The Genetics of Aging: Unlocking the Secrets of Longevity

Unlock the secrets of longevity with Dr. Tiffany Montgomery and Angie Crouch, as we journey through the intricate connection between genetics and aging. Strap in for an episode where we reveal how something as routine as exercise can rewrite the future of your DNA, much like a well-maintained car promises a longer road life. We're not just talking about sweat; we're discussing superhero-level interventions for your genes, the marvel of telomeres acting as protective caps, and how Angie's marathon tales exemplify our genetic discoveries. It's a conversation that will change the way you view your daily routine and its profound influence on the clockwork of your cells.

As we peer into the crystal ball of health, Dr. Montgomery steers us through the personalized landscape of nutrition and how a unique test like the P23 Optimum test from P23 Health could revolutionize your well-being strategy. And let's not shy away from the future—it's a bold, AI-enhanced world where education and genetics merge, promising to extend our years with quality and vitality. Get ready for an odyssey that isn't just about living longer, but living smarter, with cutting-edge science as our co-pilot. Tune in and transform your understanding of aging, health, and the genetic blueprint that makes you uniquely you.

Transcript

Theme Song: 0:04

P23 Knowledge, access, power. P23, wellness and Understanding at your fingertips P23. And that's no cap.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 0:21

Welcome back to Demystifying DNA, where we delve into the marvels of genetics and their impact on our lives. I'm your host, Dr. Tiffany Montgomery, scientist, epidemiologist and the curious one, CEO of P23 Health. Joining me today is my co-host, angie Crouch. Angie Crouch is a member of our executive team at P23, but beyond that, Angie is a wife, a mom, a sister, a best friend, a daughter and so much more to her community. She serves as her kid's basketball coach. She also serves as the cheerleader. She participates in all types of private little sports leagues and clubs and groups. She's just a very well-rounded person for today's episode, as we think about longevity and where we're going, I could think of no other co-hosts. So I would like to take a moment and ask you all to welcome Angie to today's episode.

Angie Crouch: 1:46

Thank you, Dr. T that is a wonderful introduction. You always give the best introductions from the start. I'm just like, how do I follow that up? So thank you, dr T, you are also very amazing.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 1:59

Well, you are very welcome, Angie. I always like to introduce and reintroduce my co-host so that people understand the dynamic of the conversation that they're going to be receiving and the perspective that goes into that conversation. As we become more aware of our surroundings and taking control of our health and being empowered, we have to, with a conscious mind, think about who we're listening to and what they're going to contribute to the conversation. So thank you for allowing me to introduce you and thank you for joining us today. I think it's also important, when we use people within our organization or group or that has some type of relationship with us, we go ahead and establish. We didn't pick a person who was just available at the time of this recording. We pick people who bring value and insight to the conversation and to the organization.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 3:02

In today's episode the genetics of aging unlocking the secrets of longevity we embark on a journey to understand how genetics influence the aging process. We'll dive into the latest research and unravel the complex relationship between our genes and longevity. From the role of telemiras to breakthroughs in genetic research, join us as we explore the biological foundations of aging. Let's dive in with Angie for what promises to be a fascinating discussion. So, Angie, I know that we kind of talked about longevity and we talked about how that relates to DNA. We've talked about it on social media, we've talked about it internally in our R&D meetings and you have brought some very fascinating questions that I wanted to make sure we answer today for our audience. I know that our audience may have even additional questions, right, and we look forward to getting those in the DMs or through emails in the comments sections so that we can bring them to a forum like this and really discuss them. But I wanted to give you a chance, angie, to open up with a couple of questions that you might have.

Angie Crouch: 4:32

Okay, wonderful. So, I do have a question. I have been regularly exercising, I want to say, for the past two years I made the most insane decision to run a marathon and since then, when I started training, I just kept it going for the last two years. So I want to know how does this regular exercise impact genetic factors associated with aging?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 4:59

All right. So first tell me about this marathon. How long was it? I don't know why do.

Angie Crouch: 5:06

I highly do not recommend. I have done three marathons and when I tell you I'm done, nobody believes me. But I'm wondering if I'm actually not done, Can this exercise and my regular routines of exercise? Does it actually influence my genetic markers of longevity, or am I just like? Am I killing myself faster? Am I using all the energy I have in my body Like what's happening?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 5:35

So it is definitely helping you and empowering you, and we're going to talk about a little bit on the why. So we're going to start very basic and then we're going to get into some of the heavy science terms and then we'll go back to the basic because I don't want to lose you on this great question. So I want you to imagine that our bodies are like cars and just like cars need maintenance to keep running well. Our body needs things to stay healthy and strong. One important thing our bodies need is exercise, which is like doing fun activities right Then make our muscles and our hearts grow stronger. So we're going to just say they're fun. We're going to say running is fun, exercising is fun, even when we don't want to do it. We have to remember it's really fun for our bodies. Your body is filling that fun, even if you're mind or mentally you're thinking I don't want to get out of bed, I don't feel like running. This is like an amusement park for your body. It brings your body joy.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 6:47

Inside of our body we have these tiny things called genes that act like instruction books. These instruction books tell our bodies how to grow, how to stay healthy, how to work properly as we grow older, some parts of the instruction book may start to wear out. You want to think about pages getting torn or crumpled as you read a book over and over. Right? Exercise is like a superhero that keeps these instruction books in good shape. It makes the pages more difficult to crumble or tear. It's like laminating your favorite book, right? These are our tools to help us really protect and take care of our book. There are also special parts in our bodies, like telomeres. I want you to imagine them as little, tiny protectors. These are like, if you think about, if you have a three-hole punch or a three-ring binder and they have binder reinforcements that go on those binder holes so that they don't tear. Those are like your telemores. They're little, special, tiny protectors to go where you need them most, and exercise is what helps keep them strong.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 8:13

When we exercise, it's like giving our bodies a special power boost. It helps our bodies stay strong, fight off bad things and keep our energy factories, our mitochondria, working well. Think of it as giving our bodies the right tools to be strong and healthy for a long time. So exercise is like a magical potion that helps keep us healthy. It helps us to stay in a healthy state and it can make our bodies feel strong and younger as we grow older. Just like eating good food and getting enough sleep, exercise is one of the special things that we can do to take care of our bodies and help us stay happy, strong and healthy a very long time.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 9:10

This happens because our lifestyle factors epigenetics will modulate the expression of certain genes that contribute to our overall health and longevity. These genetic factors are associated with aging that help our telomerase length maintenance. So those protective caps that we talked about and regular exercise helps maintain the integrity or the length of those telomerase. Longer telomerase are generally considered a marker of cellular health and are linked to increase longevity. That's how long you live, but not just how long you live, how well you live. Right, gene expression and DNA methylation, which is something that we are going to talk about and we kind of mentioned it earlier. But exercise can influence gene expression and DNA methylation patterns. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that can regulate gene activity. Some studies suggest that exercise may lead to changes in DNA methylation patterns associated with aging. This could potentially slow down the aging process.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 10:28

Mitochondrial function is another factor. Exercise has been shown to improve mitochondrial function. Mitochondrial are the energy producing organelles in the cells. Their dysfunction is associated with aging. Regular physical activity can enhance mitochondrial biogenesis and function, which may contribute to overall cellular health and longevity. And then we've also got inflammation and immune function.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 11:02

Chronic inflammation is a factor in many age-related diseases. Exercise can help regulate the inflammatory response and enhance immune function. By reducing inflammation, exercise may positively impact the genetic factors linked to age-related diseases. It's important to note that the relationship between exercise, genetics and aging is complex and individual responses can vary significantly. So, while genetics still play a significant role, taking control of those epigenetics or how those genes are expressed and how individual response to exercise and its impact on aging is going to be extremely unique and important in each individual's life. So, even with you, as you think about how it helps you and if it hurts you, even some days you don't feel like continuing exercise, I do not. I have to argue and fight with myself, but it is good. It is very good for you. Regular exercise can positively influence genetic factors associated with aging. It is just one component of a broader lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, adequate sleep and stress management. The combination of all of these things can definitely contribute to healthier aging and potentially influence your markers for longevity.

Angie Crouch: 12:40

So, dr T, you mentioned earlier that regular exercise, and I'm going to go to the non-scientific description that you gave. It's like making sure those pages don't rip and crumple up right Like a laminate it. So, Dr. T, let me tell you, with this regular exercise, my knees and my joints feel it. So I want to know is there something that I may be able to do differently, or is that all part of genetics as well? Are supplements required when that happens? Is that just due to aging? I remember being young and playing sports and I wouldn't feel a thing. But now that I am 40, in the 40 Club, I wake up and something new hurts every day and I'm like where did this come from? So is that also genetic?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 13:30

Well, me being 18, I don't know much about Angie. You know, to unpack what you just said as a scientist is probably another 50-minute episode. Okay, that's how much you just said. So I'm going to try to go and give the reader's digest version or the cliff note from up high. Perfect, and the answer to your question is there are many factors that go into.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 14:02

Even you know your diet, your nutrition. It may have changed from when you were younger, but the most important thing is how your body is breaking down those things. Your DNA is going to tell you exactly what supplements you need, how much of it you need, whether your body is metabolizing something or using it slower or faster than somebody else, you may need more vitamins, more B vitamins, right for energy than someone else, ect. You may be having a diet that a lot of inflammation triggers in the diet right. You may need to go to a more alkaline or anti-inflammatory-based diet. So you're going to have to look at it for many different ways. At P23, we offer something called the P23 Optimum, and the optimum looks at each of these areas how your muscles recover, how well you do with cardio, what type of recovery does your body need post-exercise? What type of nutrients post-exercise should you be providing yourself with? What are the adequate amounts of sleep, of rest, of these factors that are going to contribute to how your body is feeling? Are you nourishing your body the correct way? These are questions, even if you decide, hey, I'm going to go get some CoQ10 because I read in an article that that's going to help me.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 15:43

Whatever, we need more guidance we mean each of us individually on how much of this substance do we need, right? Do I need the dose that's recommended? On the bottle they tell you the serving size. They don't tell you the amount to take when it comes to your supplements, your vitamins. So it's just like that plate of food, right, we know the serving size, but based on our energy levels, based on our daily calorie count, based on our activities, based on our job, based on whatever weight we want to maintain, reduce or gain, there is a calorie amount that tells us how many serving sizes are recommended, even for food. Having a P23 optimum or a similar test is going to tell you what is that serving size that you need of the vitamins that you're taking and what's the most bioavailable form of that supplement for you, just because you're taking something if it's not biologically available to those cells.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 16:55

Once you consume it to your body, it's the same as not taking it. So when you think about I just don't feel good while I exercise, then you want to ask yourself what am I doing to prepare for this exercise? What type of nutrients am I providing my body so that I have the correct or the proper reserves to perform this exercise? Same as when we're eating and we don't feel good, we might flip it and say, oh, I need to exercise. We may start looking at what's on that plate and noticing a pattern of every time I have 60 grams of trans fat and I hope nobody's doing that. This is just an example. I feel horrible, I can't breathe, I can't think. So we have to start journaling or recording or being proactive in what we're eating, so that we're taking those notes and we're able to reflect upon and have more insight on what we're eating, how we feel and how we perform after we eat those things.

Angie Crouch: 18:07

So this is all very interesting and it sounds like there is a test that P23 offers that looks at our genetic traits as it relates to exercise what exercises are best for each person, as well as vitamins and supplements, as well as nutrition. So this sounds like something that is all encompassing around someone's I don't know healthier lifestyle. So this is all very interesting and I'm kind of one to just absorb and take all the information in. So that is all very well and I think that you might have me up all night just thinking about all of these different things. And, Dr. T, I can't say that I've ever. I've used P23 for a lot of my testing, but I have not taken that test because I've always thought I'm already pretty healthy. But this has me thinking. You know, with my regular exercises and this new found joint pain and muscle aches that I'm having, this sounds like something that would be beneficial, even for those who are active.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 19:16

It is definitely something to consider, no matter where you are in your journey. If you're at that, I already feel completely healthy. It's still a great test to take because you want to make sure you stay that way. Sometimes, as we're younger, we're more resilient to things that we should not have.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 19:37

I've seen a lot of the memes on social media and it'll say New Year's Eve, you know, going out something, new year's Eve, and I go out and when I wake up in the morning in my 20s and the kids just go to sleep and then get up in the morning and it's like hi, good morning, right. And then it's like in my 30s, I've went out and now this is me in the morning as we're aging, no matter what. Like, let's say, we work out every day and we eat, you know, plant-based diet our whole lives. We've never had chocolate. You're still going to age. We're still on a planet called Earth where aging is inevitable. We want to age gracefully, we want to age over time, we want to enjoy aging, but one thing I can assure you is that we will age right.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 20:24

This test takes us through that journey and it prepares us for things that are going to happen, no matter how perfect your lifestyle is, just so that you can grow and continue to grow and get those outcomes for good quality health. As long as you're here, getting beyond the, help me with my walker or push my wheelchair, these are things that you want to do to keep you with strong bones and do your best to limit. We can't eliminate, but we can definitely limit and take control of the risk of losing our independence. Right? We're in our 40s or older for some of us. We want to make sure that we're enjoying the same quality of life in our 80s. There's been a young lady going viral here recently, 91 years old, and she's like a workout machine. I don't know if you've seen her, but she's an older lady. She says she's 91, but I'm telling you she definitely looks in her 60s, definitely, and that's just a testament to the type of life that we want to be able to lead, right.

Angie Crouch: 21:46

I have not seen her, but that is quite amazing for someone at that age to have full independence in that way. There's people much younger than her, I'm sure who need assistance.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 22:01

or sure, and there's nothing wrong with needing assistance either. Even when you need assistance, using a test like this to help you assist yourself. Even when you're in your teenage years, early 20s, it's still important to make sure that you are feeling this good, or better, right, for as long as possible, and really that's why we're here. That's why we do this every day. It's what makes it fun and enjoyable for me, because, no matter who we are, over time changes will affect the normal functioning of genes that contributes to the aging process. When we start looking at the factors that interact with our longevity, we have to look at environmental influences, lifestyle choices and other complex factors.

Angie Crouch: 23:01

Okay, so my last question for you, Dr. T, is are there any specific genetic traits that make some individuals or some people more responsive to exercise in terms of anti-aging benefits, and can that be identified through genetic testing?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 23:19

Yes, there is evidence to suggest that individuals may respond differently to exercise due to genetic factors, and some genetic traits may influence how effectively some people experience anti-aging benefits from physical activity. While the field is still evolving, that means there's still a lot of work for us to do. This is a fresh new topic for us as scientists. Researchers have identified certain genetic variations that play a role in an individual's response to exercise. Some of those key points that are covered in our P23 Optimum is response to aerobic exercise. Genetic variations can influence how the body responds to aerobic exercise, such as running, recycling, for example. Certain variations in genes associated with oxygen transport and utilization may affect an individual's endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Those are the genes that we're going to look at, analyze and give you insight on. On top of that, you've got genes related to muscle performance and strength. Genes related to muscle structure and function can impact the individual's response to strength training exercises. Variations in genes involved in muscle fiber type, muscle growth and muscle repair may influence gains in muscle strength and size. You'll notice, even when two people go to the gym and they're working out together, their muscles don't always develop at the same time. They don't have the same strength and they don't have the same size. Inflammation and recovery Genetic factors can also play a role in how the body responds to inflammation and recovers from exercise-induced stress. Some individuals may have genetic variations that affect their inflammatory response, influencing how quickly they recover from workouts. So, angie, what you are experiencing is unique in how you handle it, but it's not a unique problem. Genetic factors are going to talk about this inflammation and recovery, and that is something that you're going to learn about in the P23 health. And then, lastly, mitochondrial function. Genes involved in mitochondrial function, which is crucial for energy production we talked about that earlier May influence how well someone responds to exercise. Variations in these genes could affect an individual's ability to generate energy efficiently during physical activity. While genetic testing has become more accessible, it's important to note that the relationship between genetics and exercise response is complex. Many factors, including lifestyle, environment and overall health, interact with genetics to determine how an individual responds to exercise. So, if we put it all together in a big sentence epigenetics determines how you respond to exercise. Currently, genetic testing services can provide insights into certain genetic variations related to exercise response, but the practical application of this information is still an area of ongoing research. We try to make sure. Because of this, it's really imperative and crucial that we interpret genetic information within a broader context and we don't rely solely on the genetic testing for personalized recommendations and exercise. We take a combination of who you are, we answer individual behavioral questions, you have a health assessment and we try to not be so restrictive, because the field is evolving. That means it's changing every day. It's important to really understand and process that just because something's changed, it's not necessarily wrong.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 28:06

You don't want to say I got this test in 2020, and it didn't say this. It said X at the time. Now I'm taking it in 2024, and it says why I don't understand. And that is because, as the science evolves, as our understanding of these genes involves, as we find and identify more genes that play a factor in this, as our research advances us as a society, we're going to layer those answers and know more about those answers. Right, we hope you as best as we can.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 28:48

Today I was jokingly, you know, talking to my children the other night and they did not know what Encyclopedia Britannica was. But they knew what ChatGPT was and I'm like first of all, I'm just finding out what ChatGPT is. How do you not know what Encyclopedia Britannica is. I want you to think about science in that very same way. A year ago, four years ago, you know, AI was something that we saw on the movie screen and it was something that was going to take over the world. We all watched the Matrix and we thought, okay, AI is going to strike first. Right, it's always been a scarier thing. But if you would have said we would experience AI or we would have it next year, people would have laughed at you like you had three heads. The same thing that's happening in technology right before your eyes is happening in science every day.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 29:48

It's why I felt like P23 needed to take a stance on health literacy and health education and start creating these open dialogues where people could talk and learn and we could foster that healthy creativity and acceptance of science and be a part of the journey in a very real way, right?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery: 30:13

So I'm so excited for this conversation and where we're going, and I want to say, as we wrap up this thought-provoking episode of Demystifying DNA, the genetics of aging, unlocking the secrets of longevity, Angie and I would like to thank you for joining us and exploring the genetic keys to longevity. Today's discussion shed light on the intricate ways our DNA influences aging and the exciting research that points us towards longer, healthier lives. We delved into the mysteries encoded in our genes and what they reveal about the aging process. We hope this episode has not only enlightened you, but also sparked your interest in the future of aging and genetics. Remember the realm of genetic research is ever evolving, continually providing us with deeper insights and new possibilities for our health as we age. Stay curious, stay engaged and join us on Demystifying DNA as we continue our journey through the captivating world of genetics. And remember we are with you every step of the way.