Morning, long-lifers. Here’s what’s new:
Vitamin B12 levels labeled as “normal” may still harm brain health - proof that sometimes the bar for “good enough” is set by very tired interns.
Doctors might need a new category between normal and not-so-normal, maybe called “meh.”
Don’t keep longer. a secret - share it with your friends!
This week in longevity:
😴 Poor sleep makes brains age faster
🫀 AI predicts heart risk from scans
🌿 Immunotherapy may slow aging
👔 Companies consider chief longevity officers
👁️ Protein restores aging vision
Plus, more longevity breakthroughs.
Read time: 5 minutes
THIS WEEK IN LONGEVITY
🧠 Why “Normal” Vitamin B12 Might Not Be Normal Enough
Source: Midjourney | longer.
Older adults with “normal” vitamin B12 levels may still be at risk for slower thinking and brain changes. A new UCSF study found that people on the low end of the normal range had slower processing speeds and more white matter damage (the brain’s wiring system). Basically, the bar for what counts as “enough” B12 might be set too low.
What to know:
B12’s job: This vitamin is needed to make DNA, red blood cells, and nerve tissue. Low levels can quietly affect brain health before obvious symptoms show up.
The study: 231 healthy adults (average age 71) with “normal” B12 were tested. Those with lower levels had slower visual and thinking speed plus more white matter lesions on MRI.
Current guidelines: The U.S. cutoff for deficiency is 148 pmol/L. Participants averaged 414 pmol/L, well above the minimum, yet problems still showed up.
Better measurement: Researchers say biologically active B12 (holo-transcobalamin) is a more accurate marker than total blood B12.
Food and supplements: B12 is found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. Vegetarians and vegans can get it from fortified foods or supplements since the body can’t make it on its own.
Why it matters: The “normal” label might be lulling people into a false sense of security. Brain aging isn’t only about Alzheimer’s genes and crossword puzzles. It might also come down to a vitamin level most of us never think about.
What this means in practice: If you’re over 60, it may be worth asking your doctor to check not just total B12, but active B12. Eating fish, eggs, or fortified foods regularly can help keep levels higher. Think of it like topping up your phone battery: 30% is “working,” but not ideal for a long day.
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Source: Viome
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💤 Bad Sleep, Older Brain
Source: Midjourney | longer.
A massive study of 27,000 people found that poor sleep habits can make your brain look about a year older than it really is. Brain scans showed that being a night owl, snoring, or sleeping too little (or too much) were linked with faster brain aging. For men, the effect was especially strong. Turns out, beauty sleep isn’t just a phrase, it’s a pretty literal truth.
What to know:
Brain age gap: People with poor sleep had brains that looked nearly a year older than their actual age, measured by MRI scans and machine learning.
Five healthy habits: Early bedtime, 7–8 hours of sleep, no insomnia, no snoring, and no daytime sleepiness. Only 41% of participants met most of these.
Men vs women: Men showed stronger brain-aging effects from poor sleep, while women’s results were weaker.
Inflammation link: Low-grade chronic inflammation (measured in the blood) explained about 10% of the sleep–brain aging connection.
Genetics didn’t matter: Carrying the APOE ε4 gene (a major Alzheimer’s risk factor) didn’t change the sleep–brain aging relationship.
Why it matters: This suggests poor sleep might help cause brain aging, not just result from it. That makes sleep another lifestyle factor, alongside exercise, diet, and social connection that may slow brain decline. Basically, cutting corners on sleep is like skipping oil changes: it works for a while, then things start grinding.
What this means in practice: Aim for a consistent sleep schedule, keep the 7–8 hour window, and tackle snoring or insomnia if they’re regular issues. Think of sleep like compound interest: small habits now add up to a younger brain later.
💡 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
💰 Sanofi adds $625M to Sanofi Ventures for biotech and digital health, fueling innovation amid tighter funding.
💰 Sunrise Group raises $29M to scale Dreem Health sleep clinics nationwide, closing the yawning doctor gap.
💰 AdVantage Therapeutics wins $2.5M NIA grant for Alzheimer’s drug AD04, pushing it closer to clinical testing.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Source: Midjourney | longer.
1. AI scan spots heart risk before damage
Biograph and Caristo are testing CaRi-Heart in US patients, scanning for artery inflammation before plaque forms. Early detection could mean earlier prevention. It’s a flip in heart care: measure the spark (inflammation), not just the fire (plaque). If it works, prevention gets a major upgrade.
2. Immunotherapy takes aim at aging
Researchers highlight how cancer-fighting tools like checkpoint blockade, engineered cells, and cytokine tweaks could also clear senescent cells and rejuvenate immunity. Think of it as retraining the body’s defense squad, not just to battle tumors but to slow the march of aging itself.
3. Ozone hits lungs and mouth microbes
A new trial shows two hours of ozone exposure cuts men’s lung function by ~12% and reduces oral microbiome diversity. Women were less affected. It’s a double strike: ozone weakens breath while reshaping bacteria in the mouth. Tiny shifts with big health consequences.
THE NEXT BIG THING
Ring that measures blood pressure all day
Source:
Ring that measures blood pressure in your sleep
Sky Labs just launched CART BP, a finger-worn blood pressure monitor for everyday use.
Unlike arm cuffs that can’t capture sleep data, the ring runs 24-hour tracking and shows daily patterns in an app-based “Blood Pressure Calendar.” The goal: spotting hidden nighttime spikes that drive stroke and heart attack risk.
Step toward real prevention or still early days?
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS WEEK
Source: Midjourney | longer.
🩻 Heart Scan: Australian researchers used AI to predict heart disease risk directly from mammograms of 49,000 women, with nearly 9 years of follow-up. The model matched existing prediction tools and required no extra data.
🥗 NutriCare: L-Nutra and Parsley Health partnered to bring nutrition-based programs for diabetes and obesity. Parsley’s 80+ clinicians will add fasting-mimicking plans to personalized care.
👔 Longevity Lead: Companies may soon add chief longevity officers to help employees thrive in longer, zig-zag careers. CLOs redesign benefits, career paths, and culture to support multi-decade working lives.
👁️ Clear Sight: Researchers found a protein called GSTA4 that helps protect eye cells from damage and even restores vision in aging models. Boosting GSTA4 also improved cell energy and showed promise for slowing aging.
🐭 Longer Life: Old male mice lived much longer and stayed healthier when given oxytocin plus another drug. They had better memory, strength, and energy, but females didn’t get lasting benefits.
WHAT WE’RE BOOKMARKING
📱 Social
BIG NEWS. FDA reverses its 2022 stance: NMN is once again allowed to be sold in the U.S. as a dietary supplement
As a founder of the field, here's my take: 🧵
— #David Sinclair (#@davidasinclair)
10:02 PM • Sep 30, 2025
Cardiovascular-related diseases are the
no. 1 killer in our society.How do we tackle this killer?
It’s very simple: A cold shower a day
keeps the doctor away.Our vascular system needs to be stimulated to
achieve the desired muscular tone. It doesn’t need training, only— #Wim Hof (#@Iceman_Hof)
5:00 PM • Oct 1, 2025
🎧 Podcasts
📰 Articles
Our capability to prevent diseases from occurring is gaining momentum. Using A.I. to predict >1,200 diseases 20 years ahead adds to the ways we'll be able to achieve primary prevention.
nature.com/articles/d4158…
erictopol.substack.com/p/dawn-of-a-ne…— #Eric Topol (#@EricTopol)
1:29 PM • Oct 1, 2025
⚙️ Tools to Try
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