The five
readily available anti-aging supplements that give you the
most for your money were presented
here.
I don't recommend taking handfuls of pills on a daily basis but
there
are many other effective anti-aging supplements (
ref) that you
should be aware of. For now I will
limit myself to one page and describe only a few of the better
known ones.
Alpha
Lipoic Acid:
is an anti-aging supplement and a powerful
antioxidant. It is fat and
water soluble and can protect the outer cell
membranes and
mitochondrial membrane structures
inside the
cell membrane (the
"cvtosol").
The R form of alpha lipoic acid (RLA) is a good
example
of
an , "orthomolecular"
(a Linus Pauling term) nutrient that is widely
used both nutritionally
and clinically. Benefits
of use include:
-
reduces inflammation
-
accelerates chronic wound healing
-
improves age associated cognitive dysfunction
-
slows the progression of Alzheimer's
-
helps prevent cardiovascular diseases
Coenzyme
Q10: (Co-Q10), also known as ubquinone
or ubidecarenone, is an
antioxidant
found in mitochondtia. It helps transport
electrons for energy production
and
protects the mitochondria against free radical
damage. It is fat soluble and can
protect
the outer membranes of the cell and
mitochondria. It helps maintain a healthy
cardiovascular
system. It can lower systolic blood pressure by
up to 17 mm Hg and
diastolic
blood pressure by up to 10 mm Hg without
significant side effects.
It is
an often recommended supplement for sufferers of
congestive
heart failure and
heavy
users of statin cholesterol
lowering drugs.Co-Q10 can be taken for many
reasons.
Depending
on the specific individual problem, the
effective dosages can vary greatly.
Cycloastragenol:
is a sapogenin derived from
Astragalus
membranaceis.
In
vitri experiments show it seems to moderately
increase telomerase activity and
the
proliferative capacity of CD4 and CD8 blood
cells. It is an ingredient in
the
TA-65 product. Per the TA-65 manufacturer: TA-65
telomerase activation works
on
targeted cells in your body. It improves cell
longevity and quality of life.
In a
controlled study, TA-65 improved:
-
skin appearance
-
overall feeling of well being
-
lengthens your shortest telomeres so cells
continue to function normally
DHEA:
in humans it is the most abundant circulating
endogenous steroid hormone.
In
animal studies it:
-
extended life span of some animals by 50%
-
precursor in the production of testosterone, estrogen and other hormones
- protested against heart disease
-
protected against cancer
-
protected against autoimmune diseases
-
boosted the immune system
-
countered the effects of stress
Calorie restricted diets increase DHEA concentrations. This
partially explains why
calorie
restriction increase life expectancy. 7-Keto, a
safe DHEA derivative, provides
most
of the benefits of regular DHEA with minimal
side effects. A few rare and relatively
minor DHEA side
effects have been reported.
GABA:
(gamma-aminobutyric
acid) is a neuro transmitter found in the
brain
that
is synthesized in the brain from glutamate. It
helps induce relaxation and
sleep.
GABA stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to
produce more HGH. 5 grams of
GABA
taken orally can increase plasma levels of HGH
by 500% 90 minutes after
ingestion.
Harmless side effects include: possible short
term tingling around
the
face and neck, and mild changes in heart rate
and/or breathing patterns.
Picamilon, an over the
counter supplement, can cross the brain-blood
barrier and
hydrolyze into GABA and niacin.
Melatonin:
a powerful antioxidant and natural hormone that
is produced by
the
pineal gland. It is water and fat soluble. Any
significant body exposure to light
stops
melatonin production. Melatonin permeates the
body and is replenished daily.
To be
effectively used as a supplement, melatonin has
to be used on a periodic
on/off
basis because the body quickly adjusts to it
effects in a matter of days.
In
mice small amounts of melatonin:
-
reduce oxidation damage due to aging
-
slowed down inflammatory process
-
increase longevity
In
humans its proven benefits include:
-
better quality sleep
-
more lucid dreams
-
enhanced immune function
-
mood elevation
-
possible cancer fighter
-
possible asthma symptom relief
Pregnenolone:
an anti-aging supplement, pregnenolone is a
hormone
precursor
for most human hormones. It is synthesized from
cholesterol.
Benefits
of use include:
-
strong memory enhancement
-
cognitive performance boost
-
strong anti-fatigue agent
-
helps repair myelin sheath structure
-
boosts immunity
-
elevates mood
Pycnogenol:
an anti-aging supplement, pycnogenol is made of
a complex
mix
of plant flavonoids. Benefits
of use include:
-
greatly increases power of other antioxidants
in the body
-
lowers blood pressure by improving micro
circulation
Resveratrol:
an anti-aging supplement and powerful
antioxidant. Found in the skins
of
red grapes. Benefits of resveratrol include:
-
improves blood flow
-
activates a gene that produces the SIRT
protein, which is associated with long life
-
raises endurance
-
raises insulin sensitivity
-
delays/prevents aging effects of high blood
sugar
In
rat and mouse studies resveratrol effects
include:
-
anticancer properties
-
anti-inflammatory properties
-
lowering blood sugar