Note to readers and people replying: This is only for discussion purposes. I don't intend to sway anyone away from bodybuilding/weightlifting. I myself have not been affected by this knowledge. I still go to the gym frequently, eat loads and sweat it out!

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To start off, biogerontology is a fairly new area of research. Experimental studies in model organisms (C. elegans, D. melanogaster, M. musculus) have shown that:

1. A higher metabolism causes you to age quicker. This is consistent with the most popular theory of ageing: the free radical theory of ageing. The basic idea of the theory is that a higher metabolism results in greater energy expenditure. As we all know the powerhouse of the cell (so fondly named by all biology students) is the mitochondria. Energy is generated via the electron transport chain (ETC). However, coupling in the ETC is not perfect and thus, the generation of free radicals that can potentially damage DNA, protein, lipids etc.

The free radical damage is a viscious cycle. Once the mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) is damaged, the poor repair mechanisms causes mutations to accumulate with age. As you may be able to deduce by now, increased energy expenditure by a higher metabolic rate _would_ in fact cause you to possibly age quicker. This is assuming that this theory is true.

2. Corroborating the idea of free radical theory of ageing is the rate of living theory, whereby your lifespan is measured by oxygen consumption in litres/kg (also known as life energy potential - LEP) throughout your entire lifespan. It has been speculated that mammals have a constant value for the life energy potential. This was demonstrated in squirrels and horses. Despite huge differences in maximum lifespan, the LEP for both animals were about the same (60,000 l/kg).

Hence, a higher metabolic rate would limit your lifespan because you would reach your life energy potential quicker.

3. Larger animals have shorter lifespan. Big dogs die quicker. Birds live longer for their size. A study of baseball players (controlled for affluence, a major factor in today's measure of lifespan) showed that BMI was inversely related to lifespan. For every ~kg, there was a reduction in lifespan of 5 months.

4. Dietary restriction (DR) was shown to extend lifespan in model organisms. It was demonstrated that DR delays the onset of late life diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disorders. DR also slows age related decline in blood glucose control, fecundity, muscle mass, DNA repair and learning ability, to name a few. However, this has not been successfully demonstrated in humans, although it should be noted that Okinawans from Japan have the highest number of centenarians (or super-centenarians) to date. Their diet is largely responsible for this. They eat in moderation (children 60% less and adults 20% less when compared to world wide data).

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So that's a summary of what you need to know for discussion. I didn't quote any papers, but if there are specific parts that you wish to refer to, I can find quotes although I may be slow with that kind of response.

My question is, knowing what you know now, would this affect your love for weightlifting and the dietary requirements that come alongside it?

It certainly hasn't affected mine, I would like to know your opinion on the matter. Also, don't show me a picture of Nubret.

Antioxidants were shown not to have an effect on reducing free radical damage by consumption. The antioxidant boom in the market, apparently promoting longevity is an exaggeration of experimental results in research.

Promoting genes that code for antioxidant expression in cells (namely, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) reduced free radical damage to cells and resulted in longevity. This was immediately picked up upon by enthusiastic entrepeneurs to market antioxidants as 'anti-ageing' products.

None of it has been successful in reversing the effects of ageing, as experimentally demonstrated.

@registryeditor/jamis/eksk: To bring things into perspective. My dad can run forever. He looks early 40s when really he's mid 50s. Resting heart rate is low 50s.

Then again, he doesn't eat in excess. He doesn't weigh a lot. So this still stands for all points because a lower BMI means lower basal metabolic rate. Exercise does show to promote a healtheir life. However, the ideas related to bodybuilding (eat loads, lift loads, get big) are all favouring a faster age-related decline. This was what I was trying to say (I may have missed out or argued differently earlier because it was 3am when I posted), that the bodybuilding paradigm is everything the study of biogerontology has shown to promote ageing.

Perhaps the active activity comes alongside practicing a healthier lifestyle. At least for me that is true. I don't club, binge drink, eat crap, and never have smoked.

@cofactor3: The concept of DR is not being a glutton. If you eat right you will be okay, I believe. In fact, there are reduced rates of such ageing related conditions like you have described with Okinawan Japanese.

@florian/dan: That's the same way I look at it. You're not going to live forever, but then again, it'll be great if you could live longer.

@colemon: Can't really recall right now, but yes hGH was a treatment to counteract ageing. However, exercise was shown to slow ageing even more. Note I said exercise, not 'bulking up'. Refer reply to registryeditor/jamis/eksk.

@darklight: Well that's just typical of you. I didn't get this from the internet. Search David Gems, Linda Patridge, Cynthia Kenyon for an idea of biogerontology progress. It's just something intriguing that I thought would be a great point of discussion. Of course, you're not up for any discussions.

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Added on April 20, 2009, 7:38 pmedit: I overlooked myremi's post! Will reply in due time.

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Added on April 20, 2009, 8:31 pm@myremi: I'll try to get hold of the book after my exams. The free radical theory of ageing has held up to be quite true, as far as research goes. Overexpressing free radical scavangers (antioxidants) as I've already mentioned, does show to increase lifespan. Also, interesting point on antioxidant consumption in the form of vitamins to cure a debilitating disease.

It comes to no surprise that the Japanese diet has more rules than just eating in moderation. They are a very cultural country and one can only imagine what happens at the dinner table. Dietary restriction does work wonders for Okinawans, though.

This post has been edited by pizzaboy: Apr 20 2009, 10:04 PM

myremi: Thank you for kudos. No doubt that the diets are entirely different from the bodybuilding/weightlifting diet. Nonetheless, they should be equally interesting because of the longevity benefits of being dietary restricted. Even a diet of 70% ad libitum (ad libitum meaning fed what the mouse would eat given unlimited supply), resulted in extended lifespan in mouse models. Which is, if you think about it, not a lot less to eat!

Of course, this would be less than ideal for bodybuilding. A caloric deficit is frowned upon!

Also, I saw your other post on oxidative stress from foods. I found that quite informative, maybe you could crosspost the link to that thread on this page! I'm surprised you didn't bring that up in discussion


@T+1: Indeed this is fact that larger animals have shorter lifespan is a truncation of information that could very well lead to misinformation. However, if you look within species (i.e. dogs, humans), this does apply!

There is also a theory about extrinsic hazard. If animals are protected, like that of tortoises (armour from the hard shell), they are long lived. This was also shown to be true in snakes, where the same species had poisonous and non-poisonous breeds. The poisonous snakes appear to be longer lived.

Your point is a solid one. Such statistical data should be taken with a pinch of salt.


@JustForFun: That distinguishes a science student from the rest of the population. Research highly interests me. In fact, I hope to lead an important research in the foreseeable future but the story of my life's ambitions is a whole 'nuther discussion.

I did mention that there may be a lifestyle benefit from weightlifting (healthier food, less cigs, less alco). However, it cannot be ignored that bodybuilding/weightlifting is an 'extreme' form of exercise in that some of us intend to reach a size (Ronnie Coleman) that could potentially affect longevity. Exercise is good, but the extremity of professional bodybuilding and it's paradigms could potentially shorten your lifespan, given the current data from biogerontology.

But then again, it's not like I'm gonna stop squatting

This post has been edited by pizzaboy: Apr 21 2009, 08:44 AM

Body building results in greater BMR. Greater BMR means more O2 consumption/day. More O2 consumption results in greater energy expenditure, which in turn would increase the likelihood of free radical production.

However, exercise was shown to delay ageing. What's important here is to draw the line between detrimental stress and positive stress on the body. It would be ideal to work around the positive stress region. As emphasized before, this is entirely against the idea of bodybuilding. It's a slippery slope indeed.

@ahnien: Yes, I mind. What does that have to do with anything?

@myremi: Don't take CoFactor3's posts too seriously. He likes to flamebait. Check previous posts.

myremi: Indeed, very cool stuff. The Japanese are smart people indeed. I wish I could contribute more but exams nearing. I will await patiently for your review.

darklight: You're always bitter. Always pessimistic. Always negative. That's why it's so messed up!

I think if every bodybuilder or strength trainee wannable was like you, the whole board would never progress cos we'd all be too pedantic and caught up in every little itty bitty research.

No, I'm not getting caught up in every little itty bitty research. I thought that sharing some knowledge about what I've learnt would be great to spark some active discussion. Like I said, it's not like this has swayed me away from lifting. I love lifting. I'm not changing my diet either.

But you. You refuse to participate in any discussion. Your replies are always dead ended and with a tone that everyone else is wrong and you are right. That may be so, but why the ego? Admittedly >10 years of experience is a long time but it doesn't call for an egoistic reply.

Lastly, what happened to learning new things? Isn't that part of being a discussion forum?

Yeah, of course it's typical of me to say things like that to people like you since you like to post a lot of wrong info with regards to training advice for newbies.

Right, so I made a few bad posts from reading a few bad advises. You hold a grudge for-fkin-ever. What's up with that? I admit that I do not have as much experience as you do. Hence, the bad posts from bad judgement. I admit to be wrong and I appreciate them being checked and marked by you.

Regardless, this has nothing to do with wrong info. It was just about discussion. Note the big IF on the title thread. Did you also miss the huge first sentence?

There was a time when your replies were less egoistic, angry, pessimistic and cocky. I used to surf the forums and think to myself, heck now this guy has >10 years experience and he isn't stuck up. You were the go to guy because you'd take anything and give it back in the calm acceptable tone.

Certainly this has changed. I don't know why but it sucks for everyone.