Category Archives: white blood cells

Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes: What’s Optimal For Health And Longevity?

White blood cells (WBCs) comprise many different cell types, including neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils.

Neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes account for ~99% of WBCs, and accordingly, in the video I propose optimal ranges for these cell types in terms of health and longevity.

Quantifying Biological Age: Blood Test #5 in 2020

My latest blood test results are in-how’s my biological age?

In the video I discuss my dietary approach prior to my latest blood test, the blood test results, and my plan to improve them with diet going forward.

Biological Age: Optimal On A Carnivore Diet?

After going on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Paul Saladino, MD, posted his show notes, which included his blood test results. Based on that data, is his biological age optimal while on a carnivore diet?

Blood Test Analysis: 100 – 111y (Centenarians, Semi- and Super-Centenarians)

In order to slow aging, it’s important to know how circulating biomarkers change during aging, and how these biomarkers are associated with risk of death for all causes. In this video, I discuss blood test data for the oldest old, including centenarians (100 – 104y), semi-centenarians (105 – 109y), and super-centenarians (110y+).

 

Biological Age Test #4 in 2020: Getting Better or Getting Worse?

My latest blood test results are in-how’s my biological age? In the video I discuss my dietary approach prior to my latest blood test, the blood test results, and my plan to improve them going forward.

Quantifying Biological Age: Blood Test Measurement #3 in 2020

In this video, I discuss data for 6 blood test measurements since 2018 that show a Phenotypic (Biological) Age that is ~14 years than my current age (47y).
 

Blood Test Analysis In A 100 Year Old Subject

What are the blood biomarkers of a centenarian, and is there room for improvement? Find out in the video below!

Optimizing Biological Age-Lifespan.io Presentation

In the first 45 minutes, discuss each of the biomarkers contained within Levine’s Biological Age calculator, Phenotypic Age.

After that, I answer questions from the audience and we discuss all things related to aging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hs2n7U7J-k&t=30s

15+ Years Younger Than My Chronological Age: Blood Test #2 In 2020

Exactly 1 month ago, my first biological age measurement of 2020 was 32.75y (https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2020/02/14/biological-age-32-75y-chronological-age-47y-first-2020-measurement/). When considering that my chronological age is 47y, that’s a 14 year improvement, but I wasn’t (and still aren’t) satisfied. When I sent my blood for analysis, I was battling a mild upper respiratory infection (cough, no fever), which likely raised my WBCs, thereby resulting in a higher biologic age. Also, I was experimenting with a higher intake of meat, eggs, and cheese, to see what affect that it would have on my circulating biomarkers. On that blood test in February, my creatinine levels were higher than my 2015-2020 average value, and if those foods were associated with circulating levels of creatinine, reducing them should also reduce creatinine, and accordingly, further improve my biological age. I also assumed that all other variables on Levine’s Phenotypic Age calculator would be unchanged.

On March 9 2020, I sent my blood for analysis so that I could calculate biological age with Levine’s PhenotypicAge. Almost exactly as expected, my WBCs (4.7 * 10^3 cells/microliter) were closer to my 2015-2020 average value (4.6), rather than the higher value (5.8) in my blood test last month. Similarly, reducing my intake of beef, eggs, and cheese brought creatinine from 1.08 to 0.97 mg/dL, which is closer to its 5-year average (0.94 mg/dL). As a result, I further reduced my biological age by 1.14 years to 31.61y, which is 15+ years younger than my chronological!

pa 3.9.2020

Because I track my diet every day, I can investigate the correlation between my meat, eggs, and cheese intake with creatinine. I now have 8 blood tests that correspond to dietary data, and interestingly, there is a moderately strong correlation between my average daily beef+egg+cheese intake with creatinine (r = 0.55). Based on these data, I’m going to continue to minimize consumption of these foods, with the goal of optimizing creatinine.cr mec intake

On a final note, I also expected to further reduce my CRP from 0.3 to something lower, but it slightly increased to 0.37 mg/L. While that is far from a high value, lower is better, and in future blood tests I’ll try to figure out how to further reduce it.

If you’re interested in calculating your biological age, here’s the Excel link:

DNAmPhenoAge_gen (1)

 

Quantifying Biological Age: Checklist

To make it easier to review the aging and all-cause mortality data for the circulating biomarkers that are contained within the biological age calculator, Phenotypic Age (see https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/09/09/quantifying-biological-age/), here’s a checklist!

1. Albumin: https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/09/22/optimizing-serum-levels-of-albumin-data-from-20-blood-tests/

2. Creatinine: https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/11/18/optimizing-biologic-age-creatinine/

3. Glucose: https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/blood-glucose-whats-optimal/

4. C-reactive protein: https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/10/19/optimizing-biological-age-crp/

5. Lymphocyte %: https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/11/16/lympho-mortal/

6. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV):  https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/10/14/optimizing-biological-age-mcv/

7. Red cell distribution width (RDW%): https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/09/25/optimizing-biological-age-rdw/

8. Alkaline phosphatase: https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/10/07/alkaline-phosphatase/

9. White blood cells: https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2019/10/11/blood-testing-whats-optimal-for-wbc-levels/