I'm A Longevity Expert ― These 3 Science-Based Habits Could Help You Live Longer
A recent study published in the medical journal Nature has good news for people who feel they have “bad genes” – when it comes to ageing and longevity, the environment seems to have nearly nine times as much of an effect on how you age than your DNA (2% vs 17%).
That means working on your muscle mass, avoiding smoking, and even staying optimistic can all have more of an effect on how long you live than you might have thought.
And speaking to longevity and health-based company Thorne’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Nathan Price, HuffPost UK found out three other science-backed habits the expert swears by to maximise his chances of a long, healthy life.
These are:
1) Consider supplementing with creatine
”Most people know creatine as the go-to supplement for muscle gains, but its impact on longevity might hinge on something else entirely — your brain,” Dr Price told us.
“As reviewed in 2021 in Nutrients, creatine supplementation boosts cognitive performance, especially when you’re stressed or sleep-deprived, by fueling brain cells with energy.
“Think of it as a battery boost for your neurons. There is hope that it may be protective against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, where more research is needed.
“So, a supplement gym buffs swear by could quietly be a longevity game-changer by keeping your mind sharper as you age.”
2) Try a trip to the sauna
“You might think sweating in a wooden box is just a spa treat, but the data says otherwise,” the doctor revealed.
“A 2015 study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that men hitting the sauna 4-7 times a week had lower risks of heart disease and early death —big drivers of lifespan.
“The heat amps up circulation and cuts blood pressure, almost like a passive cardio session,” the doctor continued.
“A 2024 paper in Mayo Clinic Proceedings reviewed the scientific evidence showing that sauna bathing improves vascular health, building on earlier hints from 2018 paper in the European Journal of Epidemiology about reduced inflammation.
“What’s surprising? It’s not some high-tech intervention—just heat stress mimicking ancient habits that might trick your body into ageing slower.”
3) Look after your gut microbiome
“This one’s personal for me — I led a 2021 study in Nature Metabolism that showed that healthy ageing is associated with a particularly unique microbiome,” Dr Price said.
“That is, if you age healthily your microbiome looks less and less like anyone else’s and becomes more personalised to you. We found older adults with rare, standout gut microbe profiles lived longer and healthier, and that this score was even predictive of all-cause mortality in an elderly cohort.
“These microbiomes did share metabolic similarities, including the production of short-chain fatty acids that tamp down inflammation.
“Taken together, these findings suggest that there’s no single ‘perfect’ microbiome for longevity. Instead, your gut’s unique microbial fingerprint might play a big role in how well you age.”