Autophagy: What It Is and How Long It Takes

Today I’m joined by Professor Valter Longo to unpack what actually slows biological ageing, and what most women are getting wrong about fasting, protein, and diet.

We explore the difference between chronological age and biological age, how biological ageing is measured, and why chasing extreme fasting or high-protein trends may quietly undermine long-term health. Professor Longo shares decades of research behind the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), explains why most popular fasting protocols may increase cardiovascular risk, and outlines the dietary patterns consistently linked to the world’s longest-living populations.

This conversation cuts through longevity hype with evidence from human trials, centenarian studies, and 100 years of ageing research, offering a grounded, practical framework for improving healthspan without extremes.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• The real difference between chronological age and biological age – and how it’s measured

• Why blood biomarkers may be more reliable than epigenetic ageing clocks right now

• What organ-specific ageing clocks reveal about hidden health risks

• How long it actually takes to activate meaningful autophagy in humans

• Why most intermittent fasting protocols may increase heart disease risk

• The science behind the 5-day Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD)

• FMD vs water fasting: gut health, muscle preservation, and safety

• Why skipping breakfast is linked to higher cardiovascular mortality

• The optimal daily eating window for longevity (and why 12 hours matters)

• How often to use FMD for longevity, metabolic health, and disease prevention

• Why excess protein may accelerate ageing and disease risk

• How much protein humans actually need for longevity

• The ideal macronutrient balance for healthspan and lifespan

• How nutrition consistently outperforms exercise for lifespan extension

• Practical longevity habits around sleep, stress, and lifestyle timing

Timestamps

00:00 Intro: Biological Age vs Chronological Age

04:03 Organ-Specific Ageing: Why One Age Score Can Be Misleading

06:15 Autophagy Explained: How Long It Really Takes in Humans

08:59 The Longevity Diet & Fasting Mimicking Diet Explained

11:26 Why Most Fasting Protocols May Be Harmful Long-Term

16:58 Skipping Breakfast, Cholesterol & Heart Disease Risk

18:36 Water Fasting vs FMD: Gut Health, Microbiome & Muscle Loss

35:03 Protein Intake Myths: Muscle, Ageing & Disease Risk

42:46 Sleep, Stress & Lifestyle Factors That Extend Healthspan

VALUABLE RESOURCES

A BIG thank you to our sponsors who make the show possible:

• MitoQ NAD+ 👉 Use Code ANGELA for 10% off

• Timeline

👉 http://timeline.com/angela | Enter code ANGELA for 10% off your first order

ABOUT THE GUEST

Professor Valter Longo is a world-leading longevity scientist, biogerontologist, and Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California. His research focuses on ageing, fasting, nutrition, cancer prevention, metabolic health, and lifespan extension, with over 40 clinical trials investigating the Fasting Mimicking Diet and longevity interventions. He is the author of The Longevity Diet and has published extensively in Nature, Cell, and Science.

Website: https://valterlongo.com