Dr. Dr. med. Dominik Duscher is a specialist in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery and the owner of the Longevity Center Munich. In 2020, he achieved a national bestseller with the book “Aging Can Be Cured: Staying Young with the Power of the Three Cell Competencies.” The scientist and entrepreneur has recently also become part of the MoleQlar family as a scientific advisor. To help you get to know our newest team member a little better, we met with him and discussed the topic of longevity and his visions for a healthy future.
MoleQlar: Hello Dominik! How did you, as a "trained" plastic surgeon, come across the topic of longevity?
Dominik Duscher: After my studies and during my residency, I spent three years at Stanford University researching in the fields of regenerative medicine, wound healing research, stem cell biology, and cell signaling pathways. A truly significant time in my life, as I was already a trained doctor but had little practical experience. At 25 years old, I was actually not quite ready yet. So I had to and was allowed to learn a lot very quickly there.
So I learned how to conduct science at an international top level; anything else would not have been possible there.
I was therefore in the lab day and night, whether the sun was shining outside or not.That was quite an experience! At that time, I was the youngest researcher in my department of plastic surgery. Stem cell biology has always been a particular focus of mine, and I found the dysfunction of stem cells especially interesting. Stem cells do not work as well when they are older; they have problems with regenerative functionality. I recognized this as a key element of many things that subsequently align with it. So, if there is a stem cell deficit, it will negatively affect many other things as well. The organism is an organized system, and it is clear that if the cell, as the smallest building block, presents problems, it must also create problems throughout the entire system. Ultimately, the foundation for everything I do today was laid at Stanford.
MoleQlar: You are the owner of the Longevity Center Munich – the first center for institutionalized longevity medicine. What can a layperson imagine by this and what services do you offer there as a longevity doctor specifically?
Dominik Duscher: It has become clear that everything related to genetics is not as set in stone as was long thought. Many deterministic thoughts were placed into genetics. Recently, in longevity research and regenerative medicine, it has been discovered that genetics is the hardware over which another layer of software lies, which directs the genome: the epigenetics (epi, gr. upon, over).It regulates gene expression, whether genes are turned on or off.
Researchers are increasingly recognizing a role for epigenetics in human growth, development, and disease or health. In particular, biological cell age can serve as an epigenetically determined marker of cell health and can also be used for monitoring therapies, such as personalized recommendations for nutrition and health products.
Thus, therapies can be tailored and customized according to needs. Such an approach allows for the first time to track the development of (cell) health and to improve lifestyle in a targeted manner.
With a sophisticated dietary supplement regimen or prescription medications, we reduce the biological age and thereby lower the risk profile for age-associated diseases at my institute. I'm not a big fan of hormonal intervention. I am reluctant to interfere with the hormonal regulatory system unless absolutely necessary and there is significant suffering.
I have a different system and other concepts, where I try to design an individual feasible path that is also implementable.
If someone often has to go out for dinner in the evening, I cannot take away their dinner, for example.
MoleQlar: You are also working at the University of Tübingen as Program Director for Applied Regenerative Medicine. What is your research focus there?
Dominik Duscher: In my academic work, I deal with cell biology in the context of aging and diabetes, but I also have research projects that focus on breast cancer and especially its recurrence.
MoleQlar: Recently, you became part of the MoleQlar team. What was decisive for you to join? Why MoleQlar and not another company with a similar focus?
Dominik Duscher: In my opinion, there is no alternative to MoleQlar in the German-speaking area.
The quality of the products had already convinced me as a longevity medicine practitioner, and long before I joined the MoleQlar team, I always recommended the products to my patients.
Therefore, it was a great joy and honor for me to serve as a scientific advisor.
MoleQlar: What are your responsibilities as a Scientific Advisor at MoleQlar?
Dominik Duscher: I am primarily responsible for the development of new products. Together with the MoleQlar team, I am working on expanding the product range beyond dietary supplements and will help make a personalized form of longevity intervention available through MoleQlar.
MoleQlar: What advice can you give to people who want to do something for their health and longevity? What is the best first step?
Dominik Duscher: The basis of all longevity is lifestyle. The best products won't help if the right accents are not set here. A solid fasting regime and an adequate training program are the building blocks on which individually selected dietary supplements can then be effectively built.
MoleQlar: What is your personal key to a long healthy life? Do you have a so-called longevity routine that you nurture and maintain?
Dominik Duscher: Longevity medicine is ultra-personalized precision medicine for the prevention of age-associated diseases, but also for performance enhancement. I have already mentioned that the foundation of all efforts for a healthy, long life is lifestyle. Here, I certainly have my weaknesses due to a relatively stressful everyday life, but I maintain a consistent 16:8 fasting regimen.
I always skip breakfast and start the day with lunch.
Additionally, I of course engage the other levels of the longevity pyramid with targeted supplementation. Here I am a fan of NAD boosters but also other substances like Spermidine, Quercetin and Glucosamine. I also recommend Metformin not only to my patients but am also convinced of its benefits myself. After all, I was able to lower my biological age to 25.6 years, which is about 10 years younger than my age on my ID.
Thank you for the conversation!
Would you like to learn more about the team behind MoleQlar? Then take a look at the About Us page!
