
"Second Opinion" with Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz MD & Luba Greenwood JD
How dietary guidelines changed our rate of aging with Stephanie Venn-Watson
This week on Second Opinion, Christina Farr and Ash Zenooz interview Seraphina Therapeutics CEO Steph Venn-Watson, unpacking why men dominate the longevity space, the cellular secrets of aging, and C15:0’s potential to boost health.
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LINKS:
The Longevity Nutrient: https://www.amazon.com/Longevity-Nutrient-Unexpected-Holds-Healthy/dp/1668063549
Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/
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FOLLOW:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanievennwatson/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:
- Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz and Seraphina Therapeutics CEO Stephanie Venn-Watson explore women's perspectives on longevity versus the male-dominated "influencer" space in this field.
- Stephanie explains that traditional "longevity" focused on living forever doesn't resonate with most women, who instead want quality years.
- Stephanie reveals concerning data that people born after 1990 are showing aging-related diseases at younger ages than previous generations.
- While studying Navy dolphins, Stephanie's team discovered that a molecule called C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid) was linked to healthier aging.
- C15:0 is a saturated fat primarily found in dairy fat, which has been significantly reduced in American diets since 1977 dietary guidelines.
- The 1977 congressional guidelines recommended decreasing saturated fat intake, leading to widespread adoption of low-fat dairy.
- This dietary shift doubled down in the 1990s when pediatricians began recommending switching children from whole milk to low-fat milk at age two.
- People born since the 1990s have grown up in what Stephanie calls a "C15:0 deficient world."
- The good news is that C15:0 supplementation can help reverse some of these conditions according to clinical trials.
- C15:0 levels can also be increased through diet (especially grass-fed dairy), exercise, and consuming fiber.