Anti-Aging News 

                                                 

 Anti-aging News Log

July 2011 -  Rapamycin, an immunosuppressant used to prevent transplant organ rejection, was used to treat progeria and was able to slow down certain aspects of normal aging. Read the abstarct at:  AGING Journal

Jan 2012 - Stem cells may be the basis for a new anti-aging treatment. Progeria in genetically engineered mice was completely reversed through the injection of stem cells. National Geographic
 
June 2013 - UC Irvine researchers have shown an extract from the herb Rhodiola rosia (aka golden root) increases the life of friut flies by 25%. Its anti-aging action may benefit humans but this is not yet proven. The herb has been used for centuries to reduce stress, fight fatigue and boost memory. Ref1   Ref2

July 2013 - Rapamycin has limited anti-aging effects. It was able to extend the lives of mice by 14%.  Sci News

Aug 2013 - Metaformin a drug long used to control type 2 diabetes, has improved health and lifespan in middle-aged male mice by 5.83%.  Medical News Today    MNT

Dec 2013 - NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) - a metabolic coenzyme can lead to a reversal of some symptoms of aging in mice.  Ref1

Aug 2012 -  We are following news on: various extracts of Astragalus , TAT2 (cycloastragenol),
and TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase). 

Sep 2012 - Telomerase activators are an active area in anti-aging research.  Sierra Sciences is testing
thousands of substances and biological extracts every month for telomerase activation activity.
Hundreds of compounds and dozens of extracts have been shown  to have telomerase activation activity
and several of these (TA-65, Product B) are being marketed. Supplements with these activators are
supposed to help preserve or even extend telomere length and thus extend longevity. Little independent
published clinical research exists to support this and the company's marketing pitches seem to be a little
shady. That said, the product claims might be true. These supplements may have other health benefits.

If possible I would recommend to wait until this product receives positive reviews and endorsements
from the scientific community. Read the Product B critical article "here we go again" (11/25/2014).
My main criticism of most of currently (2013) available telomerase activator supplements is that they
are too expensive for routine use. Some experts question their effectiveness and law suits have been
brought against TA-65. If you really want to try it click on the images below.  The Astragalus products that
supposedly have the same active ingredient as TA-65, are more reasonably priced.

                        

Sep 2014 -  Science Daily reports that scientists have identified a gene that slows down aging.

Jan 2015 -  Stanford University - using modifed RNA, scientists lengthen telomeres in human cells by as much as 1,000 nucleotides turning back the internal clock in these cells by the equivalent of many years of human life.

March 2015 - The Mayo Clinic and Scripts Research Institute discover a new class of age reversing drugs (senolytics)  that may become available over the counter. The drugs mimic the effects of calorie restricted diets.

Oct 2015 - Science Blog  has a report about a conference about the comparative biology of aging.
The same author has a good blog covering telomerase anti-aging potential.

Sep 2015 - BioViva first reports Gene theraphy successfully and safely lengthened human telomeres.

Dec 2015 - LifeExtension  reports that the FDA has approved an anti-aging study on metformin, a drug widely used in the treatment of type II diabetes. A related headline: "New AntiAging Drug Could Extend Human Life Spab to 120 Years" (Ref). The good news is that this common drug is relatively inexpensive ($4 for a month's supply). The bad news is that metformin can have side effects such as causing a drop in vitamin B1, B12 and Magnesium levels. The study is expected to take 5 to 7 years to complete (Ref).

Apr 2016 - Eureka Alert reports that nicotinamide riboside (chemically similar to vitamin B3) can, in mice, restore regeneration processes that normally deteriorate with age by "revitalizing" muscle stem cells in elderly mice. Similar restoration occured in brain and skin stem cells. The treatment restores declining mitochondrial functioning. Treated mice "live longer than the mice that didn't get it". These results may be a breakthrough in regenerative medicine and a possible new treatment for muscular dystrophy (myopathy). This advance is not a "cure" for aging but is a step in the right direction.

Aug 2016 - MDI Biological Lab report that they now know what the common genetic regulators are that govern limb regeneration across various species. The investigators believe the regeneration mechanisms are not species specific but have been conserved by evolution across many species about 420 million years ago. The identification of a common cross species genetic signature for limb regeneration suggests that treatment for faster wound healing and limb regeneration are now the subjects of practical research. The timeline before real treatments become available is now directly tied to the availablilty of research funding. This research is related to anti-aging research because it advances our understanding of how gene expression works. 

Aug 2016 - Bioviva Inc. tests confirm that, using gene injection therapy, they have successfully increased  telomere lengths from 6.71kb to 7.33 kb. This measurement translates to an approximately a 20 year regression in the biological age of the white blood cells under test.  In September 2015,  44 years Elizabeth Parrish, CEO of Bioviva USA, was the first human being to receive experimental anti-aging gene theraphies designed to work against muscle mass loss and stem cell depletion.  This may be the beginning of the anti-aging breakthroughs we are all waiting for.

Dec 2016 - Salk Institute scientists, using cellular reprogramming, have increased the average lifespan of mice with progeria by 30 percent and also rejuvenated some of their tissues. Reported in a 2016 study, this kind cellular reprogramming is important, not because it was progeria specific, but because it is promising demonstration of epigenomic reprogramming. Adult mouse cells, from mice with progeria, were reprogrammed to become undifferentiated, non specialized pluripotent stem cells. The expression of four epigenetic marks (Yamanaka factors) in these cells was modified to allow the cells to develop with fewer defects. The success of this more general approach (understanding and controlling epigenetic "marks")  to anti-aging is a real breakthrough in the science of anti-aging. That said, years of additional research is needed before techniques to control epigenetic factors become safe enough be tested in clinical trials.

Aug 2018 - Bioviva Inc. updated their report to confirm that the gene injection therapy first done on Elizabeth Parrish has been very successful. Elizabeth Parrish is now (2019) 47 years old. Quoting from the article; "... we think that Liz's biological age is closer to a 30 year old or younger.". She has made several youtube videos about this and subjectively does appear to be younger. One youtube almost hour long video and contains lots of understandable information about the genes associated with aging, the role telomeres play in the aging process, and the success of various other anti-aging theraphies. It should be noted that there are many who think these therapies are unproven and have acused Parrish of implementing an elaborate money making scam. So far the treatments are far far too expensive for the average person. More confirming reports are needed to before we can fully accepting these very encouraging results. 

Aug 2018 - Science Daily reports a promising safer way to use gene therapy to reactivate the telomerase gene. Telomerase enzyme reactivation is used to treat diseases associated with telomere shortening such as cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and some aspects of aging itself. Researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre have shown that the use of gene therapy vectors, such as adeno-associated viruses (AAV), that do not integrate into the genome of treated cells, do not cause cancer or increase the potential risk of promoting cancer through the activation of telomerase. It may even reduce such risks. Some In this therapy, that can be administrated with a single local injection, the gene activating factor is quickly diluted and limits the telomere-reparative actions to only a few cell divisions. So far this therapy has been successfully used in mice to regenerate heart tissue and for diseases like aplastic anemia, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.