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Summary of Transcript:
The host, Peter Attia, is joined by Steve Horvath to discuss longevity. Horvath’s background is not typical for someone working in the field of longevity, and he attributes his unique perspective to his varied upbringing. Horvath grew up in Southern California but moved around frequently with his family; he attended 20 different grade schools and was homeschooled during their travels. In high school, he was interested in math but found his true passion for reading and writing in college, where he earned an English degree. Horvath once weighed just 79 pounds in high school and wrested in the 98-pound weight class, but he had a growth spurt during college. He moved to New York City to pursue a career as a novelist.
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Summary of Description:
Steve Austad, a professor of biology at the University of Alabama, discusses his research into aging with Peter Attia on “The Peter Attia Drive” podcast. They cover Steve’s unusual childhood and early career as a cab driver and lion tamer. They then delve into the challenges and limitations of working with lab animals in aging research. They explore the connection between caloric restriction and lifespan, discuss the differences between mice and rats in rodent aging experiments, and consider the potential benefits of dietary protocols like fasting. They also reflect on sex differences in human lifespan, examine the importance of identifying longevity biomarkers, and review the molecules showing the most promise as longevity agents.
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Steve Austad, a distinguished professor of biology at the University of Alabama, recently spoke with Peter Attia on his podcast, “The Peter Attia Drive.” In this episode, Steve discussed his unusual childhood, which included stints as a cab driver and a lion tamer.
Steve’s current research focuses on the underlying causes of aging and developing medical interventions that slow age-related decay. However, he acknowledged the challenges and limitations of working with laboratory animals, particularly mice.
The conversation also delved into the relationship between caloric restriction and lifespan, with Steve and Peter discussing some of the most important studies exploring this question. They also discussed the potential biomarkers of longevity and the most promising molecules as potential longevity agents.
Throughout the podcast, Steve and Peter engaged in a thought-provoking discussion, exploring the nuances of the aging process and the diverse approaches to understanding it. They ultimately reflect on why women tend to live longer than men and the importance of physiological markers in predicting lifespan.
As a physician focusing on the applied science of longevity, Peter’s podcast covers various topics, from fasting and ketosis to Alzheimer’s disease and mental health. With over 30 million episodes downloaded, his podcast has become a reliable source of information for those looking to maximize their health and longevity.
Listeners can subscribe to The Peter Attia Drive on various platforms, including Apple, Overcast, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, to receive exclusive subscriber-only content. They can also sign up for Peter’s email newsletter or follow him on social media to stay current on the latest research and developments in longevity science.
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Source Description
Steve Austad is a distinguished professor of biology at the University of Alabama and director of one of the Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in aging biology. Steve’s current research seeks to understand the underlying causes of aging, specifically with a long-term goal of developing medical interventions that slow the age-related decay of human health. In this episode, Steve tells Peter about his unusual childhood and stints as a cab driver and lion tamer. He describes what led to his focus on studying aging and some of the major challenges and limitations of working with laboratory animals. Steve and Peter discuss the relationship between caloric restriction and lifespan, including some of the most important studies exploring this question. Additionally, they hypothesize what might explain the sex-related differences in longevity between men and women, explain the importance of finding longevity biomarkers, and discuss the most promising molecules as potential longevity agents.
We discuss:
00:00:00 – Intro
00:00:10 – Steve’s background and unusual childhood
00:07:19 – Steve’s adventures driving a cab in New York City
00:12:11 – How Steve drove to LA and accidentally became a lion tamer
00:22:18 – How Steve’s early graduate school experiences led him to study longevity
00:30:35 – The challenges and limitations of working with lab mice
00:43:49 – The connection between caloric restriction and lifespan
00:52:30 – Mice vs. rats and rodent aging experiments
00:57:32 – The impact of dietary composition and the harm of sucrose: Comparing two caloric-restriction studies in monkeys
01:12:22 – Challenges of studying animals due to major differences in the lab animal vs. wild animals
01:28:22 – Human studies of calorie restriction
01:37:18 – Better dietary protocols for humans: Alternatives to long-term caloric restriction
01:42:12 – The protective effect of fasting
01:50:53 – Reflecting on the sex differences in human lifespan and why women have more neurodegenerative diseases
02:10:17 – The importance of identifying longevity biomarkers and which ones show the potential to change the landscape of longevity research
02:21:35 – Molecules showing the most promise as longevity agents
Show notes page: https://peterattiamd.com/steveaustad/
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About:
The Peter Attia Drive is a weekly, ultra-deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing health, longevity, critical thinking…and a few other things. With over 30 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including fasting, ketosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.
Peter is a physician focusing on the applied science of longevity. His practice extensively deals with nutritional interventions, exercise physiology, sleep physiology, emotional and mental health, and pharmacology to increase lifespan (delay the onset of chronic disease) while improving healthspan (quality of life).
Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com.
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