From Silicon Valley investors to the new wave of longevity tech start-ups, a growing body sees ageing as something to be tracked and hacked, with your stats as much within your control as your gym PBs. But how easy is it for the average man to better his biological age? MH reviews the latest science.
Want to put the breaks on brain-ageing? A University of California, Riverside study found those who practised three skills simultaneously say, learning a language, mastering gymnastics and taking a career-boosting online tutorial had cognitive abilities decades below their actual age. In a good way, we mean. Download the Udemy app, with over 100,000 video courses, and upgrade your commute.
If you neglected to pack trainers today, dont sweat: in a University of North Florida study, participants who ran barefoot for 15 minutes improved their powers of recall by 16% in subsequent tests, while shoe-clad sprinters saw no improvement. Researchers credit the additional proprioceptive demands. Joggings backwards has been shown to have a similar effect.
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Want to wind back your biological clock without lifting a finger? Tag a sauna session on to your next workout. The University of Eastern Finland tracked more than 2,300 middle-aged men and found that those who used a sauna two or more times a week lived longer, while further studies have linked it to slower brain ageing, too.
Shrinking your calorie intake can do more than trim excess timber. Its one of the most promising methods of slowing ageing, says Varun Dwaraka, bioinformatician at anti-ageing tech company TruDiagnostic, who points to its benefits to blood sugar regulation and vascular density in the brain. That doesnt mean all-day deprivation, though. Experiment with one of these protocols.
Eat your meals during daylight hours particularly during the winter months. Its been linked to a slower rate of ageing in studies conducted on animals.
Schedule a five-day cut. A fasting-mimicking diet in which you drop your calories for a period of just a few days has been shown to switch on anti-ageing genes in research by longevity biochemist Valter Longo.
Or quit meatfor a few days a week. Some researchers believe our bodies infer a state of scarcity when on a plant-only diet, meaning flexitarianism might deliver some of the benefits of fasting.
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Cardio alone wont cut it. Maintaining strength is arguably the most important thing you can do to ensure high quality of life in middle-age and beyond, says Professor Matt Kaeberlein, an expert in ageing at UW Medicine. In fact, one study in The Journals Of Gerontology found that older men with greater muscle strength were 50% less likely to die prematurely. Focus on compound movements and lift three or four times each week, jsays Professor Kaeberlein.
Plant polyphenols such as fisetin and quercetin have the power to seek and destroy senescent cells, aka zombie cells. These are cells that essentially have been paused and start to secrete inflammatory markers, leading to frailty and disease, says TruDiagnostics Ryan Smith. Berries, apples, kiwis and grapes are top sources. As a bonus? Raising vitamin C levels has also been linked to maintaining muscle mass over the age of 50.
This year, scientists in Cambridge pioneered a new technique to reverse ageing in human skin cells by 30 years. But until thats available, try these low-cost hacks:
Drink from the (chocolate) fountain of youth. A study by Koreas Seoul National University found that 12g of cacao a day can reverse sun-related ageing, lessening the depth of fine lines. Add a spoonful to your shakes.
Top up on the sunshine vitamin. Sun damage might be the leading cause of skin ageing, but vitamin D, ironically, plays a key role in its rejuvenation. Pop a supp from October to March. And dont forget the SPF.
Plump up with collagen peptides. Research in the journal Nutrients shows this skin-boosting amino acid can reduce wrinkling and improve elasticity in 12 weeks. Vital Proteins works out at 1.40 a serving.
Inflammation ages you. In fact, Stanford scientists have even developed a test to identify your bodys inflammatory age, or iAge. One way to cool off: a separate Stanford study found that adding two or more low-sugar fermented foods or drinks to your daily diet think: kimchi, miso, tempeh and kefir has significant benefits for gut microbiome diversity, lowering vitality-sapping inflammation. Cottage cheese is another strong choice and very high in protein, too.
Research suggests an active 50-year-old can be every bit as fit as a man 30 years younger. And theres good news for the time-pressed: intensity has been found to matter more than duration. Try sprint training: a Journal Of Physiology study found that it lowered markers of inflammation (and ageing). Men in the study did three weekly sessions for six weeks, doing two or three rounds of 6-10 x 20m sprints. Run down those numbers.
Mobility matters as much as your muscle gains. Performing frequent flexibility-boosting exercises has been linked to a 24% reduced risk of functional limitation in later life, according to a Sports Medicine And Health Science review. In particular, make time to stretch out your posterior chain via toe-touches, downward dogs, lunges, etc, holding for 10 to 15 seconds. Doing so will anti-age your arteries, as well as boost your performance.
The length of our telomeres that is, the caps that protect our chromosomes is considered to be a key marker of biological ageing. And a new study from the University of Leicester has found a surprisingly simple way to hack them: quit dawdling. By studying the genetic data of more than 400,000 Brits, theyve estimated that a lifetime of brisk walking could take 16 years off a persons biological age by midlife.
Hormone therapy is on the rise among middle-aged men chasing eternal youth. But before you dabble in doping, try some of these far simpler testosterone-raising strategies:
Fill up on fats. Research has consistently linked the monounsaturated fats found in the likes of olive oil, avocado and nuts to higher testosterone. Meats not the only man food.
Go for a daily walk before work. Not only does early-morning sun exposure benefit your sleep (a lack of which tanks T levels), it also raises sex hormone levels, according to Tel Aviv scientists.
Watch your waistband. A four-point increase in your BMI can accelerate age-related testosterone decline by 10 years, particularly when fat accumulates around your middle.
The gold star in your spice rack, turmeric has been linked to everything from pain relief to immunity. A study from Syracuse University adds further bulk to this list of benefits, with animal studies showing that it can counteract age-related muscle loss, while the University of Tehran reports it might be able to reduce cellular damage, too. Knock back a juice shot at breakfast.
More than a quarter of us only visit the dentist when we have a major problem. But its worth booking in for a check-up. According to Andrew Steele, scientist and author of Ageless, better dental hygiene is one of the best ways to stave off the risk of heart disease and dementia, by eliminating the low-level gum inflammation that can accelerate age-related illness.
The number of people over 30 with high blood pressure has doubled over the past three decades and its accelerating the rate at which our brains are ageing, reports Frontiers In Aging Neuroscience. Aside from the obvious factors exercise, sleep, stress and alcohol the newest research suggests scoring your protein from a wider variety of sources can have a huge impact, dragging down your risk by two thirds. Mix up your meat with seafood, beans and eggs.
Read more from the original source:
22 Ways To Look and Feel 5 Years Younger - Men's Health
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