Life Extension: Ten Essentials It Would Be Dangerous to Ignore
- © Nils Osmar 2025. April 13, 2025
- This post is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice.
- See full Medical Disclaimer
Life’s complicated, and that’s true also of the quest for life extension. There have been tens of thousands of studies exploring different aspects of longevity and mortality, and there are dozens of supplements that may (or may not) really help, making it easy to get lost in the details. .
A “long view from a distance” suggests that the following ten considerations are key. Meds and supplements are also important, but there’s little point in fussing about them till we’ve addressed:
- Eating high nutrient, wh0le-foods-based diets – There are many dietary choices; I don’t think one diet is necessarily best for everyone. Some people may do bet by eating plant-based; others, animal-based diets. Some may thrive on Mediterranean or ketoganic approaches. But whatever food choices we end up making, it’s essential that our diets are based around eating real food high in the nutrients needed for the optimal health of our bodies and brains, and that (when possible) we prepare it from scratch. “A diet high in ultra-processed foods is detrimental to longevity… These foods, often laden with unhealthy fats, sugar, and less nutritious ingredients, are linked to shorter lifespans and increased risk of certain diseases.” https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8483964/
- Blood sugar – This one’s easy: If your blood sugar is high, even if you’re taking ten great supplements, you are still shortening your life. Period. Making changes to our diets and taking medications (which might include taking medications such as acarbose and metformin, or supplements such as berberine and benfotiamine) can help lower it if it’s high. So can something as simple as drinking more water, which literally dilutes the sugar in our blood. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317477
- Exercise – HIIT, aerobics and resistance training all appear to be essential. “All-cause mortality is decreased by about 30% to 35% in physically active as compared to inactive subjects.” https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3395188/
- Calories – I’m not talking about eating junk while counting calories, but making sure our diets are high in nutrients but not loaded down with excess calories. There’s a mantra that “calories don’t matter,” but recent evidence has confirmed that they d0, and that for most people, eating lower calorie diets (within reason) is better: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35511946/
- Meal timing – Our diets are entwined with our circadian rhythms. “Eating only during the most active time of day substantially extended the lifespan of mice on a reduced-calorie diet…” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35511946/
- Sleep and stress reduction – “According to recently published research involving 172,321 adults, men who get adequate sleep live about five years longer than men who don’t. For women, it’s two years. However, about a third of adults cut sleep short, raising their risk of heart attack, dementia and diabetes, among other health conditions.” Stress reduction is also vitally important; stress wears us down and make the difference between enjoying life and not really being sure why we’d want to live longer. https://www.deseret.com/2023/3/2/23621954/how-much-does-sleep-add-to-longevity/
- Lowring AGEs – Advanced Glycation End Products kill. They increase our risk of heart disease, cancer and dementia. They’re formed primarily when we eat sugars and when we cook food at high heat. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6600625/
- Clean air and water – Exposure to air pollution, heavy metals, and endocrine disruptors increases our risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases. (And of course, microplastics and forever chemicals need to be avoided as much as possible. If you’re drinking water out of a plastic water bottle, I would strongly encourage you to stop now!) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5973437/
- Oral health – Gum disease is associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s. Inflammation in the mouth both reflects and fuels systemic inflammation. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/gum-disease-inflammation-hardened-arteries-may-be-linked-to-stroke-risk
- Regular testing – Doing regular blood tests (and other tests) to get an idea about what’s going on “under the hood” is essential. VO2 max, blood pressure, and the key biomarkers used in the PhenoAge test are particularly important. They can help us fine tune our protocols, stop doing things that are harming us, and double down on the things that are helping. https://www.healthline.com/health/blood-tests
The list above is not meant to be comprehensive, just foundational. Many things that I have not included are also important in my estimation, such as supplements. I would personally, for example, put supplements such as vitamin D, magnesium, taurine, glucosamine and GlyNAC near the top of a longer list.
But – also in my opinion – the items above are the foundation we need to make sure we’re building on. Once we have them taken sorted out, we can take the time to fine tune our protocols by focusing in on things like medications and supplements and other interventions.
Feel free to share your own thoughts about what would be included on your list in the comments below. Let’s learn from each other.
Not medical advice
This article is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice. I’m not advising that people eat any particular diet or take any particular supplement(s), just reporting on what I’m doing. Supplements, like medications and other interventions, can have side effects; I would encourage people to research both possible benefits and side effects before starting on any supplementation regimen, and consult with a medical professional about any issues which might have a medical component. See full Medical Disclaimer
Other resources
- My Youtube channel Pathways to Longevity
- My Facebook group: Anti-Aging and Life Extension,
