Cracking the code behind aging has long since fascinated, frustrated and captivated scientists.  In our quest to live longer and better, a desire to fully understand the mechanisms that explain how and why we grow old, has been central to longevity research. In recent years some significant progress has been made. A clearer picture is emerging of the changes that occur, at a cellular level, that could dictate how our bodies respond to the passing years. In this episode of the LLAMA podcast, Prof. David Walker, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) discusses his work with tiny worms and fruit flies, and explains the significance of myriad age-related issues, such as dysfunctional mitochondria, leaky intestines and inflammation.

Recorded: March 2, 2021 | Read a transcript and show notes at the LLAMA podcast website.

Disclosure: Prof. Walker is a member of the scientific board of JUVICELL, a sponsor of this LLAMA podcast episode. 

Topics covered in this interview include:

• Dr. Walker's academic journey from Belfast to Manchester and Los Angeles. 
• Inspiration through  Jonathan Weiner's Time, Love Memory - a biography of Seymour Benzer, the biologist renowned for his study of genetics through experiments with fruit fly genes.  
• Working with nematode worms and fruit flies.  
• Aging - a great scientific mystery.  How our understanding of what is driving aging, at a cellular level, has evolved. 
• Developing novel ways, using genes, to prevent age- related health decline.  
• Changing awareness of aging as we grow older.
• Accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria and how it appears to be an important cellular hallmark of aging. 
• The importance of autophagy for maintaining cellular health.
• Why do we age at different rates?  
• The pathophysiology of aging: How do age-related changes that affect organ function, relate to the health and viability of the aging organism?    
• Leaky intestines in fruit flies and humans . 
• Inflammation and the link to age-onset diseases
• Gut bacteria and relevance to various diseases and health interventions. 
• Diet and variability of our gut microbiome.
• High/low  protein diets and the aging gut, based on fruit fly studies.  
• Does eating less protein enhance longevity? 
• Making better informed decisions about diet and dietary supplementation. 
• Practicing "  common sense" lifestyle goals. 
• Exercise and everyday diet    to counter the effects of aging. 
• Memory loss  as we age and a better understanding of the mechanisms involved based on studies with fruit flies. 
• Lifestyles focussed on living life to the full.

This episode is brought to you in association with JUVICELL, the all-in-one longevity supplement that contains 10 key ingredients shown to have a positive impact on healthspan, as validated by s

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The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.