Activity Theory of Aging: The Ultimate Guide

Biohackers and researchers alike are obsessively researching the mechanics of why and how we age. Understanding what helps us age healthier can help us extend our lifespan and continue to enjoy the lives we enjoy living. 

An outdated theory of aging called the Disengagement Theory of Aging states that as we age, we should naturally withdraw from social roles and activities to make room for younger populations. This theory has been discarded, primarily because of a large quantity of research that supports more social engagement and activity actually helps us live longer, healthier lives. 

We’ll discuss how the Activity Theory of Aging works, and cover the research that supports how it works. We’ll also talk about a longevity nutrient that might be missing from your diet and how increasing your circulating levels of it could mean increasing your lifespan.

What Really Is Aging?

Aging happens in two ways: chronologically and biologically. 

• Chronological aging refers to the age you are because of your birthday. Every year you exist on the planet, you’ll age chronologically. There’s no reversing chronological aging, and it does not stop until you die.

• Biological aging refers to how you are aging at the cellular level. Your cells make up your entire body, and researchers have identified 12 hallmarks of aging that occur in our cells and cause us to age either faster or slower than our chronological age. 

Although we can’t alter our chronological age, we can take steps to alter our biological age. These alterations, called “biohacks,” can help us live longer, healthier lives. One way to biohack the system is by adopting the Activity Theory of Aging. 

What Is the Activity Theory of Aging?

The Activity Theory of Aging states that older adults achieve more positive health outcomes and have a higher quality of life when they maintain activity levels and maintain social interactions as they age. 

Social withdrawal is a common problem in the elderly population. Health problems, hearing, vision, and cognitive decline, and the loss of close friends and loved ones can leave older people feeling isolated. 

In addition, these same events may cause people to withdraw from activities they once enjoyed. Couple this with retirement from a career a person may have been involved with for decades, and an older person may be left with many hours of time to fill and nothing with which to fill it. 

The implications of this type of social withdrawal are alarming. Social withdrawal and isolation are associated with: 

• A 50% increase in the risk of developing dementia.
• A 29% increased risk of heart disease.
• An overall increased risk of premature death that rivaled premature death from smoking, obesity, and lack of physical activity.

Not to mention, social isolation and withdrawal are also associated with a much higher risk of developing depression and anxiety. Staying socially active and mentally engaged helps us age healthfully, and we’ve got entire populations of people across the globe to prove it.

What Are the Blue Zones?

The Blue Zones are communities located across the globe that boast the most residents living to age 100 and over. Studies of these communities have proven that the Activity Theory of Aging is vital to our longevity. 

In every Blue Zone, residents promote their health by leaning into their communities, forging new relationships with others, and remaining active. Activity and social relationships aren’t forced; they are part of the daily lives and interactions of Blue Zone residents. 

For example, in Okinawa, the elderly create “moais,” which are groups of five friends who are committed to each other for life. All but five of the 263 centenarians interviewed during the original Blue Zones research belonged to some sort of faith-based community, which helped them feel a deeper sense of belonging. 

In all the Blue Zones, a commitment to family members also helped them avoid social isolation. Physical activity among the elderly populations in Blue Zones doesn’t necessarily mean cranking out bicep curls at the gym or hitting the treadmill. Many Blue Zone residents stay active by gardening and walking. The main takeaway is that they do not stop moving or become sedentary. 

Other Ways Blue Zone Residents Support Their Longevity

In addition to staying socially and physically active, Blue Zone residents also manage their stress levels. Each Blue Zone group identified a daily ritual (like meditation, happy hour, or taking a nap) that helped them manage stress and alleviate the burden of a stressful routine.

Diet also played a role in the way Blue Zone residents approached life. Residents of all Blue Zones ate a plant-forward diet and ate to about 80% fullness. 

A closer look at the diet of one particular Blue Zone group located in Sardinia, Italy, revealed higher levels of a nutrient known as pentadecanoic acid, or C15:0, which has been dubbed “the longevity nutrient.” In fact, their levels of C15:0 were three times higher (0.64%) compared to the general population (0.2%). 

Understanding how C15:0 supports longevity can help complement a lifestyle that supports healthy aging.

C15:0: The Longevity Nutrient

C15:0 is an odd-chain, saturated fatty acid that was discovered by scientists researching longevity in dolphins. The researchers discovered that dolphins with higher levels of this particular fatty acid had a much lower risk of developing age-related illnesses than dolphins with low levels of C15:0. 

Taking their research further, the scientists discovered that this nutrient had the same effects in humans, and that not only is it beneficial, it is essential. Essential means our bodies need it to thrive but cannot readily make it on their own. We have to get it from our diet or from a supplement. 

How Does C15:0 Support Longevity?

C15:0 helps support our cellular health by strengthening and repairing cells and reversing the aging process in our cells by:

• Keeping cell membranes strong. Studies show that C15:0 can improve cellular strength by 80%
• Improving mitochondrial function by increasing cellular ATP (energy) and reducing reactive oxygen species
• Lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol
  
• Improving the gut microbiome
• Targeting six out of 12 of the hallmarks of aging inside our cells
• Improving liver enzymes

Higher levels of C15:0 are consistently associated with improved health and increased longevity, while low levels of C15:0 are associated with poor health outcomes. Having levels of C15:0 that are below 0.2% of your total fatty acid count can actually lead to a nutrient deficiency.

What Is Cellular Fragility Syndrome?

Not getting enough C15:0 is more detrimental to our health than we realize. As published in the scientific journal Metabolites, low body levels of C15:0 can result in fragile cells that accelerate cellular aging and increase the risk of developing chronic metabolic, heart, and liver conditions. This nutritional C15:0 deficiency syndrome has been named Cellular Fragility Syndrome and may be impacting as many as one in three people worldwide.

Cellular Fragility Syndrome is associated with a higher risk of developing age-related illnesses like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It has also been linked to ferroptosis, a type of cellular death that has remained a mystery to researchers but has also been linked to the aforementioned negative health outcomes. 

How To Know if You Are Deficient

The only way to know for certain is by ordering the fatty15 C15:0 at-home test or having your doctor perform a blood test. Additionally, you can determine the result of increasing your C15:0 levels by monitoring routine labs, such as a complete blood count, fasting lipid panel, and liver enzymes.

C15:0 levels should be above 0.2% of your total fatty acids to prevent nutritional deficiencies and Cellular Fragility Syndrome. It’s worth noting that in blue zones (where people consistently live to be 100), C15:0 levels usually measure between 0.4% and 0.6% of total fatty acids.

Getting the C15:0 You Need

C15:0 is found in trace amounts in whole dairy products like whole milk and full-fat butter. It’s no wonder most of us are deficient — who drinks whole milk anymore? Sardinians who have extremely high levels of C15:0 enjoy high C15:0 content cheese made from local, mountainous, grazing goats. Most of us don’t have access to this type of dairy. 

Increasing our intake of whole dairy here in the U.S. wouldn’t be a good option for increasing our C15:0 levels for several reasons. 

1. Whole dairy contains bad fat, too. While C15:0 is found in trace amounts in whole dairy, bad, even-chain saturated fat is found in much higher amounts in full-fat dairy. This type of fat is consistently associated with poorer health outcomes. 
2. C15:0 isn’t as bioavailable in whole dairy. In whole dairy products, C15:0 is attached to triglycerides which must be broken down before the C15:0 can be used in its free form. This additional step makes it harder for our bodies to use the C15:0 found in whole dairy products. 
3. Whole dairy contains an excessive amount of calories. Whole dairy products can contain a massive amount of calories and sugar (from lactose) that won’t help support a healthy weight management plan. That is probably why studies evaluating the effects of milk on our health are mixed (some say dairy fat is bad for us, while others say it is good for us).
4. It involves cows. If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, you won’t want to consume dairy to get your C15:0. The movement toward plant-based milk has further driven our levels of C15:0 lower. Further, the movement to and desire for more animal-free products, as well as a desire to veer from cows and cattle because of concerns around methane production, have caused our levels to plummet. These are good moves, but they don’t support our C15:0 levels. 

A solution? Fatty15. 

Fatty15 is the first and only supplement that contains the pure, vegan-friendly version of C15:0. It’s already in free acid form, isn’t mixed with bad fats, contains only one calorie per dose, and doesn’t require cow involvement. It’s the easiest and most logical way to increase your C15:0 levels without putting other aspects of your health in jeopardy. 

Age in Reverse

Chronological aging cannot be altered, but your biological age can be. Adhering to the principles of the Active Theory of Aging can help you stay socially connected and engaged in life, which can quite literally add years to your lifespan. 

In addition, taking fatty15 each day can help support your cells, prevent and treat Cellular Fragility Syndrome, and support a longer, healthier life. It’s one of the smartest decisions you can make to prepare for your golden years and ensure you can continue to enjoy living the life you love. 

Sources:

Disengagement Theory - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

Hallmarks of aging: An expanding universe | PubMed

Relation Between Everyday Activities and Successful Aging: A 6-Year Longitudinal Study | The Journals of Gerontology: Series B | Oxford Academic

Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions | CDC.gov

Efficacy of dietary odd-chain saturated fatty acid pentadecanoic acid parallels broad associated health benefits in humans: could it be essential? | Scientific Reports

Effect of an Asian-adapted Mediterranean diet and pentadecanoic acid on fatty liver disease: the TANGO randomized controlled trial | ScienceDirect

Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0), an Essential Fatty Acid, Shares Clinically Relevant Cell-Based Activities with Leading Longevity-Enhancing Compounds

The Cellular Stability Hypothesis: Evidence of Ferroptosis and Accelerated Aging-Associated Diseases as Newly Identified Nutritional Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0) Deficiency Syndrome