Huberman Lab
Dr. Peter Attia: Supplements for Longevity & Their Efficacy
· Summarized
Key takeaways
- NAD pathway supplementation (NR, NMN) lacks solid scientific backing in extending lifespan.
- Essential health behaviors (exercise, sleep, nutrition) are far more important for longevity than any supplement.
- Sirtuins have been linked to longevity in yeast models, but extrapolating this to humans remains unsupported.
- Clinical trials do not demonstrate significant benefits for NAD, NR, or NMN supplementation.
- Understanding biological age tests should be approached with caution; they may not accurately reflect tangible aging outcomes.
Summary
Introduction to NAD Pathway and Longevity
In this episode, Dr. Peter Attia joins Andrew Huberman to discuss the NAD pathway's significance in human healthspan and lifespan. They delve into how various supplements like NAD, NMN, and NR may impact aging and health, highlighting the scientific literature surrounding these topics. The episode aims to elucidate the nuances in supplementation and longevity across individuals.
Categories of Approaches to Longevity
The discussion introduces several categories concerning approaches to longevity, including essential behaviors (exercise, nutrition, sleep), caloric intake management, targeting specific cellular pathways (like NAD), and holistic methods encompassing various health strategies. They reflect on how these are perceived and their foundational importance regarding aging.
Sirtuins, Caloric Restriction, and Aging
Attia explains the role of sirtuins and caloric restriction in aging, mentioning that the evidence suggests overexpression of sirtuins may lead to increased lifespan in specific yeast models. The podcast critiques the assumption that sirtuins also play a direct role in mammalian lifespan based on empirical evidence.
NAD, NMN, and NR Supplementation
The episode engages in a detailed analysis of NAD and its supplements (NMN and NR), comparing their bioavailability and routes of administration. They discuss NAD's fundamental role in energy production and its decline with age, questioning whether supplementation could effectively increase NAD levels to confer longevity benefits.
Clinical Evidence and Research on Supplements
Dr. Attia emphasizes the importance of clinical research, referencing the Interventions Testing Program (ITP) and its findings. It effectively concludes that current research does not support the efficacy of NAD supplementation for longevity. Specific studies, in particular, examine NR and NMN without demonstrating significant health improvements in humans.
Personal Supplement Regimens
Andrew and Peter share their personal supplement regimens, highlighting their current practices. While both have individualized approaches, they stress the importance of focusing on fundamental health behaviors over reliance on supplementation.
Biological Age Testing and its Implications
They discuss biological age testing, questioning its validity and implications for individuals regarding longevity. The conversation centers around whether these tests provide meaningful insights into aging or are often misguiding.
Final Thoughts on Longevity and Behavior
In the closing minutes, the dialogue encapsulates the overarching message that lifestyle choices—like diet, exercise, and sleep—are significantly more impactful for longevity than supplementation. Andrew draws an analogy illustrating how much more crucial the right habits are compared to minor tweaks in supplementation.
Sponsors
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Show notes
In this episode, my guest is Dr. Peter Attia, M.D., a Stanford and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine-trained physician expert in improving human healthspan and lifespan. Dr. Attia is also the host of The Drive podcast and author of the best-selling book Outlive.
We discuss the NAD pathway in human cells and its possible links to aging and health. We evaluate how supplementation can augment molecules in the NAD pathway; we compare NAD, NMN, and NR, different routes of administration, their safety, and bioavailability. Then, we discuss the broader research and clinical literature on longevity to decide if supplementation with NAD, NR, NMN, rapamycin, or resveratrol can indeed extend lifespan.
Finally, we each describe our supplement regimens and compare the role of supplementation to behaviors such as sleep, nutrition, and exercise for longevity. We also discuss whether tests of biological age are true indicators of aging and whether normal radiation levels increase cancer risk.
Listeners of this episode will learn if supplements purported to improve lifespan show any efficacy and the behaviors and other factors that can prevent disease and extend lifespan.
Access the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman
Levels: https://levels.link/huberman
Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman
Timestamps
00:00:00 Dr. Peter Attia, NAD Pathway
00:02:31 Sponsors: LMNT, Levels & Eight Sleep
00:06:38 Categories of Longevity Approaches
00:17:22 Peter’s Supplements; Rapamycin & Research Data
00:25:01 NAD Pathway: Energy & DNA Repair; Knock-Out & Knock-In, Klotho
00:30:35 Sponsor: AG1
00:32:25 Yeast, Sirtuins, Caloric Restriction & Lifespan
00:38:56 Sirtuins, Transgenic Mice, Gender & Lifespan
00:43:42 DNA Repair, Sirtuins, Cancer; Resveratrol
00:53:31 Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin Podcast
00:54:18 NAD & NADH, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Mitochondrial Health
01:02:17 NAD vs NR vs NMN Supplementation; IV & Oral Routes
01:11:33 NR vs. NMN, Doses, Side Effects; Interventions Testing Program
01:17:43 Fatty Liver Disease & NR; NMN & Glucose; Clinical Significance
01:25:17 Safety & FDA, NMN & NR Supplementation; Skin Cancer Benefits
01:30:38 Longevity, NR & NMN Supplementation, Inflammation
01:41:00 Rapamycin & Immune Function
01:44:37 Biological Aging Tests, Chronologic & Biologic Age; Vigor
01:55:24 Radiation & Cancer Risk
01:58:12 Tool: Self-Care in 50s-70s & Aging; Energy Decline
02:07:12 Tool: Exercise Timing & Energy Levels
02:11:22 Peter’s Supplements
02:18:46 Andrew’s Supplements
02:24:34 Tool: Supplement Use vs. Critical Behaviors; Titanic Analogy
02:26:52 NAD Pathway Supplementation for Longevity?
02:28:52 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
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