Welcome to the Healthspan Insider research roundup, where Mark reviews the latest science on longevity and optimisation. Here are the top studies of interest for this edition.
Watch the video below for Mark’s overview, including actionable takeaways for optimisers.
This edition’s optimisation and longevity studies
Below is Mark’s written commentary on this edition’s most important studies, translating the evidence into practical steps for better long-term health.
The longevity molecule hidden in naked mole-rats
Naked mole-rats resist cancer and ageing thanks to abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronan (HMM-HA). Researchers engineered mice to produce this molecule and found extended lifespan, lower cancer rates, reduced inflammation, and better gut, bone and cognitive function maintained into old age.
Jabe Brown, Founder and Functional Medicine Practitioner, comments, “This is interesting in the first instance because it relates to longevity, but more so for me because of the directional question it implies: Should we be doing cross-species gene-splicing?
Popping some naked mole-rat genes into a mouse is a short step away from doing the same with humans. I haven’t sat with it enough to really know how I feel, but I am sure it will be an area that is increasingly explored over the next few years and decades. An interesting space no matter your view”.
Your own cells could one day repair your body
Scientists have created “Anthrobots” – tiny self-assembling robots built from adult human lung cells, no genetic modification required. These living microstructures move on their own using cilia and, remarkably, can heal damage in neural tissue when placed near a wound.
Our bodies have a remarkable ability to heal. If we cut ourselves or damage our tissues in some way, then our body has an intuitive intelligence to fix the situation. What many people may not know is that this ability to self-heal is a universal quality of all biological systems. If you pull the bark off a tree, it grows back; if a dog injures its leg, it will heal; just as if we cut ourselves with a knife while preparing dinner, it too will heal. However, not all healing is the same. For sure, if we cut ourselves with a knife in the kitchen, it will heal, and we generally won’t have any perception that it is any different to what it has always been. But if that cut was deeper and damaged a nerve, then the wound would still heal, but we would likely experience a change in the feeling and sensation of the finger because of the damaged nerve.
Well, that may not necessarily have to be the case in the future. Scientists have successfully created microscopic Anthrobots through a complex process of culturing human lung cells. Remarkably, these cells self-organised into mobile biological ‘robots’, and when they encountered damaged tissue, the cells were able to differentiate and heal the injury, in this case to repair nerve tissue.
Whilst this is still very early research done in petri dishes, it opens the future possibility for us to improve functional healing in people who sustain injuries that would otherwise have permanent impacts, such as those who sustain spinal cord injuries.
Why how you walk matters as much as how much
Whilst step count is a good metric for overall physical activity, and we should all be aiming for at least 8,000 daily steps, this study found that how those steps are taken matters. In this large UK study, people who accumulated most of their steps in longer walking bouts (10 minutes or more) had substantially lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease than those who mostly took steps in short bursts under 5 minutes, even at the same total daily step count.
Key takeaways
- Prioritise bout length over step count alone: If you’re under 8,000 steps a day, aim to string together at least one or two walks of 10 to 15 minutes rather than only accumulating steps through incidental movement like housework
- Most important if you’re sedentary: This pattern mattered most for those under 5,000 daily steps, so if you’re in this group, adding even one sustained 10-minute walk may lower your cardiovascular risk more than simply moving around more sporadically
- Build a daily walking anchor: Attach a dedicated walk to an existing routine, such as after breakfast or during a phone call, since sustained bouts appeared to more reliably engage the cardiometabolic pathways linked to lower CVD risk than fragmented movement
Omega-3 may protect against dementia before 65
Early-onset dementia (before age 65) has been little studied when it comes to diet. In this UK Biobank study of over 217,000 middle-aged adults, higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids were linked to a substantially lower risk of developing dementia before 65, with the strongest protection seen at the highest levels measured.
Key takeaways
- Raise blood omega-3 earlier, not just later in life: This study found benefits in adults aged 40 to 64, so consider testing and optimising omega-3 status well before the age ranges typically targeted for dementia prevention. Ask your practitioner for an omega-3 index test – a level above 4 is just the minimum; I’d point you toward 8-10 as the more protective range to aim for
- Look beyond DHA alone: Non-DHA omega-3 fatty acids showed slightly stronger associations with lower risk than DHA on its own, so encourage a broad-spectrum approach combining fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and oily foods such as avocado, in combination with omega-3 supplementation rather than DHA-only products
- Supplement if your diet falls short: Most people on a Western diet struggle to hit sufficient levels through food alone, an algal EPA/DHA supplement works if you’re vegan, fish oil otherwise, with flaxseed and olive oil as helpful but less concentrated additions
The plant compounds that talk to your mitochondria
Polyphenols found in foods like berries, green tea, turmeric and grapes may help slow ageing by protecting mitochondria, your cells’ energy factories. This review pulls together evidence on how compounds like resveratrol, EGCG, curcumin and quercetin work through your gut microbiome and cellular signalling to reduce inflammation and support healthy cell ageing, though most evidence so far comes from lab and animal studies rather than large human trials.
Key takeaways
- Prioritise polyphenol diversity over single compounds: Rather than relying on one supplement, include a varied intake of berries, green tea, turmeric, grapes and pomegranate, since different polyphenols act on complementary pathways involved in mitochondrial health and inflammation. An easy rule to remember is “Eat the Rainbow”
- Support your gut microbiome to get polyphenol benefits: Much of the protective effect depends on gut bacteria converting polyphenols into active metabolites like urolithin A, so building a fibre-rich, diverse diet with polyphenol-rich foods is essential groundwork before supplements
- Treat pomegranate-derived compounds as an emerging mitochondrial tool: Urolithin A is derived from the gut microbiome converting ellagitannins and ellagic acid into this post-biotic biologically active compound, which has been shown to be a very effective mitophagy inducer. This suggests that the host-microbiome is an important mediator in the metabolism of these beneficial compounds. Speak with your practitioner about optimising gut health, and appropriate supplementation with urolithin-A
Where collagen delivers, and where it doesn’t yet
Collagen production naturally declines with age, and supplements have become popular to counter this. This large review, pooling 113 clinical trials across 8,000 people, found collagen supplementation consistently improves skin elasticity, hydration and osteoarthritis symptoms, with more modest but real benefits for muscle mass and strength, while effects on oral health and metabolic markers remain inconsistent.
Key takeaways
- Set expectations around timeframes: Skin and joint benefits in this review built up over months, so if you’re trying collagen, commit to daily intake for at least several months before judging whether it’s working for you
- Prioritise collagen for joint and skin goals over metabolic ones: The evidence strongly supports collagen for osteoarthritis pain relief and skin hydration, but current data doesn’t yet justify recommending it as a primary strategy for blood sugar, cholesterol or blood pressure management
- Pair with resistance training for muscle benefits: Collagen’s effect on strength and muscle appears to build gradually and structurally, so it works best alongside a resistance training routine rather than as a standalone strategy for building muscle
Health optimisation and longevity studies
Additional studies that stood out in this edition’s research landscape:
- The Story of Epigenetics
- Safety and efficacy of rapamycin on healthspan metrics after one year: PEARL Trial Results
- The epigenetic control of inflammaging in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue
- Dietary pyrroloquinoline quinone and spermidine in healthy longevity: targeting the hallmarks of aging
- Aging-associated decline of phosphatidylcholine synthesis is a malleable trigger of natural mitochondrial aging
- Gut microbial trimethylamine N-oxide generation promotes risk of atrial fibrillation via muscarinic receptor-mediated autonomic dysfunction
Thanks for reading this edition of the Healthspan Insider. We hope this edition’s insights support you on your optimisation journey.
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