How to Improve Your Epigenetics and Reduce Aging

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One of the most exciting things about epigenetics research and DNA methylation is that epigenetic patterns are modifiable, and methylation sites appear to adjust rapidly to environmental inputs.

 

Diet: Biological aging nutrition research suggests that a nutrient-dense diet high in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains can lower your biological age. In addition, patients should limit their intake of sugar, alcohol, and “chemical foods” (aka. processed, packaged foods).

 

Exercise: Research into biological aging has identified a connection between excessive activity levels and lower biological age. There seems to be a healthy amount of exercise that is most effective for reducing biological age – not too little and not too much. Focus on aiming for 30 minutes of activity 5 days a week.

 

Stress: Biological age appears to increase with both physical and psychological stress., Incorporating ways to manage and mitigate stress, including mindfulness meditation, can significantly impact your biological age.

 

Sleep Habits: If you’re struggling to get good quality sleep, it may negatively impact your health and longevity and increase your biological age.  Quality sleep is vital to your health, and if you get improved deep sleep, in particular, it can positively impact your biological age. It’s during deep sleep that our bodies restore, revitalize, and repair damaged cells and tissues.

 

Physical Environment: Environmental toxins found in food, personal care items, air, soil, water, and dirty electricity present a real threat to your biological age. You can reduce your biological age by avoiding or reducing your exposure to common environmental toxins.

 

Bioidentical Hormone Optimization:  A pivotal study in 2009 by 3 U.S. researches, suggested bioidentical hormones improve telomere length, improving protection on our genes.  These physicians won the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

 

Growth Hormone Peptides:

Peptides are small proteins buildup of less than 50 amino acids. These compounds exert a variety of functions in the human body and are able to modulate epigenetic mechanisms.  Currently research is exploring the use of peptides and epigenetic protection.  Dr. Birken takes an amino acid supplement before bed but growth hormone peptide injections, including the oral ibutamoren, may improve growth hormone levels as well.

Supplements:
Dr. Birken recommends the following supplements:
Vitamin D

Indole Forte

B Complex

Turmeric

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Berberine

Amino acids

NMN – please see article in our current newsletter

 

 

Health Benefits of NMN

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How do NMN supplements change our bodily functions for the better? Here are some examples:

  • Better brain process: scientists discovered that dispensing the NMN molecule in mice helps blood vessel dilation, which improves brain blood flow to help it function more effectively.
  • Boost eye function: lower levels of NAD+ have been shown to contribute to neurodegeneration in the eye and eyesight loss. By replenishing NAD+, it should be achievable to decrease this decline and improve vision.
  • Enhanced muscle endurance: NMN supplements are also being monitored to improve general fitness and conditioning levels. NAD+ metabolizes fatty acids and glucose, which muscles utilize to support their structure and remain healthy.
  • Fighting obesity: NMN has also been linked to lower levels of obesity. One study found that a three-week NMN treatment in mice resulted in improved liver and plasma triglyceride levels, reduced fat mass and better glucose tolerance.
  • Heart function: the human heart continues at a steady pace throughout your life and consumes a massive amount of energy for which it depends on NMN. A study uncovered that treating older mice with NMN and SS-31 could improve heart function .
  • Improving mitochondria function: We cannot live without mitochondria – and it cannot live without NAD+. These cell powerhouses are vital for metabolism and converting molecules from the food we eat into energy.
  • Protection against diabetes: low insulin sensitivity levels are a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Here, the body becomes less reactive to insulin levels in the bloodstream, which can raise the risks of gaining weight and, ultimately diabetes.
  • Repairing DNA: NMN creates NAD+, which can trigger sirtuins – which play an important role in maintaining DNA integrity. A study found that giving activated sirtuins could stabilize telomeres, reduce DNA damage and contribute to the reduction of liver disease .

Intermittent Fasting and Other Diets for Weight Loss

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From Medical News Today

Benefits

Many of the benefits of intermittent fasting are attributed to daily fasting periods of no less than 12 hours, although some research suggests that a minimum of 16 hours of fasting may be required.

Generally, during 12–36 hours of uninterrupted fasting, the liver glycogen stores become depleted, overall metabolic processes are altered, and positive health effects are observed.

Here are some of the science-backed benefits of intermittent fasting.

 

  1. Improved cholesterol levels

Findings across animal and human research show favorable changes in cholesterol levels.

Intermittent fasting has the potential to reduce total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol or “good” cholesterol.

Elevated total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels are risk factors for heart disease.

 

  1. Blood sugar control

Intermittent fasting can improve blood sugar control by reducing insulin resistance, and increasing insulin sensitivity.

This results in lower fasting blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin — HbA1c — levels.

In fact, experimental research in adult males with type 2 diabetes showed the potential for intermittent fasting as a therapeutic approach that may reduce the need for insulin therapy.

 

  1. Changes in body composition

Changes in body weight and composition are among the most studied effects of intermittent fasting.

Several studies have shown that weight loss of between 3–7% body weight in an average of 8 weeks was achievable through intermittent fasting. Research also noted that this method could result in fat loss.

Fasting in a 14:10 pattern — an eating window of 10 hours and a daily fast of 14 hours — can act on the risk factors of metabolic syndrome, including by reducing waist circumference, body fat percentage, and visceral fat.

Intermittent fasting can thus ease metabolic syndrome, a set of risk factors that increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

 

  1. Other health benefits

A 2015 review of 2,650 adult females indicated that reducing calorie intake in the evenings, and fasting for longer periods at night, may lower inflammation and the risk of breast cancer and other inflammatory conditions.

Observational research of 26,092 adult males over a 16-year period suggested that reducing late-night eating through time-restricted eating may significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.

Other areas of health that intermittent fasting is being explored in include longevity and neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease.

 

Potential downsides

Despite the many touted benefits of intermittent fasting, there are also some downsides.

 

Side effects

Intermittent fasting may be safe for heart and metabolic health, but according to a 2017 review, it may induce negative side effects in some people, such as:

increased feelings of hunger

heightened irritability

worsened mood

increased thoughts about food

fatigue

fears of feeling out of control around food

overeating during eating windows

difficulty concentrating.

Quality of evidence

Additionally, most of the research on intermittent fasting is based on animal research, with little long-term human research available.

Furthermore, a 2021 review found that only six out of 104 alleged health benefits of intermittent fasting were supported by moderate- to high-quality evidence, and most findings were based on low-quality research.

This means that more rigorous human research on the long-term health benefits of intermittent fasting is warranted.

Alternatives

Intermittent fasting is not the only type of diet to result in the aforementioned benefits.

Calorie restriction

Calorie restriction involving a reduction of about 25% of daily energy needs without a change in mealtimes had a positive effect on promoting overall health.

Some research suggests that the health outcomes of intermittent fasting are no greater than those observed in calorie restriction diets.

In fact, outcomes for weight and/ or fat loss, body fat percentage, and metabolic risk factors are comparable between the two.

However, research on intermittent fasting shows a greater adherence over longer periods compared to calorie restriction and suggests that it may be a more sustainable approach.

Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is a renowned dietary pattern based on the traditional eating patterns of the Mediterranean basin.

Like the potential heart-friendly benefits of intermittent fasting, research shows that long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet reduces the occurrence of heart attack and stroke by up to 30% after approximately 5 years.

Additional research on the Mediterranean diet demonstrates its protective nature against the development of colorectal cancer and the loss of nerve cells in Parkinson’s disease.

A major benefit of the Mediterranean diet compared to intermittent fasting is that similar results can be achieved without the need for fasting.

The bottom line

Intermittent fasting describes a variety of eating patterns that alternate periods of fasting and eating with a consistent, recurring pattern over the course of a week.

Time-restricted eating is the most popular form of intermittent fasting and uses the principles of chrono-nutrition to lengthen night-time fasting and potentially reduce chronic disease risk.

Intermittent fasting may improve cholesterol levels, blood sugar control, weight and/ or fat loss, lower inflammation, promote longevity, and support neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease.

However, most of the research on intermittent fasting is based on animal studies and human research is sparse and often of low quality.

Alternative non-fasting diets that produce similar results to intermittent fasting include calorie restriction and the Mediterranean diet.