With so much excitement surrounding longevity, we wanted to highlight three common misconceptions and what the latest research shows is the best way to support your health optimisation routine. This article will look at how NAD+ supplements, lifestyle factors and genetics all influence aging and what you can do to upgrade your longevity.
#1 Only drugs are powerful enough to slow aging
Your body cannot tell the difference between a supplement, a drug or a nutrient derived from food. They are ALL biologically active. The notion that supplements or food substances have no impact on your body is a huge misconception.
Studies consistently show that natural molecules found in food and supplements have very powerful effects on both biological aging and cellular health, with natural compounds often outperforming drug molecules during testing.
Many of the active ingredients in Nuchido TIME+ are derived from natural plant extracts, including green tea extract (EGCG), parsley leaf extract (apigenin), Sephora japonica (quercetin and rutin) and during clinical trials Nuchido TIME+ has been shown to reverse biological age and improve other markers of cellular health.
#2 Your genes determine how well you will age
It was long believed that how well you will age was at the fate of your genes. But research now shows that your genes only account for around 20% of your longevity. The other 80% is all determined by lifestyle factors such as diet, sleep, exercise, supplementation and stress management which all impact your rate of aging.
Lifestyle factors are known to alter your epigenetics, this is the system that dictates how your DNA is expressed i.e., which parts are ‘read’, and which parts aren’t. An individual with a sedentary lifestyle who smokes and consumes excessive alcohol will have an epigenetic pattern that promotes inflammation, reduced NAD+ production, reduced energy production and reduced cellular repair. This will differ greatly to the epigenetic profile of someone who is active and eats nutritious food and doesn’t smoke. Positive lifestyle habits will change your epigenetic pattern so that genes which support cellular repair and regeneration are switched on.
So, whilst you can’t change your genes, how you live your life is entirely in your hands.
#3 Everyone needs the same longevity routine
Everyone’s biology is unique, so the routines and habits that work well for one person might not be best for you. It is important to understand your body, and tailor your routine to your needs. Diet, types of exercise and supplementation should all be based on your specific requirements.
There are several tests which are commonly available that you can do to learn more about your unique biology including:
- Your genetic profile – this can identify common mutation such as MTHFR or COMT, which allow you to understand how your body reacts to supplements, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. For example, someone with the MTHFR mutation will need to supplement with the active form of folate (methylfolate) rather than just folic acid because they lack the ability to convert folic acid into the active form.
- Blood tests when you are healthy – this provides you with a snapshot of your current health and identifies any deficiencies you may have e.g. B12, Vitamin D or iron, enabling you to tailor your supplements or alter your diet to meet your specific requirements. It also provides you with your own baseline data for when you are healthy, allowing you to quickly spot any changes.
- Your biological age – your biological age reflects how well your cells are aging and how much damage they have accumulated. It is also a predictor of how well you will age in the future. Those with a biological age higher than their chronological age are aging at an accelerated rate. As biological age is strongly influenced by lifestyle it is a good marker of how your lifestyle habits are impacting your cellular health.