Longevity expert reveals the five simple things he does every day to slow down his aging
Dugal Bain-Kim never took his health too seriously.
But after his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and died shortly after at the age of 70, the longevity start-up founder began paying more attention to his health.
Bain-Kim, 41, said: ‘There’s this common misperception that Alzheimer’s and dementia are like getting struck by lightning, it’s just bad luck and there’s nothing to do about it.
‘[But] having that information [about your risk] can lead someone to think differently about their life.’
The father-of-two said his family history of the disease means he is at higher risk, making it particularly important to him to avoid the same suffering that his father went through.
Dementia is a crippling disease that gradually robs patients of their ability to recall names and places and eventually take care of themselves.
An estimated 7.2million Americans suffer from the disease, and some estimates suggest that number could double to 13.8million over the next three decades.
Dugal Bain-Kim, 41, said he started to take his health seriously and try to prevent dementia after his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and died at age 70 years
Detailing his top five health hacks for helping to slow down aging in his brain and hopefully reduce his risk of dementia, Bain-Kim, who founded the start-up Lifeforce, told Business Insider he relies on specific diets and workouts, as well as supplements and sound sleep.
Regular exercise boosts blood flow to the brain to help clear out substances that could cause dementia, and quality sleep can also help the brain clear out potentially harmful deposits.
And research has shown that certain diets or lifestyle habits can also boost brain health.
Below, Daily Mail details the longevity expert’s top tips:
CREATINE SUPPLEMENTS
Creatine, long popular with bodybuilders, is now attracting fans looking to boost their cognition.
The supplement is made from three amino acids, glycine, arginine and methionine, and provides extra fuel to boost muscle growth.
But studies suggest that this extra fuel could also be used by the brain, with the energy potentially helping to fend off cognitive decline and protect against stress caused by sleep deprivation.
A 2025 study found dementia patients who took 20 grams of creatine a day for eight weeks had a slight increase in cognitive function compared to those who did not take the supplement.
Bain-Kim believes that people already take far too many supplements.
But amid its potential brain health effects, he said he added this supplement to his daily routine because he felt it might help to lower his risk of dementia.
Creatine is widely available in powder and pill forms, with users advised to take around three to five grams per day. One serving costs as little as 30 cents.
The FDA does not regulate creatine supplements, and experts urge people to buy the supplement from a reputable source to reduce the risk of it also containing impurities or ingredients that could be harmful to you.
In previous cases, some creatine supplements have been found to contain trace amounts of lead.
And people with kidney disease, affecting about 37million Americans, are advised to consult with their doctor before taking the supplement.
The above is a stock image of Ozempic. Bain-Kim says he microdoses on the drug to boost his brain health and longevity
MICRODOSING OZEMPIC
Losing weight while on Ozempic and similar drugs can boost heart health and slash the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cancer.
But some studies have also suggested that taking the drugs could help to slow cognitive decline.
Studies show that patients who take liraglutide and semaglutide, the active ingredients in Mounjaro and Ozempic, have a lower risk of dementia compared to those not on the drugs.
There is also some evidence that it may slow down brain shrinkage, a normal part of aging that begins around age 40 to 50 years.
Bain-Kim said he started to take a GLP-1 medication after hearing about this potential benefit, and he now microdoses one of the weight loss drugs, though he did not specify which one.
Microdosing is when someone takes a very small amount of a drug in order to benefit from its effects while minimizing any risks or side effects.
It is not clear whether the benefit is linked to improvements caused by weight loss or to the drugs themselves, but experts say that maintaining a healthy weight can help to reduce someone’s risk of dementia.
MORE LIGHT CARDIO
Experts say that more time spent exercising can help to flush substances out of the brain that may raise the risk of suffering from dementia (stock image)
Research has overwhelmingly shown that exercising can help to reduce the risk of dementia by boosting blood flow to the brain.
But some experts now say that doing more Zone 2 cardio exercises, such as running at a pace where you can maintain a conversation, can be more beneficial than pushing yourself to your maximum capacity in every workout.
It is possible that focusing on Zone 2 cardio can lead to people exercising for longer periods, boosting blood flow to the brain over a longer time period, which can help to flush out substances that could cause dementia and boost brain health.
Bain-Kim still lifts weights but said he recently doubled down on the lighter cardio, such as light jogging or biking, to improve his brain health.
He does two sessions of light cardio every week, he said, and plays competitive pickleball regularly.
Zone 2 cardio is equivalent to exercising at about 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age from the number 220. This means that a 30-year-old has a maximum heart rate of 190 beats per minute and a Zone 2 heart rate of around 113 to 132 beats per minute.
FOLLOW THE ‘MIND’ DIET
Experts have touted the Mediterranean diet as a way to boost cognitive health for years.
But Bain-Kim says he recently switched to the Mediterranean-Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet, or the MIND diet.
MIND is an eating plan developed by Harvard researchers to slow cognitive decline.
Some research has suggested it can slow decline, including a 2015 study on 1,000 adults that showed slower cognitive decline among those on the diet compared to those not on the diet.
But a 2023 study on the diet that tracked 2,000 cognitively unimpaired people for three years found no significant differences in cognitive function or brain size between those on and not on the diet.
The MIND diet emphasizes fibers and healthy fats such as omega-3s that can support brain health by helping the brain form and maintain cell membranes.
The diet consists of at least six servings of leafy greens, at least five servings of nuts, at least four of beans, two or more servings of berries and one serving of fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel or sardines per week.
Those on the diet also use olive oil as their primary cooking oil.
Experts say this diet may reduce the risk of dementia by cutting inflammation levels and improving the health of blood vessels.
MORE QUALITY SLEEP
Sleep is also being touted as a way to prevent dementia, with experts saying it can also remove potentially dangerous toxins from the brain (stock image)
Sleep has recently become the cornerstone of every ‘longevity athlete’s’ fitness plan.
And Bain-Kim is no exception, saying that for peak health and performance he tries to sleep about seven hours and 45 minutes every night.
This tracks with the CDC’s recommendation, which states everyone needs between seven and nine hours every night.
‘Everyone appreciates a good night’s sleep, but for me that’s now core to my strategy because of the brain protection benefits of getting enough sleep,’ he told Business Insider.
‘It’s become the non-negotiable for me.’
Experts suggest sleep can help ward off dementia by allowing the brain to clear harmful proteins, such as beta-amyloid, which build up in the organ during waking hours.
A study found this month that people suffering from chronic insomnia, or struggling to sleep, were twice as likely to develop dementia as healthy adults who slept normally.
