Longevity by Design

Did you know that your oral health has a profound impact on healthspan and longevity?

Do you want to learn about the connections between oral health, healthspan, and longevity and what you can do to improve your oral health to help you live longer and add more healthy years to your life?

This episode of Longevity by Design is an Ask Me Anything (AMA) between Dr. Gil Blander and Ashley Reaver, MS, RD, CSSD, where they dive into the often-overlooked importance of oral health for healthspan and longevity. They gathered and answered questions asked by the Longevity by Design audience, with the scientific evidence indicating that oral health is not just about a nice smile but also has a startling link with healthspan and longevity.

Dr. Gil Blander and Ashley Reaver begin by defining what oral health and oral frailty are. They discuss that good oral health is an essential aspect of overall health and well-being, whereas poor oral health can lead to various dental and health problems. They then answer questions on the oral microbiome and what you should know about it. They also answer questions on how oral health is connected to the health of the rest of the body, healthspan, and longevity–with an emphasis on mortality, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Importantly, Dr. Blander and Ashley answer questions backed by science on what you can do to improve your oral health. They conclude by addressing questions on the influence of nutrition on oral health and the not-so-obvious but intriguing evidence on the link between oral health and physical fitness and function.

Listen to all episodes of Longevity by Design at https://info.insidetracker.com/longevitybydesign
Episode timestamps:

• Introduction: 00:00-01:44
• What is the reason for choosing the topic of oral health, healthspan, and longevity: 01:44-03:11
• What is oral health: 03:12-04:23
• How is oral health connected to healthspan and longevity: 04:24-09:01
• What is oral frailty: 09:02-10:04
• What is the oral microbiome and what is known about the oral microbiome: 10:05-14:59
• What is the relationship between oral health and cognitive health: 15:00-19:36
• What is the relationship between oral health and cardiovascular diseases: 19:37-23:43
• What is the relationship between oral health and diabetes: 23:44-28:01
• Preventing versus treating diseases: 28:02-30:54
• How to improve oral health: 30:55-31:42
  • When should I brush my teeth in the morning, before or after breakfast: 31:43-33:51
  • How long should I brush my teeth? How do I know if I am brushing them correctly and for the right amount of time: 33:52-35:38
  • Should I use toothpaste with fluoride in it: 35:38-36:15
  • How often should I floss? What is a water flosser, and is it beneficial: 36:16-38:15
  • Should I use a mouthwash: 38:15-42:27
• What is the influence of nutrition on oral health: 42:28-48:35
• Is there a connection between oral health and physical fitness and physical function: 48:36-51:14
• Summary: 51:15-55:42

In this episode of Longevity by Design, our hosts, Dr. Gil Blander and Ashley Reaver, MS, RD, CSSD, are joined by Dr. Raul Mostoslavsky, the Laurel Schwartz Professor of Oncology at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Raul Mostoslavsky has studied sirtuin functions in cancer for many years and has identified a pathway responsible for tumor growth in 30% to 40% of pancreatic cancer patients and more recently identified metabolism as a heterogeneous feature of cancer. Dr. Raul Mostoslavsky discusses the role of sirtuins in aging and explains how the mechanisms that protect us from cancer may also preserve our longevity on a cellular level.
To learn more about science-backed ways to live a healthier, longer life, download InsideTracker's InnerAge eBook at insidetracker.com/podcast

Dr. Nick Burd, PhD, is a skeletal muscle physiologist with an expertise in protein metabolism and exercise. In this episode, Dr. Burd discusses the importance of maintaining muscle mass as we age, expressing that “strong is the new healthy.”

While adequate protein intake is an important aspect of gaining muscle and maintaining healthspan, many people in the US actually over consume protein. In this discussion, Dr. Burd talks about how much protein we truly need, whether or not there is an optimal time to consume protein after exercise, and how to best distribute protein intake throughout the day. He explains why consuming protein from food sources rather than as a powder may be better for muscle growth, and shares why protein is critical for endurance athletes.
Episode timestamps:

• Introduction: (0:00–1:50)
• Why Dr. Burd became a scientist (1:50–4:00)
• The three types of muscle (4:00–5:00)
• How much of our muscle mass is skeletal muscle? (5:00–5:40)
• How obesity impacts muscle mass (5:40–8:16)
• What is a DEXA scan (8:16–10:30)
• Benefits of exercise on skeletal muscle (10:30–14:00)
• Sedentary behavior is detrimental to muscle tissue (14:00–19:00)
• “Strong is the new healthy” (19:00–20:00)
• Skeletal muscle and metabolic health (20:00–22:00)
• Many people over consume protein (22:00–26:50)
• Is there an optimal time to consume protein after exercise? (26:50–31:30)
• Protein powders vs. whole food sources of protein (31:30–35:50)
• Distribution of protein throughout the day (33:50–45:34)
• Why protein is important for endurance athletes (45:34–51:20)
• Protein needs for different ages, ethnicities, and gender (51:20–55:20)
• Resistance training in post menopausal women (55:20–1:01:00)
• Top tip for healthspan (1:01:00–end)

Listen to all episodes of Longevity by Design at https://info.insidetracker.com/longevitybydesign

In this episode of Longevity by Design, Dr. Gil Blander talks with Dr. Renee Deehan, Senior Vice President of Science and AI at InsideTracker. They explore the world of artificial intelligence and its applications in health and wellness.

Renee explains the differences between AI, machine learning, and large language models (LLMs). She discusses how InsideTracker has developed a specialized LLM called Ask InsideTracker. This tool allows users to interact with a vast knowledge base of health and wellness information.

The conversation delves into the potential future applications of AI in personalized health recommendations. Renee emphasizes the importance of data privacy and security when developing these tools. She also shares her perspective on the broader impact of AI in various industries and its potential to enhance decision-making processes.

Episode highlights:

• Introduction: 00:00:00
• Defining AI and Machine Learning in Simple Terms: 00:04:00
• AI is a branch of computer science: 00:05:00
• The Power and Limitations of Large Language Models: 00:08:00
• Developing Specialized AI Tools for Health and Wellness: 00:25:00
• GPT general foundational model: 00:26:00
• The Future of AI in Personalized Health Recommendations: 00:37:00
• A balance between nutrition, exercise, and recovery: 00:47:00
• The best habit that you can do: 00:48:00

Specialized LLMs Enhance Health Information Accuracy

LLMs tailored to specific domains can significantly improve the quality and reliability of information provided to users. By constraining general AI models with specialized knowledge, such as InsideTracker's corpus of health and wellness blog posts, these tools can deliver more accurate and relevant answers. This approach helps filter out noise and misinformation often found in general internet searches. For health and wellness applications, specialized LLMs can offer personalized insights based on high-quality, expert-reviewed content. This method bridges the gap between vast amounts of available information and individual user needs, potentially revolutionizing how people access and understand health-related information.

AI in Health: Balancing Personalization and Privacy

The integration of AI in health and wellness platforms promises highly personalized recommendations but raises important privacy concerns. As these systems evolve to incorporate individual health data, such as biomarkers and lifestyle information, the potential for tailored advice increases dramatically. However, this advancement requires robust security measures to protect sensitive personal information. The challenge lies in creating AI systems that can access and analyze personal health data while maintaining strict privacy standards. Striking this balance is crucial for the widespread adoption and trust in AI-powered health tools, potentially transforming how individuals manage their health and make lifestyle decisions.

Continuous Refinement Key to AI Tool Effectiveness

The development and improvement of AI tools, particularly in health and wellness, require ongoing refinement based on user interactions and feedback. This iterative process involves analyzing user queries, identifying areas of improvement, and continuously updating the AI model. By studying how users interact with the tool and the types of questions they ask, developers can enhance the AI's ability to provide relevant and accurate information. This approach ensures that AI tools evolve to meet user needs more effectively over time. The continuous refinement process is crucial for maintaining the tool's reliability and relevance, especially in rapidly evolving fields like health and wellness.
For science-backed ways to live a healthier longer life, download InsideTracker's Top 5 biomarkers for longevity eBook at insidetracker.com/podcast

In this episode of Longevity By Design, co-hosts Ashley Reaver, MS, RD, CSSD, and Dr. Gil Blander welcome renowned professor Dr. Keith Baar. As the head of the Functional Molecular Biology Lab at UC Davis, Dr. Baar has made groundbreaking discoveries about how exercise and nutrition influence the adaptation of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. During this episode, he shares his expertise on the critical role of exercise and nutrition for musculoskeletal health, longevity, and improving quality of life.
Dr. Baar discusses the profound impact that both strength and endurance exercise have on healthspan and longevity, emphasizing the unique benefits of strength training. He delves into the molecular biology of muscles, explaining his discovery that resistance exercise activates the mTOR pathway, which is crucial for muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. He also shares his knowledge on the effects of the drug rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTOR, on muscle versus longevity, highlighting the nuances and complex balance needed for optimal health.
Dr. Baar also shares his expertise and addresses common misconceptions regarding tendons and ligaments. The conversation also covers the significance of nutritional timing, the benefits of integrating protein intake with exercise for muscle, and collagen and vitamin C for tendons and ligaments.
Listeners to this episode will be equipped with an understanding of the responses to different types of exercise and practical exercise and nutrition advice for optimizing muscle, tendon, and ligament health througout life.
Episode timestamps

• Introduction: 00:00-02:52
• What led Dr. Keith Baar to become a scientist interested in exercise physiology?: 02:52-05:19
• What is the musculoskeletal system, and can you explain why it is so vital for health, physical function and performance, and quality of life?: 05:20-12:13
• What is the role of mTOR in health and longevity? 12:14-16:44
• What is the role of rapamycin and metformin in health and longevity? 16:45-20:58
• Activation of mTOR by resistance exercise and protein: 20:59-23:03
• Is there a window of opportunity for consuming protein following exercise to increase muscle protein synthesis? Is the timing of protein consumption post-exercise important for muscle protein synthesis? 23:04-27:35
• Is the type of protein important for muscle protein synthesis? 27:36-28:32
• Is there a difference between young and older adults in how they respond to resistance exercise?28:33-33:49
• What are the differences in molecular responses and longevity between resistance and endurance exercise?: 33:50-38:31
• What are ligaments and tendons? Are there differences in ligaments and tendons between men and women? 38:32-43:26
• What is the best way to exercise for tendons and ligaments? 43:27-49:10
• Is there a difference between pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women in tendons and ligaments?: 49:11-51:17
• Why is collagen important for tendons and ligaments?: 51:18-53:22
• Why is vitamin C important for collagen synthesis and tendons and ligaments?: 53:23-55:19
• When should a collagen supplement be consumed?: 55:21-57:07
• What are some misconceptions about tendons and ligaments?: 57:08-58:42
• What happens to tendons and ligaments during a joint replacement?: 58:43-01:00:50
• What excites or interests Dr. Keith Baar the most that has the potential to extend healthspan in the next 5-10 years?: 01:00:51-01:03:36
• Dr. Keith Baar’s top tip for health: 01:03:37-01:05:59