How a scientist who studies ‘super agers’ exercises for a longer life

Longevity expert Eric Topol exercises at his home in the La Jolla neighbourhood of San Diego. Photo / Sandy Huffaker, The Washington Post

Cardiologist Eric Topol, 70, spent years researching healthy ageing. Now, he lives by what he’s learned.

Seventeen years ago, Eric Topol, a cardiologist and founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in the La Jolla neighbourhood of San Diego, set out to discover why some people age so well, when others don’t. Aged 53 at the time, Topol considered healthy ageing to be of deep scientific – and personal – interest.

He also suspected the answer was genetic. So, with colleagues, he spent more than six years sequencing the genomes of about 1400 people in their 80s or older with no major chronic diseases. All qualified, Topol felt, as “Super Agers”.

But they shared few, if any, genetic similarities, he and his colleagues found, meaning DNA didn’t explain their super ageing. So, what did, Topol and his colleagues wondered?

His new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-based Approach to Longevity, is his answer. Synthesising hundreds of studies about health, disease and ageing, his book talks about a future where advanced drugs, biochemistry and artificial intelligence should allow us to turn back the clock and slow how rapidly we age.

Already, he says, we can dramatically increase our chances of becoming super agers with a few lifestyle tweaks, such as eating better (avoid processed foods) and sleeping enough (seven hours is good).

But there’s one lifestyle change, he says, that influences ageing far more than any other. It also has altered his own life the most.

To learn more, I talked with Topol, 70, about what he’s doing to become a super ager and how the rest of us can do the same. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: So, what is the single most important lifestyle change people can make to age better?

A: Of all the things we know about, the one that rises to the very top is exercise. In fact, it’s the only intervention in people that has shown any effect on slowing the body-wide ageing clock, meaning it appears to change how rapidly we age. Of course, other lifestyle factors, like diet and social interactions, are critically important. But if there is one thing that has the most exceptional evidence for healthy ageing, it’s exercise.

Q: What kind of exercise?

A: For decades, as a cardiologist, I would always be emphasising aerobic exercise to my patients, whether that was walking or bicycling or swimming or elliptical or you name it. I’d say to get at least 30 minutes most days. And that’s what I did myself. I didn’t really accept the importance of strength training until I began researching the book.

Topol does resistance training several days a week. Photo / Sandy Huffaker, The Washington Post

Q: And now?

A: When I saw all the evidence, I became totally convinced. Resistance training and grip strength have extraordinary correlations with healthy ageing. And so, well over a year ago, I went from being pretty much a weakling – I never worked on any muscles, except my legs, from doing lots of bicycling and hiking and walking – to now I’m stronger than I’ve ever been in my life, and it’s just been terrific. I’ve got better balance and posture, too.

Q: What’s your strength training routine like? Do you work with a trainer?

A: Well, I didn’t want to hurt myself and I was definitely a beginner, so I did start off with a trainer a couple of times a week. But now it’s only about once a month. And I tell people, you don’t have to have a trainer. You can find good information about getting started online.

Q: Do you work out at a gym or at home?

A: I do it all at home. It saves time and expense. I tell my patients, the more convenient and practical your training is, the more likely it is to get done, and that sure works for me. I usually do planks, lunges, squats, sit-ups on a medicine ball, the cobra, and a bunch of other floor exercises. I also use resistance bands. And I’ve learned about the importance of things like balance, standing on a foam pad, that kind of thing.

Topol exercises at home to save time and money, using tools such as dumbbells and resistance bands. Photo / Sandy Huffaker, The Washington Post

Q: Do you stand on one leg?

A: Yes, I do. I also try to touch my shin while standing on one foot. All of this, the strength training, the balance, the rest, it’s made me feel so strong and fit. I feel like I should have done this decades ago.

Q: Is it ever too late to start doing this kind of training?

A: Absolutely not. It’s never too late. This idea that you can’t build muscle or strength as you age is silly. No matter what your age, and I’m not young anymore, you’re fully capable of getting stronger and athletically fit.

Resistance training and grip strength have extraordinary correlations with healthy aging, Topol said. Photo / Sandy Huffaker, The Washington Post

Q: You still do aerobic exercise?

A: Of course. I used to do aerobics six out of seven days a week, for 30, sometimes 40 minutes. Now I do aerobics about four times a week and integrate the resistance training the other days. And sometimes I do both. But it’s still less than an hour. I don’t have enough time to do more and that’s an important point. When I talk to my patients about exercise, we get into the details of their lives. They’re working. They’re tired. So we talk about when they can fit in time for exercise. Do they have a lunch break? Maybe they can go for a brisk walk. Or do lunges at home later.

Q: In the book, you talk about how being outside and being with other people are both important for healthy ageing. What about exercising outside with some friends?

A: Oh, yeah, that’s great. The data suggests that, as we get older, we tend to become recluses. And that’s not good for healthy ageing. And being in nature – I never would have thought that would be important for health. But the data are strong. If you can be outside moving around in nature with friends, that’s a twofer, a threefer.

Being outside is good for health, Topol said. If you can, try exercising outdoors, ideally with friends. Photo / Sandy Huffaker, The Washington Post

Q: What’s the endgame here? It’s not just living longer, right?

A: No, not at all. The goal is extending our healthspan, our years of life that are without the major age-related diseases, especially cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration. What we can see from studies is that you can get seven to 10 years of extra healthy ageing from lifestyle factors, especially exercise.

Q: What age do you want to live to?

Well, I don’t have any of the age-related diseases yet. So, as long as that goes on, I’d be happy to get well into my 80s and beyond. I’d say that if you’re 85 and you don’t have any of those diseases, you’ve hit the jackpot. I’m doing my best to get there.