By The SABI & Dr Anish Kotecha

If ageing were a song, each of us would have a slightly different tempo.
Some rhythms stay smooth and steady for decades; others quicken too soon, under stress, poor sleep, nutrient depletion, or hormonal shifts.

We’ve long been taught to see ageing as an external fate, something that happens to us. But science is reframing it as something that happens within us: The pace of biological ageing, the process by which cells weaken, repair slows, and inflammation smoulders, can be measured, influenced, and even improved.

We sat down with Dr Anish Kotecha a leading expert in endocrinology and anti-ageing medicine, to explore the growing body of research showing that nutrition and supplementation can meaningfully slow this cellular clock.

Their work is quietly radical: it suggests that food isn’t just fuel, it’s molecular communication. Every bite, every supplement, every period of rest sends a signal to your DNA about how to age.

Here are six science-backed ways they shared with us to protect your body from premature ageing, through balance, nourishment, and intelligent adaptation.

1. Eat Less, But Nourish More

“Across every species studied, from yeast to primates, calorie restriction is the single most reliable intervention for extending lifespan,” explains Dr Kotecha.
“It triggers a mild stress response that actually strengthens cells, improving DNA repair, reducing oxidative damage, and optimising metabolism.”

But this doesn’t mean deprivation. In fact, the human version looks more like moderation, what Okinawans call “hara hachi bu”: eating until you are 80% full. This gentle restriction activates pathways such as AMPK and sirtuins, which promote longevity, improve insulin sensitivity, and lower cortisol.

“When you stop overwhelming your cells with energy,” adds Professor Davies, “they switch from growth to repair. That’s when ageing slows.”

Try spacing out meals to give your cells downtime. Add nutrient density through plants, minerals, and omega-3s rather than volume.

2. Build Your Plate Like Medicine

“The most powerful anti-ageing intervention is still a fork,” says Davies.
Diets high in antioxidants, polyphenols, and healthy fats, like the Mediterranean and Okinawan patterns are consistently linked to lower biological age and fewer chronic diseases.

They reduce inflammation, stabilise blood sugar, and support the microbiome, the network that regulates everything from oestrogen metabolism to immune resilience.

“Think in colours,” says Dr Kotecha. “Reds, purples, greens, these pigments contain compounds that directly modulate gene expression.”

For women, this diversity also supports hormonal health. Cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and kale) aid oestrogen detoxification, while flax and sesame seeds provide lignans that naturally balance hormones.

Did you know? Mediterranean populations consume up to five times more polyphenols than the average Western diet, and show lower rates of dementia, heart disease, and visible skin ageing.

Polyphenols are powerful plant compounds that act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories at the cellular level. They protect against DNA damage, support collagen stability, and help regulate gene expression through their effects on methylation.

You’ll find them in colorful fruits and vegetables (like berries, red onions, spinach), extra virgin olive oil, green tea, dark chocolate, and herbs like oregano and rosemary.

Pro tip: Polyphenols are better absorbed when paired with healthy fats (like olive oil or avocado) and when eaten with a variety of plant foods to support gut diversity — which helps activate their benefits.

3. Reboot Cellular Energy with NAD⁺ Precursors

Inside every cell lives a molecule called NAD⁺, the body’s “energy currency.” It fuels DNA repair, metabolism, and communication between mitochondria, the engines of life. But NAD⁺ levels decline steadily with age, leading to fatigue, slower metabolism, and cellular “rust.”

“Boosting NAD⁺ may be one of the most exciting frontiers in longevity science,” says Kotecha.
Clinical studies show that supplementing with Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) or Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) can increase NAD⁺ levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and enhance mitochondrial function.

“In one study, 80 adults taking NMN for 12 weeks showed no increase in ‘blood age’ — while the placebo group aged significantly,” Davies adds. “That’s a small but powerful insight into what’s possible.”

Consider NMN (300–900mg/day) or NR (250–500mg/day)  (taken under supervision) to support cellular energy, especially during perimenopause when mitochondrial efficiency naturally dips.

However, we don’t yet have enough human research on their use during pregnancy, postpartum, or breastfeeding. These are hormonally complex stages where energy and repair systems are already recalibrating, so while NAD⁺ boosters may be helpful in theory, they haven’t been well studied for safety or efficacy in these groups.

If you're in a reproductive life stage, it's not necessarily dangerous, but it's wise to speak with a trusted practitioner before starting.

Outside of those contexts, NMN and NR are generally well-tolerated, though some people report mild side effects like flushing, nausea, or digestive discomfort at higher doses.

4. Use Polyphenols as Cellular Shielding

“Resveratrol is nature’s mimic of calorie restriction,” explains Kotecha. “It activates sirtuins, proteins that extend cell survival and improve mitochondrial quality.” Naturally found in red grapes, blueberries, cranberries, and darkly pigmented berries, resveratrol is also present in peanuts — though they’re a less ideal source due to their higher risk of mould and aflatoxin contamination, which can stress detox pathways.

Quercetin, a flavonoid best known from red onions, is also abundant in apples (with skin), capers, elderberries, kale, and green tea. It reduces inflammation, protects DNA from oxidative stress, and may help stabilise mast cells in allergy-prone individuals. “It doesn’t just fight stress,” says Davies. “It helps your cells build resilience to it.”

These compounds work synergistically: quercetin enhances the absorption of resveratrol, and together they influence gene expression in ways that favour repair over unchecked growth.

Bioavailability tip: Pair resveratrol with healthy fats (like olive oil) and quercetin with vitamin C-rich foods (like citrus or bell peppers) to boost absorption.

In fact, topical resveratrol creams have been shown to reduce visible signs of skin ageing, proving these compounds support longevity from the inside out, and outside in.

5. Protect What Connects You, Fats, Amino Acids & Flow

“Healthy fats are the scaffolding of youth,” says Professor Davies. Omega-3 fatty acids,  especially EPA and DHA from oily fish, help preserve telomere length, reduce inflammation, and support hormone production and cell membrane fluidity.

“Every cell membrane is made of fat,” adds Kotecha. “When those membranes are fluid and stable, hormones signal more effectively, and cells communicate more gracefully, which is essential for energy, skin, mood, and metabolic balance.”

For women with hormonal imbalance, PMS, perimenopause symptoms, or postpartum depletion, omega-3s can be a powerful tool to calm inflammation, improve progesterone sensitivity, and support brain and cardiovascular health.

🔬Functional Guidance:

• Dose: 1,000–2,000 mg combined EPA+DHA daily, ideally split across meals
  

• Form: Choose high-quality fish oil from wild-caught small fish (like anchovy, sardine, or mackerel) or krill oil, which is more bioavailable, naturally rich in phospholipids, and less prone to oxidation
  

• Why small fish? They’re low on the food chain, meaning lower mercury and fewer environmental contaminants, making them safer for regular use — especially for women of reproductive age
  
  

Meanwhile, taurine — a sulfur-based amino acid found in dark meat, fish, and eggs, is emerging as another key longevity nutrient. It supports mitochondrial performance, stabilises blood pressure, enhances muscle endurance, and may help regulate glucose metabolism.

A recent study found that taurine supplementation improved cardiovascular and metabolic function in middle-aged adults, suggesting benefits for energy and repair, especially in women as estrogen levels decline.

But not all animal products are equal.

• Pasture-raised and regeneratively farmed animals (e.g. grass-fed beef, wild or regeneratively farmed fish) have higher levels of omega-3s, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), and antioxidants like vitamin E, and may also contain higher concentrations of taurine due to lower stress and more natural diets.
  

• Conventional meat, by contrast, often contains imbalanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, pro-inflammatory fats, and fewer micronutrients, which can undermine the benefits you’re aiming for.
  

Why it matters for women: Estrogen helps maintain mitochondrial function and vascular health. When it declines, nutrients like omega-3s and taurine, especially from clean, ethically raised sources, help maintain energy, mood, skin tone, and cellular resilience.

Functional Dosing & Sourcing Tips

6. Heal the Gut, and Everything Else Follows

“The gut is the command centre of ageing,” says Professor Davies. Changes in gut flora influence far more than digestion, they affect immune regulation, skin integrity, mood, and hormone metabolism.

When the gut lining becomes inflamed or microbial diversity declines, systemic inflammation rises. “That inflammation accelerates methylation drift,  the very process behind biological ageing,” explains Dr Kotecha.

Restoring microbial balance is therefore a cornerstone of longevity medicine. Probiotics and fermented foods like kefir, miso, and sauerkraut help repopulate beneficial bacteria, while prebiotic fibres from onions, garlic, and chicory root feed them, promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that regulate immunity, metabolism, and oestrogen recycling.

Herbal infusions designed to support digestion, such as The Digestive by The SABI, can complement these dietary habits by gently easing bloating, stimulating bile flow, and calming gut inflammation. By improving motility and nutrient absorption, they help maintain the internal environment that microbiota thrive in.t

And yes, your skin listens! Probiotic supplementation orally and using prebiotic skincare like The SABI formulations, can strengthen the skin barrier, reduce inflammation, and even reduce wrinkle depth.

Think of your microbiome as a hormonal ally: when it’s balanced, cortisol stays lower, oestrogen metabolises more efficiently, and your skin reflects that inner harmony.

Intelligent nutrition slows the clock 

The biology of ageing isn’t written in stone, it’s heavily written in what we feed it. Every nutrient, every herb, every molecule we choose becomes part of that script.

When nutrition is poor, cells misfire: inflammation lingers, mitochondria tire, and hormones lose their rhythm. But when the body is nourished with precision, omega-3s that keep membranes fluid, NAD⁺ precursors that refuel mitochondria, polyphenols that switch on repair genes, and fibres that feed the gut’s microbial intelligence, the story changes.

The body stops interpreting time as damage. Instead, it translates it as adaptation.

That’s the real science of staying younger for longer: not denial of age, but direction (using nutrition as information, and teaching every cell to remember what it was designed to do) repair, regenerate, and thrive.

About Dr Anish Kotecha

Dr Anish Kotecha is a general practitioner based in South Wales with an expanding role in medical education and a growing interest in longevity and anti-ageing medicine. He serves as Director of Education and Programme Leader at Learna, where he develops postgraduate programmes that bridge clinical practice with emerging science in preventative and regenerative health.

HORMONAL & PROUD

Created as a brand to help women navigate the toughest moments in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum — and practically every stage of life –– The SABI is changing the narrative around our hormones from one of taboo, embarrassment, and loneliness to awareness and even, pride. As more than a wellness brand, The SABI offers a carefully-crafted line of products to carry you through your hormonal journey, including rituals, supportive tools, and ancient herbal remedies that have been tested time and time again by women and now come backed by medicine. The SABI is a blend of science and nature conceived by women who have experienced the joys and deep struggles of bringing a child into the world, the pains of a heavy, difficult period, miscarriage, and difficulty conceiving.

We invite you to get to know your body and its cycles better –– to really understand what is going on inside. Learn to use your hormones to your advantage no matter your stage of life, and know that you can support and balance your hormone levels. We are here to help with the information, understanding and natural tools to support your body and the emotional process along with it.

DISCLAIMER

The SABI blog and articles are not meant to instruct or advise on medical or health conditions, but to inform. The information and opinions presented here do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals for your unique situation

References 

• https://www.bluezones.com/2017/12/hara-hachi-bu-enjoy-food-and-lose-weight-with-this-simple-phrase/

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7238909/

• https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-307/resveratrol

• https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-15126-7_50

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10385652/