Longevity Medicine - An Overview

Longevity medicine treatments

At Harpal Clinic we offer a range of longevity testing and treatments that can be combined as part of your individual treatment plan, depending on your own goals and needs.

• Epigenetics testing: This tests for how the environment is impacting our genes and helps us to understand our baseline parameters better. So that we know where we stand today and what we can do to improve things moving forward
• DNA testing: DNA testing varies considerably amongst different providers. We will test for your longevity pathways (mTOR, Sirtuins, AMPK and FOXO) as a standard for all tiers of our Longevity Medicine service. We will also test for other systems like hormones, nutrition, detox, and APOE depending on your membership tier and the timeline of your consultation cycle
• NAD+ drip: Remember above we talked about how all your cells slow down as you age? NAD+ stimulates cell regeneration. This powerful coenzyme is really important for proper cell function and protecting the body from disease and ageing. It is also a major co-factor in the Sirtuin pathway
• Rapamycin: Originally used in higher doses for renal transplant patients, rapamycin has been shown to improve immune function at lower doses. As we know, the immune system is essential for fighting off illness and disease. Rapamycin also acts on the mTOR pathway and in essence, triggers a ‘clean up’ of senescent cells
• Metformin: This treatment for type 2 diabetes has been shown to improve the body’s responsiveness to insulin, improve blood vessel health and improve antioxidant effects. This can all contribute to slowing ageing and preventing age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s. It also stimulates the AMPK pathway, mimics a ‘fasted’ state, and alters gut bacteria which selects for desirable species like akkermansia municiphilia
• Hormone replacement: It’s not just for menopause! By replenishing and rebalancing hormones we can reap all kinds of fantastic benefits. We need to think of all hormones as messengers in the body including lesser known ones like testosterone, growth hormone, DHEA, pregnenolone, thyroid and so on. Keeping hormone levels optimal as we age can help maintain muscle, brain health, bone health and heart health. Read more about BHRT.
• LDN: for optimal immunoregulation (in autoimmunity) or immune boosting (for those with normal immunity)
• Melatonin: for circadian rhythm and to help with sleep, repair and regeneration
• IV nutrient therapy: for some, especially those with a high stress lifestyle and a high toxin load, this can be vital in the care plan as it is difficult to replace as quickly as you use the nutrients up, both essential nutrients (what your body cannot make but need) and non-essential nutrients (what your body can make but cannot make quick enough for your needs, or the process of making slows down with age, like NAD+ and glutathione)
• Optimal diet and nutrient supplementation for each person
• HPA axis dysregulation: Medical stress management (alongside non-medical management)

Habits of longevity you can begin at home

There are also many things you can do at home to support your longevity. Adopting just a few of the lifestyle changes below can make a difference. These include:

• Drink in extreme moderation: A recent study has shown that alcohol accelerates biological ageing. Reducing alcohol intake will benefit you.
• Time-restricted eating (intermittent fasting): By utilising time-restricted eating you give the gut a chance to repair itself. As a result you may also end up eating less than before, which can lead to weight loss, and saving money (which can go towards improving the quality of food you eat).
• Eat clean and as well as you can: Try to eat ‘clean’ 70-80% of the time. We always suggest (when you can afford it) spending more money on getting good quality (organic if possible) meat, eggs, and root vegetables. If the skin of a vegetable is thick, pesticides are less likely to penetrate the skin, but if the skin is thin, it is worth trying to buy organic if you can.
• Ensure you have a good quality supplement regime: A good place to start is taking omega-3 and magnesium a few times a week. Magnesium is a ‘jack of all trades’ vitamin and gets used up in the body really quickly. You can supplement these with IV vitamin therapy. Add different supplements to your regime on ‘rotation’ so that it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Do what you can according to how you feel that week or what you’re trying to achieve in health goals.
• Do whatever you can to manage and reduce stress: Anything you can do to help reduce and manage stress in your life will have a beneficial impact. Mindfulness is a powerful tool that really does work, this may simply mean going for a walk or reading a book. Positivity is also very powerful. Focussing on the positive (rather than the negative) in situations and having more gratitude can have a big impact on stress levels. Remember, good enough is usually good enough. And you get to decide that.
• Make getting good quality sleep a priority: One of the best things you can do for yourself is to implement a good sleep hygiene routine. This can include no blue light or screens before bed, eating earlier in the evening, using weighted blankets, and ensuring the temperature of your bedroom is a comfortable 18°C. Also consider sleeping in or just lying in without guilt. The washing can wait!
• Cold immersion therapy: Ice baths or cold showers can help flush toxins out of the body by increasing blood circulation. Evidence also suggests that cold immersion therapy also improves the immune response and antioxidant protection.
• Joy: think about what brings you joy and invest in it more often. This could be as simple as a comedy show that you love to watch on repeat, meals with friends and so on. Put aside time to do things that make you laugh out loud.