Morning, long-lifers. Here’s what’s new:
Fiber fights immune aging - one lentil at a time
Turns out your gut bacteria might be quietly playing defense against your immune system’s midlife crisis. Even your T cells could use a fiber-rich intervention plan.
Don’t keep longer. a secret - share it with your friends!
This week in longevity:
🧠 7 daily habits linked to younger brains
🦷 Gum disease tied to hidden brain damage
💊 Psychedelics reshape depressed brain connections
🧪 Nano-CBD calms pain in mice
☕ Coffee cuts AFib risk by 39%
Plus, more longevity breakthroughs.
Read time: 5 minutes
THIS WEEK IN LONGEVITY
🫘 Fiber might help your immune system age better
Source: Midjourney | longer.
Older adults with more butyrate in their blood have fewer worn-out T cells—the kind that drive chronic inflammation. Butyrate comes from fiber, made by gut bacteria. In lab and mouse studies, it helped tone down aging immune cells. Your gut might be doing quiet damage control, one lentil at a time.
What to know:
Butyrate comes from fiber: Gut bacteria turn dietary fiber into butyrate (a short-chain fatty acid), which fuels gut cells and helps control inflammation.
Aging lowers butyrate: Older people had less butyrate in their gut and blood. Those with higher levels had fewer senescent T cells (immune cells that stop working and stir up inflammation).
Senescent T cells fuel “inflammaging”: These cells release IL-6 and other compounds that keep your body in a low-level inflammatory state as you age.
Butyrate calms them down: In lab tests, butyrate reduced inflammatory signals in these cells. It also lowered markers of DNA damage and oxidative stress in some T cell types.
Mice showed similar results: Older mice given a butyrate-rich gut microbiome from younger mice had fewer senescent T cells and less inflammation.
Why it matters: Your immune system ages just like the rest of you—and sometimes, it overreacts. Butyrate might help it stay balanced longer. It’s like fiber is teaching your immune system to stop yelling at the neighbors.
What this means in practice: Eat more fiber-rich foods like lentils, oats, and veggies. You’re not just keeping things moving—you’re helping your immune system age more gracefully.
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🧠 7 daily habits linked to a younger brain
Source: Midjourney | longer.
New research found that sleep, optimism, and social connection can make your brain look years younger than your actual age. The study tracked adults with chronic pain and found that healthy habits added up to better brain aging. Your brain may not be following the same calendar as the rest of you.
What to know:
Brain age can differ from real age: Some people’s brains looked up to 8 years younger than their actual age, based on MRI scans.
Seven key habits stood out: Good sleep, low stress, healthy waist size, no smoking, optimism, strong social support, and more positive emotions.
Stress and pain still matter: Ongoing stress, low income, and chronic pain were linked to older-looking brains, but healthy habits helped reduce that impact.
More healthy habits, slower brain aging: People with more of these traits saw their brains age more slowly over the two-year study.
Some of this can be trained: Optimism and how you handle stress aren’t fixed. Both can be improved over time.
Why it matters: Your daily habits might be shaping your brain more than your birthday. Positive choices can protect against age-related decline—even if you’re managing pain or stress.Turns out mindset and a good night’s sleep are aging interventions in disguise.
What this means in practice: Prioritize sleep, manage stress, and spend time with people who make you feel supported. Your brain may thank you with a few extra years of clarity.
💡 Want to break down a research article? Try this prompt in ChatGPT:
“Explain this in plain language. Avoid science terms. Keep it under 5 sentences. Then give 5 takeaways based only on this summary—no extra info or guesses: [Paste the article here]”
MONEY MOVES IN LONGEVITY
💰 Cymbiotika raises $25M for bioavailable supplements; wellness goes liquid and lands on Target shelves.
💰 Roche partners with Manifold Bio in a $2B+ AI deal; breaking the brain’s barrier gets a biotech boost.
💰 Synchron lands $200m to scale its brain-computer tech; thought control moves from lab to life.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Source: Midjourney | longer.
1. New protein tied to aging and inflammation
EDA2R is a protein that helps build skin and hair but rises with age and drives inflammation, frailty, cancer, and dementia. It activates pathways that stress cells and damage tissues over time. Exercise and fasting can lower it (bed rest does the opposite).
2. Gum disease tied to hidden brain damage
Older adults with gum disease had more brain white matter changes (a sign of nerve fiber damage tied to memory and balance issues). These bright spots on scans show tissue stress likely linked to inflammation from poor oral health. Brushing and flossing may help protect more than your smile (your brain might thank you).
3. Psychedelics may reshape brain for depression relief
A psychedelic boosted neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to form new links) between emotion and thinking areas in depressed rat brains.This may explain lasting benefits seen in depression therapy after just one dose. It’s not magic at work here, just better brain cell communication.
THE NEXT BIG THING
Gray hair as cancer protection
Source: Midjourney | longer.
A new study from The University of Tokyo shows how pigment stem cells in hair respond to DNA damage in two very different ways.
They either self-destruct (which causes gray hair) or keep dividing (which can lead to melanoma, a kind of skin cancer). The deciding factor is the type of stress the cell faces and whether it activates a built-in safety switch (called the p53–p21 pathway) that shuts risky cells down.
A sign of aging or a hidden defense system?
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS WEEK
Source: Midjourney | longer.
🧪 CBD Breakthrough: Scientists at University of Rochester created a nano-form of CBD that reaches the brain and calms pain circuits in mice. It worked within 30 minutes without side effects or tolerance buildup.
☕ Coffee Boost: A new 6-month randomized trial found that drinking 1 cup of caffeinated coffee daily cut AFib recurrence risk by 39%. Researchers say it may calm inflammation and improve heart rhythm stability.
🔥 Fat-Burn Signal: Scientists found the gut hormone FGF19 tells the brain to burn fat and boost heat production. It mimics Ozempic-like effects without suppressing appetite.
🦠 Gut Warning: New research found people with heart disease have more inflammation-linked gut bacteria and fewer microbes that protect blood vessels. Even “good” bacteria changed behavior, hinting at early warning signs.
🌍 Longevity Certified: Blue Zones and ACLM launched a new certification helping doctors use lifestyle habits from the world’s longest-lived people. It equips clinicians to prevent disease and boost community health.
WHAT WE’RE BOOKMARKING
📱 Social
🎧 Podcasts
📰 Articles
⚙️ Tools to Try
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