Longevity
FOXO3: Does Heat Make Us Old and Healthy?
FOXO3 is known as the longevity gene. Through heat stress—such as sauna or hot showers—we can activate these genes and protect our cells.
Longevity
FOXO3 is known as the longevity gene. Through heat stress—such as sauna or hot showers—we can activate these genes and protect our cells.
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Individual genetics is something magical. Especially in interaction with our environment.
Let's clarify this: Each of us lives in a chemical toolbox that only functions thanks to countless proteins whose blueprints lie on our DNA—we call these genes. Because here's the thing: Everything (!!!) in the body is biochemistry. Even when it's not biochemistry but physics, it ultimately gets translated into a biochemical signal.
That's why billions upon billions of chemical reactions take place in our cells at every moment of the day, right now as we speak. This requires proteins—often in their role as enzymes, which catalyze chemical reactions. Proteins can also function as so-called transcription factors.
Transcription factors bind to DNA and control which genes are read—and therefore, which proteins float around in the cell. This way, a cell can control which proteins are currently being produced in greater quantities. Now we've entered the realm of epigenetics, which investigates which factors influence gene expression.
This is where things get exciting, because here genetics (= your individual potential) and environment (= something we can often control) come together. Let's explore this briefly with the wonderful example of FOXO3. This is a gene that produces the transcription factor FoxO3 or FoxO3a. FOXO3 is colloquially known as the Methuselah gene—or longevity gene.
Because the protein FoxO3a produced from this gene is an extremely important transcription factor that becomes active whenever the cell is stressed. FoxO3a then triggers increased production of the body's own antioxidants in the cells, which protect the cell from oxidative stress. FoxO3a helps the cell protect itself:
«In particular, FoxO3 protects cells from the accumulation of free radicals by regulating genes involved in detoxification and cell survival (…) which ultimately leads to an extension of lifespan.» (Source)
Even though stress is frowned upon in our culture and considered entirely harmful, nature shows the opposite: Stress is vital for survival. Because whenever a cell is stressed, it ultimately becomes stronger. Exercise is stress too, and exercise triggers beneficial adaptations—as every child knows. FoxO3a becomes active when exposed to…
Before we discuss the implications, we need to address an important point. FOXO3 is also called the "Methuselah gene" because certain variants of this gene are found particularly frequently in very old people. This led scientists to conclude that FOXO3 regulates aging.
There are different genetic variants of the FOXO3 gene—for example, the G-allele at rs2802292 (its designation)—which make this gene much more active and correspondingly produce more FoxO3a protein. The lucky 32% of Europeans (including myself) who carry this genetic variant twice—that is, as GG—have, according to research, a 1.5 to 2.7 times higher probability of living to be 100 years old (Source).
That's your genetics—your basic equipment, made up of many of these genetic variants. But you can't rely on your genetics alone; you can encourage the production of these proteins through the aforementioned factors: Ever notice how good a hot shower or sauna can feel? Every time we warm up the body, heat it up, make it hot, we create heat stress in the cell. This in turn activates FOXO3 and the rewards fall from the sky. It's that simple.
More on the topic of heat stress & FOXO3 also in this excellent lecture by Dr. Rhonda Patrick (English).
So now go jump in the shower or hit the sauna ;-)
