Why Do We Age? Dr Bradley Elliott on Biomarkers, Muscle, and What Longevity Science Still Doesn’t Know

Dr Bradley Elliott — physiologist, university lecturer, and a trustee and Communications Lead at the British Society for Research on Ageing — joins host Daphna for a refreshingly honest conversation about what longevity science actually knows and what we still cannot explain.

This episode cuts through the certainty. We talk about biomarkers and biological age, why many measurements may be tracking effects rather than causes, we discuss extracellular vesicles and the surprising limit of science. Dr Bradley discusses some of his papers and related research, and our conversation challenges much of the conventional wisdom in the longevity space.

What we cover:

-Why we still do not know what fundamentally causes ageing — and why every “root cause” often leads to something deeper

-What biomarkers really measure, what they can and cannot tell you, and which markers are most worth tracking right now

-Biological age vs chronological age: where the concept is useful, and where it gets overclaimed

-Why muscle is one of the most underrated “health organs” in ageing — and what it supports beyond strength

-Exercise for longevity: the evidence-based basics, plus what matters most for consistency and adherence

-“It is not too late”: what studies in very old adults suggest about strength gains later in life

-Extracellular vesicles: the hidden communication system between cells, and why it is getting so much attention

-Wearables: why they can still be useful even when the numbers are not perfectly accurate

This is a fascinating episode with someone who knows how to communicate science and make it relatable

Links to Dr Bradley Elliot:

- https://www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/directory/elliott-bradley

- https://bsra.org.uk/bradley-elliott-2/

- https://www.bradelliott.online/

Papers & Research Referenced

• Perri et al. (2025) — Delphi review identifying 14 biomarkers of ageing for use in human research (co-authored by Dr Elliott)

' https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39708300/

• Lady V Barrios-Silva et al. — Activin subfamily peptides and prediction of age and physical function (undergraduate-led research, University of Westminster)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30178598/

• Dr Yvoni Kyriakidou (PhD) — Exercise-induced muscle damage in young and old men; extracellular vesicle characterisation post-exercise

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34650440/

• Dr Niharika Duggal (University of Birmingham) — Masters athletes and immune function; older athletes vs. age-matched non-athletes

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29517845/

• Stephen Harridge (King's College London) — Resistance training in 90+ year olds; gains in muscle strength and mass in the oldest old

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10398199/

• Science paper on genetic contribution to longevity — updated estimate shifting genetic contribution to ~50% (noted with editorial by Dr Elliott)

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz1187

https://theconversation.com/what-new-twins-study-reveals-about-genes-environment-and-longevity-274763

https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/

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https://beyond-longevity.co.uk/

Chapters:

00:00 Why We Age

01:52 Meet Bradley Elliot

03:07 From Sports Science

05:32 Defining Ageing

07:03 Mechanisms And Theories

09:29 Biomarkers Explained

13:02 Delphi Biomarker List

16:59 Myostatin Study Story

21:25 Actionable Biomarkers

26:07 Wearables And Accuracy

27:38 Endocrine Fingerprints

30:11 Muscle And Healthy Ageing

33:21 Athletes And Immunity

34:26 Muscle Mass And Healthspan

36:36 Exercise Dose Guidelines

39:42 Resistance Training Plateau

40:42 Lifestyle Versus Genetics

42:42 Muscle Damage Study

44:44 Extracellular Vesicles Explained

46:49 Young Blood Controversy

50:08 Dream Research With Omics

56:55 What People Misjudge

58:43 It’s Never Too Late

01:02:41 Rapid Fire And Wrap

01:04:31 Final Takeaways