Why Your Metabolic Health May Affect How Long You Live

“Think of sugar, other carbohydrates, and fat as fuel, and your body as the engine that converts fuel into energy powering your existence,” says Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “When that machine is efficient and runs without a problem, the engine — or the human body — ages slower and lasts longer.”

• Hormones, which help regulate hunger, fullness, blood sugar, and stress responses
• Metabolism, which determines how the body uses and stores energy
• Inflammation, or your body’s defense response, which can interfere with both of these processes if it becomes chronic (long-term)

“When metabolic health starts to decline, people may gain weight or experience spikes in blood sugar or cholesterol,” Al-Aly says. “All of these things carry the risk of inflammation, which stresses organs like the heart and brain — and can lead to issues like heart attacks, strokes, and a shorter lifespan.”

“Longevity isn’t just simply about adding years to your life,” says Mihail Zilbermint, MD, an endocrinologist and associate professor of clinical medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism in Bethesda, Maryland. “It’s about preserving your health, function, and independence for as long as possible.”

“Think of it as: Metabolic decline leads to inflammation that accelerates aging,” Al-Aly says. “Metabolic dysfunction provokes the kind of chronic low–grade inflammation that slowly erodes much of human health; it can affect everything from the heart to cancer risk and can accelerate aging.”

“We’ve just started studying the longer-term outcomes of GLP-1s,” Dr. Zilbermint says. “Maybe soon there will be studies showing that people who were taking GLP-1s for a prolonged period of time will have a different, longer lifespan.”

“We used to think aging and disease simply happened to us, but we now know metabolic health is something we can shape — through how we live and, when needed, through medication,” Al-Aly says.

1. Get More Daily Movement

Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for improving metabolic health and promoting healthy aging, Zilbermint says. “What I tell my patients is that exercise is the closest thing we’ve got to longevity medication.”

“Moving your body has tremendous health benefits,” Al-Aly says. “Take that walk, go on a bike ride, or go to the gym.”

2. Aim for a Healthy Weight — With Help, if Needed

“Obesity is a chronic disease — not a failure of willpower,” Al-Aly says. “If you've been struggling with obesity, and diet and exercise approaches have not worked, you are not alone. But fortunately, we now have medications that can help.”

“Medications that improve metabolic health and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress may also contribute to a greater health span,” says Al-Aly.

3. Eat to Reduce Inflammation

“Inflammation is one of the common threads linking heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, some cancers, and certain types of dementia,” Zilbermint says. “I tell my patients to think of inflammation like a fire smoldering beneath many diseases of aging, and that’s why it needs to be tackled.”

4. Prioritize Sleep

5. Manage Stress Levels

“Maintaining good rapport with family, friends, and the community reduces anxiety, stress, and the risk of cognitive disease like Alzheimer’s — and it can also improve health span,” Al-Aly adds.

6. Stay on Top of Preventive Care

“Metabolic health is really not a destiny,” Zilbermint says. “We know that genes matter — but lifestyle habits, your environment, and early disease detection and treatment through regular doctor’s visits matters tremendously.”