deficit) and are deactivated when you overindulge (energy excess). Therefore eating until you’re 80 percent full, or using a time-restricted eating approach, can help increase your longevity by activating the genes that initiate all of the health-promoting processes we discussed.
Physical Activity
Another way to create an energy deficit is through physical activity. When you exercise and move around, your body is burning calories and subsequently creating an energy deficit. Energy deficits turn on SIRT-1 and AMPK!
“Exercise, eating until you are 80 percent full (no second helpings!) or using a Time Retricted Eating approach can activate your longevity genes.”
Eat a Mediterranean-Style Diet
Some of the Blue Zones mentioned earlier are in the Mediterranean (Italy and Greece). The Mediterranean is known for lower rates of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and increased longevity. Scientists have studied the health and lifestyles of the people in the Mediterranean and have documented several lifestyle habits they’ve used for generations—habits that are now being linked to longevity because of their influences on genes. Nutrigenomics (the science of how food communicates with our genes) shines a lens on how we might connect the Mediterranean “diet” with health.
The Mediterranean diet is often referred to as the “gold standard” of diets, touted by experts around the world as “the diet” to follow. Rich in vegetables and fruit, legumes and sometimes seafood, this eating style appears to hit all the nutrition targets anyone could need and also conveniently provides the right nutrient ammunition for your genes! Read how here.
And no conversation about the Mediterranean can take place without a nod to wine. People in the Mediterranean traditionally consume a small amount of wine (often red) with meals. Red grapes and red wine contain the bioactive compound called resveratrol. And guess which gene resveratrol activates? Yes the longevity genes SIRT-1!
So as you can see, what you eat, how much you eat and choosing to move truly can increase your longevity potential.
Key take-aways for increased longevity
Modern genomic medical science had confirmed two fundamental “longevity” associated genes: SIRT-1 and AMPK. These genes help to manage several processes including reducing inflammation, regulating immunity and detoxification, and improving metabolic efficiency.
If you are interested in understanding and increasing your longevity potential, consider working with a licensed healthcare professional with expertise in genetics, diet and lifestyle. Genetics is the blueprint for how you are build and provides key insights into how you can optimize genes that work in your favor, and create work arounds for genes that are not at their functional best. See how we work with genes at The Genomic Kitchen
Read More
Archibald, A. 2019. The Genomic Kitchen: Your Guide To Understanding And Using The Food-Gene Connection For A Lifetime Of Health
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