Happy Friday!
Last week, cardiologist and longevity expert Dr. Eric Topol, author of the book “Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity,” outlined a day of eating for longevity for the Washington Post. With Mediterranean staples like Greek yogurt, berries, salmon, arugula, and mixed nuts, his diet for longevity is deceptively simple and feels like something most people can adapt to their own routine. Find his entire day of eating here.
This week: the reproduction paradox, ‘rabbit food’ and the future of protein, cancer-clearing frog bacteria, and friendship slows biological aging in animals. 🐰 🍖 🐸
Quick Poll
From a longevity perspective, do you think mock meats are…
Spotlight
The reproduction-longevity paradox
Life is full of trade-offs, and one of the deepest is the tension between reproduction and lifespan.
A Nature meta-analysis of 117 animal species found that animal lifespan increases up to 20% 🐶 after blocking reproduction with hormonal contraception or permanent sterilization (i.e., permanent birth control).
The M/F benefit: Animal models suggest that both males and females tend to live longer when they can’t reproduce. But how is this so?
Males: Castration and reduced testosterone were linked to fewer deaths related to risk-taking and aggression.
Females: Suppressing reproduction seems to reduce mortality from infectious diseases, since energy that would be used during pregnancy can go toward fighting disease.
The catch 🎣
Animals are not people. Simply extending lifespan without considering health span can worsen quality of life, especially for women.
Loss of sex hormones can increase disease risk, reduce vitality, and worsen mood and metabolic health.
To make matters more confusing. Depending on the individual, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause may enhance health span and longevity, supporting bone density, sleep quality, cardiovascular health, and metabolic function.
Key insight 🔍
This study only adds to the question of why women tend to outlive men, despite the health and hormone costs of menopause.
Blocking reproductive hormones can extend lifespan in animals, but humans want to live longer and better. These are the trade-offs that researchers must consider.
The Livelong Women’s Health Summit
Listen to 75 thought leaders in women’s health and longevity at the Livelong Women’s Health Summit. Two days, new you. Take a peek at the agenda and reach out with any questions. Bonus: use code ERIN to claim a limited-time discount.
Wellness Watch
Rabbit food and the future of clean protein 🐰
Millions of pounds of vegetables are tossed every day, but ‘rabbit food’ like carrot waste is getting a new purpose in the food industry.
Carrot scraps are feeding a new class of high-protein, gut-friendly, sustainable proteins.
🥕 A German research team recently showed that carrot scraps can be used as a nutrient-rich, sustainable growing medium for high-protein edible fungi.
This isn’t just about repurposing vegetable waste.
Fungal mycelium (the stringy, high-protein root of a mushroom) can deliver similar protein quality to animal sources, and it can be grown faster with fewer resources.
The study: Researchers screened 100+ types of fungi for protein content and growth speed, choosing the best one in a real-world taste test. They published findings in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Pink oyster club: Fungal mycelium from the pink oyster mushroom offered the best mix of protein and speed. 🍄
Taste matters: In a blind taste test, plant-based burgers made from the carrot-fed mycelium had better texture, smell, and flavor than soy-based patties.
Why this matters
A plant-forward diet is consistently shown to support cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health.
Protein quantity and quality help preserve muscle mass, bone density, and metabolism. 💪
Fungi-based proteins offer: A complete amino acid profile, little saturated fat and sodium, fiber for the gut microbiome, and a smaller environmental impact.
If you’re curious to try ‘mushroom meat,’ The Vreamery offers fungi-based burgers with 16 g of protein each. 🥦 🍄
In Other News
Frog bacteria could offer long-lasting immunity against cancer
Ewingella americana, a gut bacterium from Japanese tree frogs 🐸, completely eradicates colon cancer tumors in mice, according to research at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
One injection kills tumor cells directly AND strengthens the immune system’s ability to fight them, outperforming traditional chemo and PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors.
“Rarely do cancer studies produce such convincing results,” admits Lifespan.io.
The big picture: It’s still early, so we don’t yet know how it treats other cancers. But this research points to bacterial therapy as a powerful new tool in the fight against cancer.
JOIN OUR PRIVATE CIRCLE COMMUNITY: It’s free to join and easy to use, and we’d love to see you there. 😊 Reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
This week’s highlights ✨
QUICK READS
👁 Eye on longevity: The baseball-sized eyeball helping us understand human aging.
💻 High-tech reflection: The AI-powered Longevity Mirror that shows aging pace.
🧄 Swipe right on sulfur: Why do sulfur-rich foods support cellular repair?
👀 Longevity trends for 2026. See a full list of our predictions.
❓ Considering a detox: read this first.
🌱 Hypnotize yourself for longevity: The best longevity advice from clinical hypnotherapist Ursula James.
LONG-LEVITY:
Friendship helps dolphins age more slowly 🐬
This ‘natural anti-aging secret’ has longevity implications for all social creatures–yes, humans!
🧬In a world first, research shows friendship slows biological aging in animals.
DNA from male dolphins shows that strong social bonds lead to younger cellular age and better overall health, reports Phys.org.
On the other hand, solitary dolphins experience a ‘much more stressful existence’ linked to faster aging, says researcher Dr. Livia Gerber.
Humans aren’t off the hook. Loneliness accelerates stress, heart disease risk, and reduces health span, while friendship boosts human longevity, resilience, and slows aging.
Dr. Gerber predicts friendship may be the “natural anti-aging secret” for all social animals, including humans! As she puts it, “social needs are biological needs.”
On land and at sea, connections make life more fun and support healthy longevity. 😀
Want to get involved in the Livelong Women’s Health Summit?!
🛍️ Vendors have the opportunity to connect with your audience at the Livelong Women’s Health Summit, April 17–18 in San Francisco. See the media kit for more information.
💫 If you’re passionate about women’s health and longevity and want to help spread the word about the event, you can join us as an Ambassador! Check out the details and reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
Poll response
We asked: Do ‘woo’ concepts (energy work, astrology, manifestation, etc.) have a place in your life?
The top answer was an even split:
Absolutely–I love popping the science bubble
I’m skeptical, but open-minded to thinking differently
Thank you for all the amazing responses. Woo has “add[ed] a bit more depth to an already full life,” while others prefer to follow the science. Both can have a place if they help you make healthy decisions and feel happy. You do you when it comes to the woo.
Thanks for reading!
The information provided about wellness and health is for general informational and educational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals, and the content here should not be considered medical advice. Talk to a doctor before trying any of these suggestions.
