Live Longer World

The standard “wear and tear” story of aging may be incomplete. Dr. Peter Lidsky—a virologist and evolutionary biologist argues that aging is programmed. He says aging can be an adaptive strategy for controlling pathogens, a concept he calls the “pathogen control hypothesis.”
In this episode, we dig into the evidence behind this idea, the immune system in aging, and what his theory means for longevity interventions.
Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/plidskyFind me: https://x.com/aasthajs My longevity products: https://www.livelongerworld.com/p/2024TIMESTAMPS:0:00 — Aging ≠ Wear-and-Tear
3:44 — The Case for Programmed Aging
8:48 — Why Program Aging at All?
11:09 — The Pathogen-Control Hypothesis
14:26 — Why We Get “Sick Time”
24:37 — Rising Lifespans, Explained
27:36 — Bowhead Whales’ Longevity Edge
31:15 — Why Lone Animals Don’t Live Forever
34:00 — Planaria: The “Immortal” Worm
35:00 — Do Infections Speed Up Aging?
36:46 — When Immunity Starts to Slide
38:17 — Why Fertility Has a Deadline
42:49 — Extending Life via the Immune System
1:00:35 — How Honey Bees Rejuvenate
1:10:50 — Can We Tackle Aging? Healthspan to 90s+AASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:X: https://x.com/aasthajs Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/Peter Lidsky: https://www.cityu.edu.hk/bms/profile/peterlidsky.htmRELATED:Dr. Geoffrey West | Scaling Laws in Longevity & Aging: https://youtu.be/T67U8IK_1RU?si=ajq5AbjM6ufBQ7WfDr. David Gems | Hyperfunction & Programmatic Theory of Aging & Critique of Hallmarks of Aging: https://youtu.be/rLD-8UhHEZM?si=R_x_mLguTAKfdXtQDr. Bjorn Schumacher | DNA Damage & Aging, p53 & Cancer, and DNA repair in Reproductive Cells: https://youtu.be/kjQ-SwEP1bo?si=G2mEtNZs1O7TsLKe

“We can use the rule of evolution to optimize cancer therapy. The standard practice is that any therapy is given at maximum tolerated dose continuously until progression. It's almost a mantra that they have. Evolutionarily, you could hardly do it worse.” The current treatments on cancer do not account for how evolution works. Dr. Robert Gatenby has been studying evolutionary and game theory dynamics in the progression of cancer. He established the first cancer biology and evolutionary program in the U.S. We can leverage this evolutionary information to provide more effective cancer treatment, which he discusses in this episode. Dr. Michael Levin is my co-host.Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/rgatenbyFind me: https://x.com/aasthajs My longevity products: https://www.livelongerworld.com/p/2024TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Cancer as Tissue Damage, Not Just Mutations8:48 – How Evolution Supercharges Cancer Cell Fitness11:04 – Debunking the “Primitive Cell” Myth12:06 – The Herd Mentality of Cancer Cells14:57 – Why Cancer Dynamics Go Beyond the Genome22:27 – Networks and Information Flow Inside Cells26:56 – Shared Goals: The Secret to Cellular Cooperation29:55 – Genome = Hardware, Information = Software36:26 – Healthy vs. Cancer Cells: Competing Information Systems39:05 – Evolution Turns Harsh After Reproduction41:03 – How Cancer Rewrites Its Own Information Playbook43:07 – Adaptive Therapy: A Patient’s Guide50:45 – The Limits of Adaptive Therapy53:12 – Hunting for Better Cancer Biomarkers55:11 – The Tumor Microenvironment’s Hidden Role59:42 – Why We Must Look Beyond Genetic DataAASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:X: https://x.com/aasthajs Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/LINKS:Michael Levin: https://x.com/drmichaellevinRobert Gatenby: https://www.moffitt.org/inspiring-stories/dr.-gatenbys-storyEpisode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/rgatenbyALSO WATCH:The First Cancer Cell: A Revolution in Early Detection | Michael Levin & Azra Raza: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7yW6ZVVdQkboWpldUZyenD?si=obYEC22NSsSyy7j09JBf7QKeto & Metabolic Therapy for Cancer | Dr. Thomas Seyfried: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tYdjcJ3G4tqbAx9Z6Bix2?si=Yz9CQ-wNQ3WdcwjKw3lXGwWhy Viruses Could Be the Cause of Chronic Disease | Dr. Paul Ewald: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OdYInlzTy2zG3Mi6TgADY?si=BtishVk_R-28K2KypODIog

Mitochondria might be one of the most important organelles inside our cells. Best known as the cell’s powerhouse, they don’t just make energy; they regulate metabolism, control cell death, drive immune function, and may even be the reason multicellular life exists at all!
It’s no surprise they’re implicated in nearly every major disease, from heart disease and cancer to neurodegeneration, especially as they decline with age. What if we could slow or even reverse that decline by giving cells fresh, healthy mitochondria? That’s the promise of mitochondrial transplantation—a groundbreaking approach Mitrix Bio is pioneering.
In this episode, I talk with CEO Tom Benson about the science, the potential, and the early results from people already lining up for their trial.

Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/tbenson
Find me: https://x.com/aasthajs
My longevity products: https://www.livelongerworld.com/p/2024

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Injecting new mitochondria into your body
01:39 - Mitochondria’s evolutionary role in aging
04:35 - What happens to old mitochondria?
06:18 - Why humans live longer than other animals
11:30 Why cardiovascular disease is #1 killer
12:30 - Why does the brain remain sharp with age?
15:30 Why does energy decline after age 30?
19:04 Why doesn’t the body correct mitochondrial mutations?
22:42 Mitochondrial defects in children
24:14 Diagnostics for mitochondrial health
27:36 Mitochondrial DNA is eternal
33:18 Where does mitochondria come from in mitochondrial transplantation?
34:59 Growing mitochondria in a bioreactor
39:07 How neurons grow their mitochondria
40:52 Mitochondrial theory of cancer
44:23 Mitochondria and psychobiology
48:32 Chemotherapy and radiation damage mitochondria
50:38 Evidence that mitochondrial transplantation works
56:06 Caloric restriction, sauna, sunlight, and mitochondria
1:00:01 Mitochondria and races
1:02:57 Why stop at 130 years old?
1:04:48 Why might this not work?
1:10:03 Volunteers for Mitrix trial

AASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:
X: https://x.com/aasthajs
Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/

Mitrix Bio:
https://mitrix.bio/
Tom Benson: https://mitrix.bio/team/tom-benson/

RELATED:
New Spin to the Free Radical Theory of Aging: https://www.livelongerworld.com/p/ros
Keto & Metabolic Therapy for Cancer | Dr. Thomas Seyfried: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tYdjcJ3G4tqbAx9Z6Bix2?si=biOOH1e5RpeZduLJv2fPHw
Boost Mitochondria with Sunlight and Infrared light: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1jGfhzX1P245LU2kLwgHTq?si=yPOC3bViRnmOUeR-P0jeWA

Can we detect cancer so early such that we find the very first cell of cancer? Not just stage 1 cancer, but the first cell of cancer.
In this episode, Dr. Michael Levin and I speak with Dr. Azra Raza. She is an oncologist pioneering early detection of cancer using electric signals. So far, our best solution to curing cancer has been to detect it early, and she wants to take this further, by nipping cancer at the very first cell.
Her story with cancer is also deeply personal as she lost her husband to the disease. You can see in the episode how much she cares about solving cancer through early detection, and how aggrieved she is about the fact that not only have we made zero progress on cancer in the last 100 years, but doctors are also not focused on cancer prevention.
Dr. Raza is also the author of the book The First Cell: And the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last.

Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/araza
Find me: https://x.com/aasthajs
My longevity products: https://www.livelongerworld.com/p/2024

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 New theory of cancer
1:45 What causes cancer?
5:39 Hybrid cells in cancer
11:16 Why do cancer cells become immortal?
14:14 Detecting the first cell of cancer
17:09 Stress causes cancer cells to fuse
21:40 Cancer drugs don’t work universally
25:54 Personalization of early cancer detection
29:29 Detect cancer early using electrics
35:46 Anguish of cancer patients
39:06 Cancer progress hasn’t moved in 100 years
44:04 Doctors don’t think of cancer prevention
46:54 First Cell Therapeutics - Azra’s company
50:55 What is the first cell stage of cancer?
54:55 Advice for cancer patients

AASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:
Twitter: https://x.com/aasthajs
Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/

LINKS:
Michael Levin: https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin
Azra Raza: https://azraraza.com/
Azra Raza book The First Cell: https://amzn.to/4jGJzoJ
Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/araza

RELATED EPISODES:
Keto & Metabolic Therapy for Cancer | Dr. Thomas Seyfried: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tYdjcJ3G4tqbAx9Z6Bix2?si=gboyPAiLQrqg-y5YEKQiQQ
Why Viruses Could Be the Cause of Chronic Disease | Dr. Paul Ewald: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OdYInlzTy2zG3Mi6TgADY?si=Gnbg7efNSy21bS3q0c23jg

What if chronic diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s are caused by infections we’ve overlooked?
We assume chronic disease is caused by genetics and / or lifestyle. However, evolutionary biologist Dr. Paul Ewald says latent viruses and pathogens play a critical hidden role in many diseases.
For example, we already know that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer. And research indicates how the EBV virus shows up in Multiple sclerosis, and chlamydia pneumonia shows in Alzheimer’s. Deeper investigation into viruses and disease is warranted and will help with better diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Paul Ewald is also the author of Plague Time: The New Germ Theory of Disease, and Evolution of Infectious diseases. Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/pewaldFind me: https://x.com/aasthajs My longevity products: https://www.livelongerworld.com/p/2024TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Role of infection in chronic disease is neglected
2:40 Role of viruses in Alzheimer’s
10:50 Connections between Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cardiovascular disease
15:57 Genes cannot explain the full reason for disease
20:47 Strong association between Alzheimer’s, chlamydia pneumonia, and APOE4
28:16 Multiple sclerosis and EBV virus
35:08 Latent viruses may in fact be active & cause cancer
41:41 Sexually- transmitted pathogens correlated with cancer
46:50 Viruses that cause cancer (EBV & breast cancer)
53:09 Hodgkin’s lymphoma and virus
57:15 Stanford study showing EBV as leading cause of MS
1:00:19 Do viruses attack the mitochondria and cause cancer
1:01:38 Glioblastoma and virus / antiviral treatment
1:07:07 Virus vs. oncogenes causing cancer
1:14:17 Breast cancer BRAC1 mutations & virus association
1:15:59 Vaccines against viruses
1:17:56 Practical steps if you test positive for infectious viruses
1:24:57 Could cancer relapse be due to persistent virus
1:27:48 Protect the immune system
1:29:38 Areas Dr. Ewald is excited aboutAASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:X: https://x.com/aasthajs Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/PAUL EWALD LINKS:Plague Time: The New Germ Theory of Disease: https://amzn.to/3FXjOSuEvolution of Infectious diseases: https://amzn.to/3FYaqOvEpisode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/pewaldALSO WATCH:Keto & Metabolic Therapy for Cancer | Dr. Thomas Seyfried: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tYdjcJ3G4tqbAx9Z6Bix2?si=biOOH1e5RpeZduLJv2fPHw