Understanding the "Why"
Longevity is not about blindly following protocols. It’s about understanding the biological machinery of your body so you can make informed decisions about interventions.
The Science of Aging
To optimize healthspan, you must first understand what causes aging. Modern longevity science has identified key biological pathways that drive the aging process—and importantly, pathways that can be influenced by lifestyle and interventions.
This section explains the mechanisms so you can understand why the protocols in Foundations, Optimization, and Advanced work.
Foundational Concepts
These are the core biological systems that everyone should understand. They form the basis of metabolic health, energy production, and cellular function.
- Mitochondria: The powerhouses of your cells. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of aging.
- Glucose: Blood sugar regulation and its central role in metabolic health.
- Insulin: The master metabolic hormone and insulin resistance.
- Inflammation: Chronic inflammation as a driver of aging (“inflammaging”).
- Metabolism: How your body converts food to energy.
- Circadian Rhythm: Your body’s master clock and its influence on every system.
- Sleep Stages: The architecture of sleep and why each stage matters.
- Oxidative Stress: Free radicals, antioxidants, and cellular damage.
- Protein: Building blocks for muscle, enzymes, and cellular repair.
- ATP: The energy currency of cells.
- Cortisol: The stress hormone and its effects on health.
Advanced Concepts
For those ready to go deeper into longevity science. These pathways are targets for cutting-edge interventions.
- Autophagy: Cellular recycling and cleanup—triggered by fasting and rapamycin.
- mTOR: The master growth regulator. Inhibiting mTOR extends lifespan in every species tested.
- Sirtuins: Longevity genes activated by NAD+ and caloric restriction.
- Epigenetics: How gene expression changes with age—and can be reversed.
- Telomeres: Chromosomal caps that shorten with age.
- Senescent Cells: Zombie cells that accumulate and drive aging.
- NAD+: A critical coenzyme that declines with age.
- AMPK: The cellular energy sensor activated by exercise and fasting.
- IGF-1: Growth factor with complex effects on aging.
- Heat Shock Proteins: Cellular protectors induced by heat stress.
- Glycation: How sugar damages proteins and accelerates aging.
How to Use This Section
- Start with foundational concepts if you’re new to longevity science
- Reference these pages when reading protocols to understand why they work
- Use the graph view to see how concepts connect to interventions