Cutting-Edge Longevity Research You Should Know About

All of the scientific evidence we know to be true today was, at some point, up-and-coming. For example, clinical studies backing the Mediterranean diet's role in longevity or evidence showing that fermented foods are good for the gut were all novelty research studies once upon a time. 

Looking forward, 25 years from now, there will be endless research on the human body and longevity, much of which is in the works as we speak. While we're not going to tell you to hop on a bandwagon with no stable wheels, we do find cutting-edge research exciting and worth keeping in mind, especially in the product-cluttered wellness market. 

First up, we have senolytics—compounds that clear out old, malfunctioning cells, also known as senescent or zombie cells. In general, you want fewer zombie cells in your body because they can degrade nearby cells and trigger inflammation1.

While you naturally clear out these zombie cells, the process slows down with age, leading to a buildup that can contribute to various health issues and accelerated physical aging.

In her investigative work as a longevity expert, Dychtwald has observed a growing urgency around senolytic research, likely driven by consumer demand for more support in healthy aging.

Next up, we have focused ultrasounds—a new therapy Dychtwald has seen work firsthand. "Focused ultrasounds [are] amazing and is also in clinical trials right now," she says, noting that it's being tested for more than just one or two health conditions.

This technology offers a new way to treat diseases by targeting and eliminating groups of dysfunctional or cancerous cells. The best part? There's no surgery, no chemotherapy, no pain, and it only takes 15 minutes, she explains.

The focused sound waves converge to break up and eliminate the harmful cells, Dychtwald shares. Her husband, who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, tried this new therapy with great success.

"It has been approved for prostate cancer as well as certain breast cancers, certain varieties of Parkinson's, and they are even, right now, doing clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease, which is amazing," Dychtwald says about focused ultrasounds.

The one downside is that the procedure requires the patient to undergo general anesthesia. "That's the only negative," she says. That being said, her husband got up from the procedure, came home, and went to work shortly after, a testament to the short downtime.

Women were left out of medical research for far too long, but we're seeing more pickup in recent years (we wrote an in-depth Well-Being Forecast article about it if you want the backstory). Dychtwald expresses excitement about this new area, especially when it comes to the following: 

Intermittent fasting

"We all know that intermittent fasting is kind of a great hack for keeping ourselves on a calorically restricted diet, and we know that that's been linked to longevity. But it's different for women than it is for men," she says. 

Dychtwald explains that she interviewed one of the pioneers in intermittent fasting research, Valter Longo, Ph.D., for her book Ageless Aging. Previous to this conversation, intermittent fasting had been a sweeping recommendation for caloric restriction for weight loss and even linked to longevity…in some cases. 

However, "He told me it's very different for women than men, that women need more protein, and they really should not be doing intermittent fasting more than 12 to 13 hours," Dychtwald says. 

So, while intermittent fasting may have some health benefits and work great for some people, women should take more caution. Research has shown that while this eating method can support weight loss for women, it can also alter some important energy-giving hormone levels. 

The benefits of exercise

"When it comes to exercise now, there's some good news for women: They can exercise [for] less time and less vigorously and still get the same impact that men get," Dychtwald says, referring to a research study published earlier this year4. 

In a nutshell, the study states that women and men can both reap a 19% boost in their survival rate through exercise, but it took men 300 minutes of exercise weekly to reach this goal, whereas women who were active for 140 minutes each week saw the same result. 

While new clinical studies may not be the most actionable (it's best to know something is safe before you test it out), plenty of promising research is on the horizon.

Among the list of new innovations Dychtwald is excited about are senolytics, focused ultrasounds, and women-centric research studies. For more women's health and longevity tips, tune into the latest episode—it's a fascinating conversation.