As we age, maintaining and enhancing our health-span—the period of life spent in good health, free from the chronic diseases and disabilities of aging—becomes increasingly significant. Various strategies have emerged as effective tools to bolster the health-span. Four key strategies include Strength Training, Senolytics, Fatty 15, and optimizing NAD+ levels. Below, we explore the suggested ages for the application of these strategies, the reasons behind their timing, and the benefits they offer.

Strength Training

Suggested Age: 20s and beyond

Strength training is a cornerstone of enhancing longevity and maintaining a high quality of life. Starting strength training in your 20s lays a solid foundation for muscle mass, bone density, and metabolic health. Engaging in regular strength training helps to prevent sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), improve insulin sensitivity, and support cardiovascular health. Stive for fitness, not show; leave ego at the gym.

Reasons and Benefits:

• **Muscle Mass Maintenance**: Building muscle mass in the earlier decades ensures a reserve that naturally declines with age. We can rebuild at any age with Strength Training.
• **Bone Density**: Weight-bearing exercises help increase bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures later in life.
• **Metabolic Health**: Strength training boosts metabolism and aids in the management of body weight and fat, reducing the risk of metabolic disorders.
• **Functional Independence**: Maintaining strength allows for greater functional independence and a reduced risk of falls and injuries in advanced age.

Senolytics

Suggested Age: 50s and beyond

Senolytics are compounds that selectively clear senescent cells—those that have stopped dividing and contribute to aging and disease—from the body. While the research on senolytics is still emerging, starting in the 50s is suggested due to the accumulation of senescent cells that typically accelerates around this age, contributing to various age-related diseases and inflammation.

Reasons and Benefits:

• **Cellular Health**: Removing senescent cells can rejuvenate tissues, improve organ function, and reduce chronic inflammation.
• **Disease Prevention**: Lowering the burden of senescent cells may help prevent or delay the onset of age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and cancer.
• **Inflammation Reduction**: Senolytics can reduce the inflammatory secretions of senescent cells, thereby lowering systemic inflammation.

Fatty 15

Suggested Age: 30s and beyond

Fatty 15 is a unique essential fatty acid (C15:0) that has been linked to significant health benefits, including improved metabolic health, reduced inflammation, and enhanced cellular function. Introducing Fatty 15 in your 30s can help counteract the early signs of metabolic and inflammatory changes that often begin in this decade. In dolphins, it increases life-span by nearly  two decades: 45-50 vs 25-30 yrs.

Reasons and Benefits:

• **Metabolic Improvement**: C15:0 aids in regulating lipid metabolism and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
• **Anti-inflammatory Properties**: It helps reduce chronic inflammation, a key driver of many age-related diseases.
• **Cellular Resilience**: Fatty 15 enhances cell membrane integrity, promoting cellular health and longevity.

Optimizing NAD+

Suggested Age: 40s and beyond

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a crucial coenzyme involved in cellular energy production and repair. NAD+ levels decline with age, impacting mitochondrial function and overall cellular health. Optimizing NAD+ levels in your 40s can help mitigate the effects of aging and maintain robust cellular function. Best/optimal method: supplement with Liposomal NMN or NAD Complete.

Reasons and Benefits:

• **Energy Production**: Higher NAD+ levels support efficient mitochondrial function, boosting energy production and reducing fatigue.
• **DNA Repair**: NAD+ is essential for DNA repair mechanisms, helping to maintain genomic stability and reduce the risk of mutations.
• **Longevity Pathways**: It activates sirtuins, proteins that regulate aging and longevity pathways, thus promoting a longer health-span.

In conclusion, adopting these strategies at the recommended ages can significantly enhance health-span by addressing different aspects of aging. Starting strength training in your 20s builds a strong foundation for physical health, while senolytics in your 50s target cellular senescence and inflammation. Incorporating Fatty 15 in your 30s supports metabolic and inflammatory health while optimizing NAD+ levels in your 40s ensures cellular energy and repair. By implementing these strategies, one can not only extend one’s years of life but also improve the quality of those years, ensuring vitality and independence well into old age.

Email me with questions or for clarification (fawilhelmi@gmail.com)

To Your Greater Health and Fitness,

Frank