Dr Bradley Elliott — physiologist, university lecturer, and a trustee and Communications Lead at the British Society for Research on Ageing — joins host Daphna for a refreshingly honest conversation about what longevity science actually knows and what we still cannot explain.This episode cuts through the certainty. We talk about biomarkers and biological age, why many measurements may be tracking effects rather than causes, we discuss extracellular vesicles and the surprising limit of science. Dr Bradley discusses some of his papers and related research, and our conversation challenges much of the conventional wisdom in the longevity space.What we cover:-Why we still do not know what fundamentally causes ageing — and why every “root cause” often leads to something deeper-What biomarkers really measure, what they can and cannot tell you, and which markers are most worth tracking right now-Biological age vs chronological age: where the concept is useful, and where it gets overclaimed-Why muscle is one of the most underrated “health organs” in ageing — and what it supports beyond strength-Exercise for longevity: the evidence-based basics, plus what matters most for consistency and adherence-“It is not too late”: what studies in very old adults suggest about strength gains later in life-Extracellular vesicles: the hidden communication system between cells, and why it is getting so much attention-Wearables: why they can still be useful even when the numbers are not perfectly accurateThis is a fascinating episode with someone who knows how to communicate science and make it relatableLinks to Dr Bradley Elliot:- https://www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/directory/elliott-bradley- https://bsra.org.uk/bradley-elliott-2/- https://www.bradelliott.online/Papers & Research Referenced• Perri et al. (2025) — Delphi review identifying 14 biomarkers of ageing for use in human research (co-authored by Dr Elliott)' https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39708300/• Lady V Barrios-Silva et al. — Activin subfamily peptides and prediction of age and physical function (undergraduate-led research, University of Westminster)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30178598/• Dr Yvoni Kyriakidou (PhD) — Exercise-induced muscle damage in young and old men; extracellular vesicle characterisation post-exercisehttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34650440/• Dr Niharika Duggal (University of Birmingham) — Masters athletes and immune function; older athletes vs. age-matched non-athleteshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29517845/• Stephen Harridge (King's College London) — Resistance training in 90+ year olds; gains in muscle strength and mass in the oldest oldhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10398199/• Science paper on genetic contribution to longevity — updated estimate shifting genetic contribution to ~50% (noted with editorial by Dr Elliott)https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz1187https://theconversation.com/what-new-twins-study-reveals-about-genes-environment-and-longevity-274763https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love it if you took 60 seconds to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people find the show and means we can keep bringing you honest, science-backed conversations like this one. Thank youhttps://beyond-longevity.co.uk/Chapters:00:00 Why We Age01:52 Meet Bradley Elliot03:07 From Sports Science05:32 Defining Ageing07:03 Mechanisms And Theories09:29 Biomarkers Explained13:02 Delphi Biomarker List16:59 Myostatin Study Story21:25 Actionable Biomarkers26:07 Wearables And Accuracy27:38 Endocrine Fingerprints30:11 Muscle And Healthy Ageing33:21 Athletes And Immunity34:26 Muscle Mass And Healthspan36:36 Exercise Dose Guidelines39:42 Resistance Training Plateau40:42 Lifestyle Versus Genetics42:42 Muscle Damage Study44:44 Extracellular Vesicles Explained46:49 Young Blood Controversy50:08 Dream Research With Omics56:55 What People Misjudge58:43 It’s Never Too Late01:02:41 Rapid Fire And Wrap01:04:31 Final Takeaways