Biological Age: The Real Secret to Eternal Youth w/ Dr. Douglas Vaughan

They say age is just a number…and no concept drives this point home more than biological age. You see, your chronological age isn’t the same as the age of your cells. That’s why you can have people who look younger (or older) than their stated age. 

This has a lot to do with Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 or PAI-1. 

People age at different rates and there are conditions and circumstances that make some age more rapidly than others. From climate, diet, stress and genetics, there are so many factors that impact the health of our cells. 

Here’s the good news: how long we’ve been on the planet doesn’t have to dictate our health and wellness. There are proactive steps we can take to extend not just the span of our lives but its quality too. 

What is plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and how does it affect aging? Why is there a difference between chronological age and biological age? What can we learn from communities and locations that have longevity?

In this episode, I’m joined by the chairman of the Department of Medicine at Northwestern University, and leader of the Potocsnak Longevity Institute, Dr. Douglas Vaughan. He talks about the strides we’ve made in understanding biological age and what we can do about it.

Our chronological age is how many times we’ve orbited the sun. Our biological age is a representation of our functionality. It’s not directly linked to our chronological age. -Dr. Douglas Vaughan 

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode

• The biggest driver of biological age
  People’s biological age can be higher or lower than their stated chronological age. What is plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and how does it impact this? 
• How to slow aging
  Every choice we make either ages us faster or it slows down the aging process. How do we make choices that support longevity? 
• A convergence of scientific strides
  We’re in the golden age of understanding biological aging. What strides have been made to deepen our knowledge and discover interventions?

Guest Bio

Dr. Douglas E. Vaughan, is chairman of the Department of Medicine and the Irving S. Cutter Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and has been elected to membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. In 2018, Dr. Vaughan led a study that reported the first genetic variation that appears to protect against multiple aspects of biological aging in humans in an extended kindred of Old Order Amish living in the vicinity of Berne, Indiana.

Dr. Vaughan now leads the recently launched Potocsnak Longevity Institute, bringing together scientists and experts across many disciplines to study those populations that seem resistant to negative consequences of aging with a goal of discovering what makes them unique. With a deeper understanding of how aging works, the institute aims to expand the healthspan for all people with future therapies and lifestyle interventions. To learn more, visit https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/longevity/index.html.