Longevity drama, drugs for muscle loss, your psychological age

Welcome to the latest issue of The Longevity Newsletter, bringing you longevity news, breakthroughs, and evergreen truths to help you live longer and look younger.

Today, we have new drugs to prevent muscle loss… drama between two famous longevity researchers… your psychological age… and lots more. Let’s dig in.

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WHAT I’M READING

"After obesity drugs’ success, companies rush to preserve skeletal muscle"

What I'm reading: A new article in Nature Biotechnology titled, After obesity drugs’ success, companies rush to preserve skeletal muscle.

Background: Over the past few years, we've gotten several effective and massively popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. Such drugs cause loss of both fat and muscle. The first is good. The second is not.

The good news: A number of clinical trials are under way to test pharmaceuticals to preserve muscle mass that follows obesity treatments.

Previously, muscle loss was thought to be an issue that doesn't respond to drugs. And yet, we now have several promising phase 1 and phase 2 studies for drugs that not only preserve muscle but also improve fat loss — since more muscle makes it easier to lose fat.

Why this is a big deal: These new drugs won't just help people who lose weight via drugs like Ozempic. They also will apply to age-related muscle loss, which is both caused by aging and which also contributes to aging via frailty, limited mobility, lower energy. One Phase 1b study in bedridden patients aged 65+ showed significantly reduced muscle loss.

So, what specifically can you do now: Considering the success of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro, interest in muscle-preserving drugs is suddenly high. It's likely we will see pharmaceutical solutions for this problem in the next few years.

In the meantime, the best advice to preserve your muscle is old and familiar. Practice resistance exercise, and eat enough protein. These two lifestyle decisions will keep you stronger and healthier until exciting new therapies arrive.

IRREVOCABLY PERSONAL

Longevity drama: Matt Kaeberlein vs. David Sinclair

Who we're talking about: David Sinclair, a leading longevity researcher at Harvard University, and Matt Kaeberlein, a leading longevity researcher at the University of Washington.

At one point, Sinclair and Kaeberlein were both working in the lab of the same professor at MIT. It seems that their scientific differences, and maybe even some bad blood, stem from that time.

What's the news: In a tweet yesterday, Kaeberlein announced he is resigning from The Academy for Health and Lifespan Research, a professional body of longevity researchers that has Sinclair as President. Kaeberlein wrote:

How we got here: The spark for this was Sinclair’s claim last week that a brand of dog supplements, sold by a company he co-founded with his brother, reverses aging in dogs.

Kaeberlein doesn't believe these claims are supported by the data. While he has accused Sinclair of exaggeration and hype before, he has never done so in such direct language, and with such a dramatic gesture.

Why this is a big deal: Both Sinclair and Kaeberlein are established figures in longevity research. Both are associated with prestigious universities. Both publish their research in top, peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Where they differ is in their attitude towards marketing, hype, and showmanship when it comes to pushing the field forward — and making money in the process.

So what's next? The drama is unfolding. Sinclair hasn’t responded publicly yet, though others in the field, such as longevity researcher Alex Zhavoronkov, have come to Sinclair’s defense. Meanwhile, the research pushes on.

Kaeberlein, along with his work on rapamycin and human longevity, continues to head the Dog Aging Project, designed to understand and improve the effects of aging in dogs.

On the other hand, Sinclair, among his many other ventures, recently announced that trials of epigenetic age reversal would start in humans in 2025. One way or another, it's exciting days in the longevity field.

AROUND THE WEB

Should we worry about insulin spikes?

What's your psychological age? (free online test)

California-born woman is the oldest person in the world

World-first trial of regenerative hearing drug successfully completed

Magnesium: A safe and economical strategy for healthy aging

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Longevity Hound on the move

As this email goes out, I’ll be on my way to West Palm Beach, FL. I’m going there to participate in the first Livelong Summit, a live longevity education event.

Also at Livelong will be Silicon Valley mogul Bryan Johnson, founder of the Rejuvenation Olympics and poster child behind the new rise in interest in longevity. Harvard’s David Sinclair will be the star speaker at the event. Perhaps we will get a chance to hear his reply to the drama I wrote about above.

Whatever happens, I’ll be sure to tell you about the highlights in next week’s issue of The Longevity newsletter.

As always, thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this issue, consider forwarding it to someone who would find it interesting as well.

I'll be back in your inbox next Thursday, with more practical, inspiring, and fun news based on the latest in longevity science.

- The Longevity Hound