Jan 24, 2019
There's plenty of controversy these days around
telomere testing.
Is it accurate?
Does it really show your so-called "biological vs.
chronological" age?
And once you do get your results, how can you lengthen your
telomeres?
In today's episode, I interview one of the world's leading
experts on telomeres: Dr. Bill Andrews. Dr. Andrews is the Founder
and CEO of Sierra Sciences, a company focused on finding
ways to extend the human lifespan and health span through telomere
maintenance. As a scientist, athlete and executive, he continually
pushes the envelope and challenges convention. He has been featured
in Popular Science, The Today Show and numerous documentaries on
the topic of life extension including, most recently, the movie The
Immortalists in which he co-stars with Aubrey de Grey.
Bill has been a researcher in biotech since 1981, focusing on
cancer, heart disease, and inflammation research; though his
passion has always been aging. In the early to mid 1990’s, while at
Geron Corporation, Bill led the research to discover both the RNA
and protein components of human telomerase. He was awarded 2nd
place as "National Inventor of the Year" in 1997. Bill earned his
Ph.D. in Molecular and Population Genetics at the University of
Georgia in 1981. And then served as Senior Scientist at Armos
Corporation and Codon Corporation, Director of Molecular Biology at
Berlex Biosciences and at Geron Corporation, and Director of
Technology Development at EOS Biosciences, before starting Sierra
Sciences in 1999.
Bill is also a named inventor on over 50+ US issued patents on
telomerase and author of numerous scientific research studies
published in peer reviewed scientific journals. Bill is also an
avid ultra-marathon runner. He regularly competes in 50 and 100+
mile races often finishing at the top of his age group. These
grueling races have taken him all over the world to race in some of
the most extreme environments, from Death Valley to the Himalayas.
His running is presently featured in the movie The High.
During our discussion, you'll discover:
-The differing effects of short vs. long distance running on
telomere lengths...9:25
- Not the length per se, but how you do it.
- If it quits being fun, it's time to quit.
- Consistent running actually decreases inflammation;
inconsistent or sporadic running is problematic
-What are telomeres, and their role in our physical
mortality...13:15
- Think of each chromosome in the body as a "shoelace"; the
little caps on the end of the laces are the telomeres
- Telomere shortening results in declining health with aging
- Each time our cells divide, our telomeres get a bit shorter
- DNA and cell replication
- Cells can't replicate DNA all the way to the end
- Cells eventually "crash"; lose the ability to function
- It's possible to calculate the maximum lifespan of a human
based on telomere shortening rates
- Attention anti-agers: you can't do it unless you can figure out
how to prevent telomere shortening
- Book by Jim Mellon: Juvenescence: Investing in the age
of longevity
-How telomeres can be lengthened, and how to lower the rate by
which they shorten...19:30
- Telomeres are not shortened when
reproductive cells replicate
- Telomerase prevents the shortening of
telomeres
- Telomerase is too big to get into cells
- Senescent cell: a cell that has lost the ability to divide
- Shutting down senescent cells actually inhibits cancer
cells
- "Chromosome rearrangement": a precursor to cancer
- Shortened telomeres hinders cancer treatments such as
chemotherapy
- Keeping telomeres long is the best way to treat cancer should
it enter the body
-Telomere tests: do they work, and how accurate are
they...35:10
- Accuracy is extremely low in measuring biological age
- Best available is fluorescence in situ
hybridization
- PCR, a popular means of testing, is "manipulatable"-
uncontrollable changes
- Test yourself multiple times; use different names
- Telomere Restriction Fragment is Dr. Andrews favorite test
- Difference in costs:
- More accurate = more expensive
- Range: $100-300
-The research Dr. Andrews is conducting on increasing
telomerase activity...44:20
- Two ways to produce telomerase inside the cells
- Find a way to turn the gene "on" in preexisting cells
- Deliver a brand new gene to the cell; turned on more than a
regular gene
- Decreasing the rate of shortening the telomeres
- "Tug of War" analogy
- Not currently possible to reverse the aging process
- 1-3 years away from having the tug of war a "tie"; meaning the
aging process comes to a halt, then possibly we'll see aging
process reversed
- Real life products in the marketplace based on Dr. Andrews'
research at Sierra Science...50:30
- Dr. Andrews focuses solely on research; partners with
pharmaceutical companies for marketing, distribution, etc.
- TAM-818: a supplement that increases telomerase
levels
- Dr. Andrews takes every supplement that's been shown to
increase telomerase levels
-Dr. Andrews' personal anti-aging protocol...53:45
- TA65
- Isagenesis
- TAM-818
- You can't design natural products to be better; they would
cease to be natural products
- Elements of his protocol that may fly under the radar:
-Precautions to take before diving headlong into an anti-aging
protocol...1:07:35
-About the "telomere clock"...1:16:15
-And much more!
Resources from this episode:
-Isagenesis
-TA65
-Tam818
-Vitamin D/K Blend
-Vitamin C from American Nutraceuticals
-Superessentials Fish Oil
-Barlean's Flax Seed Oil
-Bill Andrew's books on curing aging and
telomeres
-Book: The Kaufman Protocol
-Book by Jim Mellon: Juvenescence: Investing in the age
of longevity
-Cyrex Labs
-LifeLength telomere testing -Repeat
Diagnostics telomere testing
-Sierra Sciences website (Dr. Bill Andrew's
website)
-Libella Gene Therapeutics
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Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Dr.
Andrews or me? Leave your comments
at http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/telomeres and one of us
will reply!