Dr. Eric Topol

Great to be with you, Dana.

Great to be with you, Dana.

Well, we don't really want to live to 110. and be demented or have all sorts of other chronic diseases. But on the other hand, if we could live well into our 90s and have no chronic diseases, the big three, age-related ones, cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative, that would be the goal. So I think most everyone would agree that healthspan overrides lifespan or longevity.

Well, we don't really want to live to 110. and be demented or have all sorts of other chronic diseases. But on the other hand, if we could live well into our 90s and have no chronic diseases, the big three, age-related ones, cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative, that would be the goal. So I think most everyone would agree that healthspan overrides lifespan or longevity.

So some years ago, we did a study we called the Welderly, and we enrolled 1,400 people, average age of almost 87, who had never had a chronic illness. an age-related disease. And we thought the whole genome sequencing was going to demystify everything. But as it turned out, we found very little. And so really the emphasis that has been put on our genes for healthy aging is misplaced.

So some years ago, we did a study we called the Welderly, and we enrolled 1,400 people, average age of almost 87, who had never had a chronic illness. an age-related disease. And we thought the whole genome sequencing was going to demystify everything. But as it turned out, we found very little. And so really the emphasis that has been put on our genes for healthy aging is misplaced.

It's a small component, but there are many other factors, especially what I call lifestyle plus factors that appear to play the dominant role.

It's a small component, but there are many other factors, especially what I call lifestyle plus factors that appear to play the dominant role.

Well, as a cardiologist, I would always advocate aerobic exercise. Yeah, like, you know, certainly walking and bicycling, treadmill, swimming, that sort of thing. But what has been really extraordinary in recent years is the data that supports

Well, as a cardiologist, I would always advocate aerobic exercise. Yeah, like, you know, certainly walking and bicycling, treadmill, swimming, that sort of thing. But what has been really extraordinary in recent years is the data that supports

strength or resistance training, as well as balance training, things like posture, but especially getting stronger as we get older because our muscle mass is decreasing. And to counter that, to prevent frailty, to promote healthy aging, resistance training, which is advocated at least three times a week, is something that's really quite important.

strength or resistance training, as well as balance training, things like posture, but especially getting stronger as we get older because our muscle mass is decreasing. And to counter that, to prevent frailty, to promote healthy aging, resistance training, which is advocated at least three times a week, is something that's really quite important.

It's a great question, Dana, because the GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic caught us by surprise because, as I wrote in the book, for 20 years they were around for diabetes, but the people taking these medications with diabetes didn't have much weight loss, so we were misled.

It's a great question, Dana, because the GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic caught us by surprise because, as I wrote in the book, for 20 years they were around for diabetes, but the people taking these medications with diabetes didn't have much weight loss, so we were misled.

And now we're seeing not just the marked effects on weight loss, but also on many other conditions, even some not related to weight loss at all. But the overriding thing is the lifestyle factors, the exercise, the types of nutrition and diet, and that does include our body weight, and also, of course, sleep.

And now we're seeing not just the marked effects on weight loss, but also on many other conditions, even some not related to weight loss at all. But the overriding thing is the lifestyle factors, the exercise, the types of nutrition and diet, and that does include our body weight, and also, of course, sleep.

But then the lifestyle factors extend to things like social isolation, time in nature, exposure to environmental toxins like small particulate air pollution, microplastics, forever chemicals, and the list goes on. But we have an admixture where lifestyle factors are the most important.

But then the lifestyle factors extend to things like social isolation, time in nature, exposure to environmental toxins like small particulate air pollution, microplastics, forever chemicals, and the list goes on. But we have an admixture where lifestyle factors are the most important.

But now we have a drug class that came out of nowhere in recent years that is probably the most momentous drug class due to its reduction of inflammation. And of course, it's now being tested in Alzheimer's in people who are not even overweight.

But now we have a drug class that came out of nowhere in recent years that is probably the most momentous drug class due to its reduction of inflammation. And of course, it's now being tested in Alzheimer's in people who are not even overweight.