- Venki Ramakrishnan is a Nobel laureate and author of Why We Die.
- He thinks there is too much hype about longevity, but there have been some advances.
- Ramakrishnan, 72, leads an active life and cooks from scratch.
Venki Ramakrishnan, a Nobel laureate and former president of the world’s oldest scientific academy, the Royal Society, has seen how science is aging and the buzz around it has exploded.
In the past 10 years alone, more than 300,000 scientific articles on aging have been published and more than 700 start-ups have invested tens of billions of dollars in aging research, the Cambridge, UK-based microbiologist writes in his book “Why We die.”
There have been some real scientific breakthroughs, deepening our understanding of the underlying causes of aging, Ramakrishnan told Business Insider. But despite what companies that have jumped on the bandwagon would have you believe, “we’re not there yet” when it comes to translating this research into real-life treatments, he said.
The global longevity and anti-aging therapy market was valued at $25.1 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $44.2 billion by 2030, according to the Allied Market Research group.
Unlike prescription medications, biohacking treatments such as ozone therapy and apparent longevity-enhancing supplements such as NAD+ are not rigorously tested and approved by the FDA before they are released to the market.
“I wouldn’t spend huge sums of money on supplements until they’re well established to have a real benefit. I’d wait for the evidence, but people always think they can’t wait because the clock is ticking. That’s what I think many of these businesses benefit,” he said.
“I’m not negative about longevity research or the science. There’s a lot of really good science going on, but I’m negative about some of the hype,” he said. He wrote his book to inject a touch of realism into the space, he said.
Ramakrishnan, 72, shared three simple, evidence-based lifestyle choices he prioritizes as he grows older.
Eating nutritious foods in modest portions
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet has been linked to many health benefits. 10,000 Hours/Getty Images
The way we eat can have a huge impact on our health. Eating a diet high in ultra-processed foods, for example, has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Following a Mediterranean-style diet, packed with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains, meanwhile, has been linked to a longer life.
Ramakrishnan tries to eat a good mix of protein, fruits and vegetables, and fiber, he said. He is a lifelong vegetarian and always cooks from scratch using basic ingredients.
He also believes portion control is important and agrees with writer Michael Pollan’s famous rule of thumb: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Cycling every day
Exercise has all kinds of benefits for healthy aging, Ramakrishnan said. It helps many components of the body, including muscle cells and mitochondria, the energy center of the cell, to regenerate.
Besides cycling at least six miles a day, since he doesn’t have a car, Ramakrishnan goes to the gym several days a week, where he does strength training and aerobic exercise.
“You need to do both cardiovascular exercise and weight-bearing exercise. One to keep your cardiovascular system healthy, the other to maintain muscle mass and strength,” he said.
In a 2022 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, based on data from 100,000 American adults with an average age of 71people who lifted weights and did 150 to 300 minutes of aerobic exercise per week were 41% less likely to die from any cause than their sedentary peers.
Eight hours of sleep a night
Ramakrishnan feels that people underestimate the importance of sleep. Getty Images
Ramakrishnan likes to get eight hours of sleep every night. During the sleep cycle, the body repairs a lot of the wear and tear we accumulate from everyday life, he said: “It’s a way to restore things and regenerate things.”
Research suggests that getting enough good quality sleep can add years to your life. In a preliminary study presented at the 2023 American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session, researchers identified five measures of quality sleep: Sleeping seven to eight hours a night; has difficulty sleeping no more than twice a week; trouble staying asleep no more than twice a week; not using any sleeping pills; and feel well rested after waking up at least five days a week.
Of the 172,321 people included in the study, men who reported having all five measures of sleep quality were expected to live 4.7 years longer than those who had none or only one. Women with all five lived 2.4 years longer.
“Sleep is much more important than people realize,” Ramakrishnan said.