The Livelong Newsletter

Happy Friday,

April is Stress Awareness Month, and there is no better time to consider your relationship with it. Data shows that being stressed and perceiving it as impactful to health can reduce lifespan, but embracing stress—no fighting it, no falling for unhealthy narratives about it—can create better health outcomes.

In today’s issue:

• Rockstar peptides

• Salmon sperm facial

• Holding for the heart

• and much more…

WISDOM FOR LIFE

…stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances.

Andrew Bernstein

👁️‍🗨️SPOTLIGHT

What peptides are the future of longevity?

Peptides are chains of amino acids that form the building blocks of protein, and they represent a rapidly growing industry in health.

Projected to exceed $80 billion by 2034, they have major potential in extending human lifespan, says Mohammed Enayat, MD, a general practitioner and founder of the longevity clinic HUM2N, in The Standard.

Dr. Enayat highlights key (‘rockstar’) peptides that enhance health span through different mechanisms.

The ‘Rockstars’ of peptide therapy:

• Ipamorelin: Boost production of growth hormone

• CJC: Boost production of growth hormone

• TA-1: Anti-inflammatory

• Cerebrolysin: Prevention of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s progression

• BPC-157: Prevention of soft tissue injury

• TB-500: Soft tissue repair, prevention of musculoskeletal injury, and optimize lean body mass

🟦-🟦-🟦-🟦-🟦-🟦

Oh the ‘pep’abilities: Peptides are being explored for a wide range of conditions, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease treatment, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and to prevent musculoskeletal injuries, according to The Standard.

However, most of the rockstars are NOT FDA-approved. Unlike peptides that are approved for drug use (e.g., Ozempic), the FDA has not tested them for quality, safety, or efficacy. They have a higher risk of contamination.

LIVE MORE

• Winning skincare: Ranking the best peptide-based skincare so far.

• Peptides on the mind: Plant-derived peptides may treat or prevent dementia.

WELLNESS WATCH

Would you try a salmon sperm facial?

The fishy new beauty treatment that is making waves in the U.S.

South Korea is adventurous when it comes to pioneering beauty products (case in point: snail mucin-based skincare 🐌) and a fishy new beauty treatment is now making waves in the U.S.

🐟 The Korean salmon sperm facial is a new beauty trend that can boost collagen and improve skin anti-aging, according to an article in Verywell.

The salmon sperm facial 

A salmon sperm facial (PDRN treatment) is a procedure that integrates proteins and nutrients from salmon sperm into the skin, explains Mansha Sethi Thacker, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at St. Luke’s University Health Network, in Verywell. 

Here’s how it works:

• Deconstruct the DNA: DNA is extracted from salmon sperm and broken into its polynucleotides (the building blocks of DNA), explains dermatologist Hannah Kopelman, MD, Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery, in the article. 🧬

• Add hydration: Hyaluronic acid and peptides are added to amplify hydration, Sethi Thacker says. 💦

🪷 There are many potential benefits, including fewer wrinkles, collagen production, improved skin texture and hydration, reduced inflammation, and skin repair.

Fishy evidence: There is limited scientific research and no FDA regulation. There is also a risk of infection, and the practice raises ethical concerns about using animal-derived ingredients.

Big picture: The procedure may offer visible anti-aging benefits, but users should exercise caution and only get it from a board-certified dermatologist.

IN OTHER NEWS

Hold it for your heart

Think about performing a 30 second plank—this type of training, called isometric exercise, might actually be more effective for your heart than cardiovascular exercise. It comes down to blood pressure.

• 🩸 Isometric training causes a surge of blood, oxygen, and nitric oxide to rush to blood vessels after each hold and release.

• 🫁 Repeated isometric training calms the sympathetic nervous system.

Taken together, performing isometric training consistently can reduce stiff arteries and resting blood pressure, thereby reducing strain on the heart.

Isometric routine: Experts recommend doing a two-minute isometric exercise (ie., squat, wall sit, or a plank) four times daily for three to five days per week.

Today’s top reads

Urolithin A gummies: Swiss health science company Timeline has released Mitopure® Gummies for longevity. The supplement contains Urolithin A, a highly-anticipated longevity compound backed by years of clinical research. Urolithin A may improve cellular health, mitochondrial function, and clear inflammatory free radicals.

• Brown fat: Brown fat boosts lifespan by 20% in a new mouse study.

• Live to 101: This 101-year old nutritionist shares how he eats for longevity.

• Cannabis for cancer: Cannabis may kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

LONG-LEVITY

🦖 Roarrrr…it’s Dinosaur Time

“Dinosaur Time” is a new TikTok trend that takes eating your greens to the playful extreme, as it involves shoveling your face with fistfuls of raw greens. 

Dinosaur Time creator Amy Garrett, a mother and former teacher, tells NPR that it offered her a way to meet daily nutrient requirements with minimal effort–and feel like a monstrous herbivore. 🦕 It’s now been shared more than 200,000 times on the platform.

Go green 🥬: Leafy greens are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet, says Julie Stefanski, a registered dietician in Pennsylvania. Eating greens regularly can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, and it can prevent bone density loss and slow age-related cognitive decline, according to the article.

@sahmthingsup

Grab your greens, it’s Dino time. Here are some FAQs. #dinosaurtime #getyourgreens #greens #fyp #dinosaur

LIVELONG+

📚 READ: Outlive by Peter Attia. He explains all the foundations of longevity.

🎧 LISTEN: The therapeutical potential of harnessing dreams during sleep.

🍽️ TASTE: This quesadilla features mushrooms and goat cheese for an umami-rich meal. Substitute for gluten-free tortilla and nutritional yeast to make it vegan and gluten-free.

💬 SHARE: Share this newsletter to spread the knowledge.

 🙂 EXPERIENCE: Serotonin Anti-Aging Centers are opening new locations.

Poll results

Last week, we ran a poll about using psychedelics for health. Among Livelong subscribers, 61% are open or interested in the benefits, 28% are skeptical but curious to learn more, and 11% are simply not interested.

This week, we want to know what information channels influence your healthy decision-making, whether its a 10-second video or your friendly neighborhood doctor.

Please note: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through them. This helps us continue to bring you credible and actionable health and longevity insights at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare professional before starting any exercise, wellness, or health program. Nothing in our content, products or services should be considered, or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Livelong is a media company and not a medical provider. We try to give the most accurate possible, but sometimes information is subject to change.

Longevity Media LLC

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