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We hope you had a meaningful and celebratory holiday season. Welcome to the first 2025 edition of
The Abstract, where we lead with a tribute to the life of Martin Karplus, Ph.D., Nobel laureate, visionary chemist, and beloved member of Elysium's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Karplus shared the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing computer models that combined quantum and classical mechanics to simulate complex chemical systems. Also in this month’s longevity science newsletter: the impact of age on longevity treatments, how loneliness impacts health and aging via inflammation and immune pathways, the global health burden of sugar-sweetened beverages, and a surprising side-effect of intermittent fasting—stunted hair growth. In case you missed it, you’ll also find a link below to our top 10 longevity studies of 2024.
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Martin Karplus, Ph.D.
(1930-2024)
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Martin Karplus, Ph.D., Nobel laureate and visionary chemist, has died at the age of 94. Dr. Karplus shared the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing computer models that combined quantum and classical mechanics to simulate complex chemical systems. The implications of this research are far-reaching: The methods he and his colleagues developed are universal, making it possible to optimize solar cells, catalysts in motor vehicles, and drugs, to name a few examples. They have also enabled cooperation between theory and experiment that has made many otherwise unsolvable problems solvable.
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“My chemistry colleagues thought it was a waste of time,” Dr. Karplus said after winning the Nobel Prize.
“Now it has become a central part of chemistry and structural biology. It has consecrated this field. [...] Originality and hard work are the two things that are important.”
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Dr. Karplus was known for investigating new scientific problems throughout his career and making breakthrough discoveries. He developed a mathematical model for use in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy early in his career, now called the Karplus equation, which transformed our understanding of how proteins fold and function. Dr. Karplus was also passionate about photography and cooking. His Kodachrome pictures were once on display at an exhibit in Paris, and for many years he worked in the kitchen at a famous restaurant in France for a few weeks each summer.
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Dr. Karplus was a cherished member of Elysium’s Scientific Advisory Board. It was an extraordinary honor to count him among our Board members, and he will be deeply missed.
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“All of us at Elysium are profoundly saddened by Martin’s passing, which represents an immense loss of an eminent figure in science. He leaves behind an invaluable intellectual legacy that extends far beyond Elysium. We are thankful for the privilege of having known and worked with Martin.” - Eric Marcotulli, Elysium Health CEO
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THIS MONTH
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What We’re Reading
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These are third-party articles about science that we find interesting but have no relationship to Elysium or any of our products. Elysium’s products are not intended to screen, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Are longevity treatments limited by your age?
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A new review examines the relationship between metabolism and aging, focusing on how metabolic treatments for healthy aging are impacted by the age of treatment. The authors cover various interventions—dietary restriction, exercise, supplementation with
NAD+ precursors, and more—and analyze their mechanisms of action and effectiveness across different age groups. They categorize interventions into those that create metabolic stress (more effective in younger organisms), such as exercise and metformin, and those that reduce metabolic damage build-up (effective regardless of age), including NAD+ boosters and rapamycin. The section dedicated to NAD+ boosters suggests that the benefits of increasing NAD+ are mediated by improved mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial health, and energy metabolism. Importantly, research in a variety of organisms shows that
“the reinvigorating effect of NR and NMN on mitochondria is not limited by aging, with even late life treatments showing benefits.” (npj Metabolic Health and Disease)
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Loneliness impacts longevity via inflammation and altered immune
function
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Previous research shows that loneliness and social isolation can increase our risk of chronic disease and mortality. A new study helps us understand the underlying biology. Scientists examined the blood of 42,062 people in the UK Biobank and found that self-reported loneliness and social isolation leaves a biological fingerprint marked by higher levels of proteins that trigger inflammation and affect immune system function. More than half of these proteins were linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke during a 14 year follow-up, while 90% were linked to mortality risk. Using a sophisticated genetic analysis called Mendelian randomization, the researchers established a causal relationship between loneliness and five of the proteins, helping to explain why lonely people have higher rates of heart disease and diabetes, and shorter lifespans. (Nature Human Behavior)
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Sugary drinks are causing diabetes and heart disease
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Consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). A new study, co-authored by Elysium Scientific Advisory Board member
Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H., offers an updated view of the global and regional health burden of SSBs, defined as beverages with added sugars and ≥50 kcal per 8 oz serving, including soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, and more. Dr. Mozaffarian and his colleagues found that 2.2 million new cases of T2D and 1.2 million new cases of CVD in 2020 were attributable to SSBs, and that an estimated 340,000 people died in 2020 from SSB-related T2D and CVD. Men, younger adults, and urban populations experienced a higher incidence of health issues related to drinking SSBs, while the highest percentage health burdens were in Latin America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa. (Nature Medicine)
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Fasting reduces weight—and stunts hair growth
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Intermittent fasting (IF) is an increasingly popular intervention for weight control and metabolic health, but it may have some unintended consequences for hair growth. A new study investigated the role of two types of IF—16:8 time-restricted feeding (eight hours eating, 16 hours fasting) and alternate-day fasting—on hair follicle regeneration and hair growth. Researchers found that mice who were shaved and then followed IF eating schedules only had partial hair regrowth after 90 days, compared to the control group that had regrown most of its hair after 30 days. The same team also conducted a small clinical trial of 49 healthy young adults and found that 18:6 time-restricted eating reduced the average speed of hair growth by 18% compared to controls. Researchers suggested that slower hair growth was caused by the stress of metabolic switching during IF, which creates oxidative stress and apoptosis (cell death) in hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). Interestingly, other research has shown a whole-body reduction in oxidative stress with IF, so this points to the unique metabolic demands and specific microenvironments of these particular stem cells. (Cell)
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TERM OF THE MONTH
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Mitochondrial biogenesis
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/ˌmaɪ.t̬əˈkɑːn.dri.əl ˈbaɪ.oʊdʒen.ə.sɪs/
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The mitochondria are intracellular organelles that act as the central hubs for metabolic reactions, generating ~95% of the cell’s energy by creating ATP. They power most of our cells’ biochemical reactions. Mitochondrial biogenesis is the process by which mitochondria grow in their number and size in order to meet the energetic and nutrient demands of cells and tissues. It requires the transcription of both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, and it’s mediated by stimuli such as physical exercise, dietary restrictions, and temperature. It is also the target of healthy aging interventions such as NAD+ boosters.
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AGING 101
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Top 10 longevity studies of 2024
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Catch up on last year’s most important discoveries in longevity science, from nicotinamide riboside and lung health to GLP-1 agonists and inflammation. Here are the top 10 aging and longevity studies of 2024 as chosen by our expert team of scientists at Elysium Health. (Read More)
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