Dr. Dr. med. Dominik Shower is a specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery and owner of the Longevity Center Munich. In 2020 he became a national bestseller with the book “Aging can be cured: Staying young with the power of the three cell competencies”. The scientist and entrepreneur recently joined the MoleQlar family as a scientific advisory board member. So that you can get to know our newest team member a little better, we met with him and talked about the topic of longevity and his visions for a healthy future.
MoleQlar: Hello Dominik! As a “trained” plastic surgeon, how did you come across the topic of longevity?
Dominik Shower: After studying and during my residency, I spent three years at Stanford University and conducted research in the areas of regenerative medicine, wound healing research, stem cell biology and cell signaling pathways. A really important time in my life, because although I was already a trained doctor, I had little practical experience. Actually, at 25 years old, I wasn't that ready yet. I had to and was able to learn a lot there very quickly.
This is how I learned how to conduct science at the highest international level; anything else would not have been possible there.
So I was in the laboratory day and night, whether the sun was shining outside or not. That was quite an experience! At the time, I was the youngest researcher in my plastic surgery department. Stem cell biology has always been a particular focus of mine and the dysfunction of stem cells was particularly interesting to me. Stem cells no longer work as well as they get older; they have problems with their regenerative functionality. I recognized this as a key element of many things that followed.
So if you have a stem cell deficiency, it will also negatively affect many other things.
The organism is an organized system and it is clear that if the cell as the smallest building block causes problems, this must also create problems in the entire system. Stanford ultimately laid the foundation for everything I do today.
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 specifically offer as a longevity doctor?
Dominik Shower: It has become clear that everything about genetics is not as set in stone as people thought for a long time. A lot of ideas about predestination had been put into genetics. Now it has only recently been discovered in longevity research and regenerative medicine that genetics is the hardware on top of which lies another level of software that directs the genome: epigenetics (epi, gr. on, over). It controls gene expression, whether genes are turned on or not.
Researchers are increasingly recognizing the role of epigenetics in growth, development and disease. human health. In particular, biological cell age can serve as an epigenetically determined marker of cell health and can also be used to monitor therapies, such as personalized recommendations for nutrition and health products.
This means therapies can be tailored to suit your needs. Such an approach makes it possible for the first time to track the development of (cellular) health and to specifically improve one's lifestyle.
With a sophisticated nutritional supplement regime or prescription medication, we lower the biological age and thus reduce the risk profile for age-related diseases. I'm not a big fan of hormonal intervention. I don't like to penetrate the hormonal control circuit if I don't absolutely have to and there is a lot of suffering.
I have a different system and different concepts, and I'm trying to design an individual, viable path that can also be implemented.
If someone often has to go out to eat in the evening, I can't take dinner away from them, for example.
MoleQlar: You also work at the University of Tübingen as program director for applied regenerative medicine. What is your research focus there?
Dominik Shower: In my academic work I deal with cell biology in the context of aging and diabetes, but I also have research projects that revolve around breast cancer and, above all, its recurrence.
MoleQlar: You recently became part of the MoleQlar team. What was the deciding factor for you to join? Why MoleQlar and not another company with a similar focus?
Dominik doucher: In my opinion, there is no alternative to MoleQlar in German-speaking countries.
The quality of the products had already convinced me as a longevity doctor and long before I joined the MoleQlar team, I always recommended the products to my patients.
It was therefore a great pleasure and honor for me to serve as a scientific advisory board member.
MoleQlar: What are your tasks as a Scientific Advisor at MoleQlar?
Dominik Shower: I am primarily responsible for the development of new products. Together with the MoleQlar team, I am working on expanding the product range outside of the nutritional supplements sector and will help make a personalized form of longevity intervention available via MoleQlar.
MoleQlar: What tip can you give to people who want to do something for their health and longevity? What is the best first step?
Dominik doucher: The basis of all longevity is lifestyle. The best products don't help if the right accents aren't set. A solid fasting regime and an adequate training program are the basic building blocks that can then be effectively built upon with individually selected nutritional supplements.
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 Shower: Longevity medicine is ultra-personalized precision medicine for the prevention of age-related diseases, but also for improving performance. I have already mentioned that the basis of all efforts towards a healthy, long life is lifestyle. I certainly have weaknesses here due to a relatively stressful everyday life, but I adhere to a consistent 16:8 fasting regime.
I always skip breakfast and start the day with lunch.
In addition, of course, I strive for the other levels of the longevity pyramid with targeted nutritional supplements. Here I am a fan of NAD boosters but also other substances like Spermidine, Quercetin and Glucosamine. I not only recommend metformin to my patients, but I am also convinced of taking it myself. At least I was able to reduce my biological age to 25.6 years, a good 10 years below my age in my passport.
Thank you for the interview!
You would like to find out more about the team behind MoleQlar? Then take a look at About Us over!
