EP 1404
1404. The Biblical Anti-Aging Fruit That Scientists Are Obsessed With
In this episode of The Human Upgrade, Host Dave Asprey sits down with Chris Rinsch, co-founder and President of Timeline Longevity, to break down why urolithin A outperforms rapamycin and rivals caloric restriction in lifespan studies, why only 30 to 40 percent of people can actually convert pomegranate into this longevity molecule no matter how much they eat, how one month of MitoPure measurably improved natural killer cells and reduced inflammation in adults aged 50 to 70, why mitophagy is one of the most critical and most neglected anti-aging mechanisms in the body, how Timeline’s topical urolithin A produced statistically significant reductions in fine lines and wrinkles after eight weeks by targeting mitochondrial function at the skin level, why L’Oreal became a Timeline investor after their scientists confirmed the technology was doing something no skincare ingredient had ever done before, and why Dave has kept this in his daily longevity stack for years alongside NAD, fasting protocols, and nootropics as one of the most clinically validated supplements available today.
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In this Episode of The Human Upgrade™...
The ancient fruit sitting in your grocery store right now outperforms rapamycin, rivals caloric restriction, and triggers a cellular cleanup process that most longevity scientists did not even know existed until a lab changed everything 18 years ago.
Go to timeline.com/Dave or just use code ‘Dave’ to get 20% off your next order.
Host Dave Asprey sits down with Chris Rinsch, co-founder and President of Timeline Longevity and a PhD cell biologist who has spent nearly two decades doing pharmaceutical quality clinical research on one of the most underrated longevity molecules on earth. Before founding Timeline in 2007, Rinsch worked in venture capital investing in pioneering life sciences companies and in biotechnology developing cell-based therapies at Swiss biotech company ISOTIS SA. He has authored original publications in Nature Medicine, Nature Metabolism, JAMA Open, and Cell Reports Medicine, and holds internationally filed and granted patents on urolithin A. This is the first time a Timeline co-founder has appeared on the show.
Together, Dave and Chris break down the full science of urolithin A, the postbiotic compound unlocked from pomegranate by gut bacteria, and why it triggers mitophagy to clear out damaged mitochondria and replace them with high-functioning ones. They cover why only 30 to 40 percent of people can produce urolithin A from food alone, how one month of supplementation measurably improved immune cell populations in people aged 50 to 70, and why Dave has stacked this into his daily longevity protocol alongside NAD precursors and nootropics for years. If you are serious about biohacking your mitochondria, extending healthspan, and doing smarter not harder longevity work, this episode delivers the deep science to back it up.
You’ll Learn:
- Why urolithin A outperforms rapamycin in worm lifespan studies and rivals caloric restriction at 45 percent life extension
- How mitophagy works, why it declines with age, and why it is one of the most important anti-aging mechanisms in the body
- Why eating pomegranates or taking cheap pomegranate extract does not work for most people and what to take instead
- How one month of MitoPure improved natural killer cells, CD8 T naive cells, and reduced inflammation in adults aged 50 to 70
- Why mitochondria are central to metabolism, brain optimization, immune function, cardiovascular health, and skin aging
- How Timeline’s topical urolithin A produced statistically significant reductions in fine lines and wrinkles after eight weeks
- Why Dave considers this one of the most clinically validated supplements in his longevity stack alongside NAD and fasting protocols
- How L’Oreal became a Timeline investor after confirming the mitochondrial science was unlike anything in their existing ingredient library
- What the XPRIZE Healthspan competition is targeting and why Timeline is competing to reverse biological aging by 10 to 20 years
- Why the future of functional medicine will require a mitochondrial blood test and how close we are to having one
Keywords: Chris Rinsch, Timeline Longevity, MitoPure, urolithin A, mitochondria, mitophagy, pomegranate, elagitannins, postbiotic, gut microbiome, longevity, anti-aging, healthspan, biohacking, supplements, human performance, metabolism, mitochondrial health, cellular health, autophagy, natural killer cells, immune health, inflammation, NAD, rapamycin, caloric restriction, muscle endurance, collagen, skin aging, fine lines, wrinkles, topical skincare, L’Oreal, XPRIZE Healthspan, Nature Aging, clinical trials, longevity stack, brain optimization, cardiovascular health, biological age, aging clock, fasting, nootropics, functional medicine, Dave Asprey, polyphenols, microbiome diversity
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"We were able to improve the lifespan of worms by 45%. The gold standard is caloric restriction ... and caloric restriction extends the life of worms about 47%. So it's about the same magnitude."
Chris Rinsch
00:00 – Trailer
Highlights from the episode teasing key insights on urolithin A, mitochondria, and longevity.
00:37 – Intro
Dave introduces Chris Rinsch, co-founder of Timeline, and his 18-year journey building a science-first longevity company.
03:57 – Pomegranates
Chris explains how studying pomegranates and their compounds led Timeline toward a surprising discovery about cellular aging.
10:03 – Discovering Urolithin A & Mitophagy
How gut bacteria unlocking urolithin A from pomegranate compounds led to a breakthrough: a 45% lifespan extension in worms and 40% more endurance in older mice.
20:50 – Science vs. Pomegranate Supplements
Why cheap pomegranate extract doesn’t work — only 30 to 40% of people have the gut bacteria to convert it, and the dose is never sufficient.
25:24 – Topical Skincare Science
Timeline’s clinical research into applying urolithin A directly to skin, showing improvements in collagen gene expression and UV inflammation reduction.
26:09 – L’Oreal Partnership & Skin Results
L’Oreal’s investment in Timeline after recognizing MitoPure as the first topical ingredient acting at the mitochondrial level, leading to joint research and a commercial partnership.
33:38 – 15 Clinical Studies & XPRIZE
Chris outlines Timeline’s growing body of peer-reviewed research and their entry into the XPRIZE Healthspan competition targeting 10 to 20 year aging reversal.
43:50 – Nature Aging Immune Study
Results from a German study showing one month of urolithin A increased NK cells, CD8 T naive cells, and reduced inflammation in adults aged 50 to 70.
49:22 – Dosing & Daily Routine
The recommended 500mg daily dose, timing, and why consistent use over 2 to 4 months is needed to feel the full effects.
51:29 – Future of Mitochondrial Health
Chris’s vision for biomarkers that measure mitochondrial function and why urolithin A should become a universal part of everyone’s longevity stack.
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