|
Antiaging Secrets From A to Z John Asarian, M.D., M.P.H. and Marcia Zimmerman, M.Ed., C.N. |
||
|
Aging is inevitable but how one ages is a choice. Aging can be the natural process of growing older or a chronic, progressive, disease process. All of us get older, but not all of us age while doing so. Why do some people seem so much younger than their chronological age while others appear far older than their years? Is it possible to grow older yet maintain a state of youthfulness? Might it also be possible to reverse the aging process? Let's discuss the aging process and what we can do to delay and even reverse it. THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK IS TICKING! Technically, our biological clock starts ticking when we are born. However, until the age of thirty or so, we grow better as we grow older. We overcome the various childhood diseases, pass through the pains of adolescence and on into adulthood. Most of us - but not all - pass well beyond the age of thirty before we begin to experience signs of aging such as various aches and pains, diminished energy, lowered stress adaptation, reduced muscle mass, hearing and vision problems. Yet, despite the absence of outward signs, the biological clock is ticking and we would be well advised to adopt an effective anti-aging program before signs of aging appear. Modern anti-aging research validates the need to use anti-aging techniques early in young adulthood. For example, medical researchers agree that peak bone density is developed during adolescence and this is the time to insure adequate calcium and trace mineral intake. Yet, many adolescents consume less calcium than they need to insure against future bone thinning. WHAT IS AGING? Karlis Ullis, MD, a sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist at UCLA, has treated many elite athletes and served as physician for five Olympic teams. Athletes are excellent test subjects for studying aging because their metabolic rates are several times faster than other people, making them an ideal aging model. We will explore the reason for this shortly. Dr. Ullis has outlined four dimensions of aging in his book, Age Right: Neuroendocrine: the interrelationship between hormones and nervous system signals Energy metabolism: the production and utilization of energy and metabolic efficiency Biomechanical: body movement Lifestyle and environment: our heredity and how we relate to others and our environment. It is within the context of these four dimensions that we consider aging. Changes in these four dimensions are what tells us our body is aging. The older we get, the more changes will occur. WHY DO WE AGE? There are several theories of aging and they include one's genetics, the free radical destruction of our tissues, normal wear and tear on the body, injury, collagen protein cross-linking, diminishing hormone levels and weight gain. A combination of these theories explains the occurrence of chronic diseases as we get older. However, this doesn't mean we should accept that disease is inevitable as we age. Occasionally, we hear that someone has died simply of "old age." While this is unusual in modern society, it is the way the majority of people pass on in cultures where the same lifestyle has been maintained for generations. The Secret of an Ancient People An example of this can be found in the people of Vilcabamba, a remote village in the Andes mountains of Ecuador. Morton Walker, DPM, a professional medical journalist, traveled to this village in the early 1980's and recorded the longevity, diet and lifestyle of these people, many of whom live well beyond one hundred years. The amazing thing about the Vilcabambans is that we can borrow their secrets of longevity and apply them to help us live healthier, longer lives. Vilcabambans are a product of their uncomplicated, primitive lifestyle plus what they eat and drink. Living in the mountains at well above 14,000 feet, these remarkable people engage in heavy physical labor, live in a pristine environment, drink pure mineral-rich water and eat mineral-rich vegetables that they grow without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. While we cannot live this way, we can adopt their practice of getting plenty of exercise, drinking unpolluted water and eating pure, organic foods. We can also borrow a secret from these people - the source of their health and longevity - which is the remarkable mineral content of the Vilcabamba water. Water is our most precious commodity and the water from this remote region of the world is particularly rich in minerals that it has picked up as it trickles through the lush vegetation at high altitude. Not only do the people drink the water, all of their fruits and vegetables are grown in mineral rich soil, the accumulation of years of mineral deposits. Tissue samples from these people show that they literally are what they eat and drink, with their tissues containing the same mineral profile as the water, fruits and vegetables. Let's return now to the theories of aging mentioned above and show how modern scientific research has shown us the way to reduce and reverse aging. THE GENETIC THEORY OF AGING Living, looking and feeling younger seems to run in families. Have you noticed that? Some people just look very young or very old for their years. And, if you are one of the lucky ones from the former group, your parents no doubt also looked younger than their years. However, the baby boomer generation isn't willing to accept looking older as their fate, just because their parents did! Boomers believe, and rightly so, that just because you are genetically programmed to wrinkle and gray quicker than others your age, you need not do so. Eating a healthy diet, not smoking and moderate alcohol consumption - if you drink at all - are some ways you can beat the odds of aging. In addition, you can practice relaxation techniques, apply sound spiritual principles and exercise daily. All of these may reduce your biological age. The dietary supplements we will recommend later on in Antiaging Secrets From A to Z support these activities and supply super nutrition to help keep your body from aging. The Human Genome Project The on-going human genome project has been established to identify all 30,000 human genes and determine the sequences of the 3.9 billion chemical base pairs that make up our DNA. The goal is to have these identified by 2003 and at this time (February, 2001) the project is about one-half completed. A milestone in the project was reached in June, 2000 when a working draft of the human genetic blueprint was unraveled, way ahead of schedule. Eventually, this work will yield valuable information in identifying all conditions with a genetic root and aid in their treatment - possibly by inserting replacements for faulty parts in one's genes. Cellular Reproduction Another fertile area of genetic research concerns tiny time bombs within our cells called telomeres. Telomeres are the tips of elongated strands of DNA that pair up and then divide during the process of cellular reproduction. During the course of each cell division, it has been found that telomeres shorten, so that eventually there isn't enough to participate in further divisions. The cell cannot reproduce itself and dies - eventually leading to organ failure. However, scientists have found an enzyme, telomerase, that prevents the shortening of telomeres. It has been proposed that tumor cells use this enzyme to multiply rapidly and forestall death. It is also be feasible to develop drugs based on telomerase that selectively stop telomere shortening in normal cells. Thus it might be possible to extend the reproductive capacity of one's healthy cells. While these areas of research are promising, we must prevent aging in the areas over which we have the most control. FREE RADICAL THEORY OF AGING - ROLE OF ANTIOXIDANTS Oxidants are unstable oxygen molecules that are a byproduct of normal cellular energy production. The high energy centers within cells called mitochondria spin off extra electrons that form these free radicals. Oxygen free radicals are the most numerous of all free radicals and are responsible for most of the cellular damage that occurs in your body. Any activity that increases the output of energy such as vigorous exercise or competitive sports liberates large numbers of oxygen free radicals. That's why athletes are good aging models. They exercise constantly. In his books Antioxidant Revolution and Advanced Nutritional Therapies, Kenneth Cooper, M.D, M.P.H, a leading authority in preventive medicine, advocates the addition of antioxidant supplements for anyone who is physically active.It is also important to add the B-vitamin complex with antioxidants because some are co-factors in the antioxidant recycling system of the body and others are required for energy and building processes. Dr. Cooper also emphasizes that our modern lifestyle exposes us to other kinds of free radicals that antioxidants can sop up before destruction occurs. Pollution, stress, poor diet and traumatic injuries all generate free radicals that cause us to age and threaten us with cancer, heart disease, immune disorders and other potentially lethal or debilitating diseases. Let's discuss some of the most important antioxidants. Alpha Lipoic Acid Lester Packer, Ph.D., a prominent researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, and expert on free radicals and anti-aging, has outlined the most important anti-aging antioxidants you should take on a daily basis. In his book, The Antioxidant Miracle: Put Lipoic Acid, Pycnogenol, and Vitamins E and C to Work for You , Dr. Packer discusses the importance of these powerful antioxidants and why you should take all of themLipoic acid is one of the least recognizable yet most versatile antioxidants. According to Dr. Packer, lipoic acid could well be one of our most powerful antioxidants because it is active in both water and fat soluble body compartments. Other antioxidants are effective in one or the other, but not both. Lipoic acid is pivotal in the protective antioxidant recycling systems within the body and enhances the entire antioxidant network. It serves to increase levels of other antioxidants, vitamins C, E, glutathione and co-enzyme Q 10 by restoring them to active free radical trapping status. Many antioxidants become "sacrificial lambs" by grabbing the extra electrons from free radicals. Once they have done this, they are not as active as antioxidants. Lipoic acid is the only antioxidant that can regenerate itself back from its free radical state into its active scavenging state. As we age, levels of lipoic acid drop. Dr. Packer recommends supplementing with 100 mg of lipoic acid daily. These are some of the things lipoic acid does:
Bruce Ames, Ph.D., a colleague of Dr. Packer at UC Berkeley, has shown that lipoic acid combined with L-carnitine rejuvenated the mitochondria (cellular energy factories) in old animals. The result was animals that looked and acted much younger than their chronological age. Co-Enzyme Q 10 Co-enzyme Q 10 is widely used by millions of Japanese as part of their treatment for cardiovascular disease. It has also been widely researched and used in Europe and many parts of Russia to enhance energy and increase athletic performance. The major function of Co-Q 10 is in the metabolic pathways that produce energy. Co-Q10 is especially important in providing energy for heart muscle and stabilizing its contractions. Co-Q10 is concentrated in the mitochondria where energy packets called ATP are pumped out. Another important function for Co-Q10 is free radical scavenging and membrane protection, especially against the enzyme phosholipase A2 that unravels membrane lipids. Although Co-Q 10 can be manufactured within the body, those with periodontal disease, cardiovascular disease and AIDS may be deficient. In addition, certain drugs reduce body levels of Co-Q10. These include cholesterol lowering agents or "statins" such as Zocor, Mevecor and Provachol. The drugs used to treat diabetes mellitus that also reduce Co-Q10 include Micronase, Cymelor, and Tolinase. These are some of the activities of Co-Q 10:
It's best to take Co-Q10 with a meal that contains some fat because Co-Q 10 is fat soluble. Many suppliers offer Co-Q 10 in soft gels containing oil carriers to stabilize Co-Q and enhance its uptake into the system. Very high doses of Co-Q 10 (300 mg or more) have produced some cases of nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, stomach inflammation and elevated liver function tests. Pycnogenols or OPCs Pycnogenol is a term coined by Jack Masquelier, Ph.D. the French biochemist that first successfully isolated these compounds. Dr. Masquelier used the term to describe a group of small highly active members of the flavanol family. These compounds are usually found in plants rich in vitamin C and are thought to be important vitamin C co-factors. Pycnogenols are also known as OPCs (oligomeric Proanthocyanidins) or PCOs (procyanidolic oligomeres). Commercial sources of OPCs are grape seed extract and pine bark extract. The OPC content of grape seed extract is a little higher than the pine bark extract which has been sold by the name Pycnogenol in the U.S. OPCs are widely found in plant species and other good sources are wine, bilberries, ginkgo, currents, cranberries and other berries. A sub-group of OPCs are the catechins found in green tea and to a lesser extent in black tea. Bioflavonoids are related to OPCs and they are found in black tea, citrus fruits, onions and green herbs such as parsley. Grape seeds are extracted during the wine making process and crushed. The oil is rich in phytochemicals, essential fatty acids and vitamin E. The OPCs are found in the skin of the grape seeds, where they protect the delicate oils from free radical degradation. Amazingly, OPCs do the same thing for all of your cells - protect them from free radical attack. OPCs also have a number of pharmacological effects that include inhibiting destructive enzymes, elastase, collagenase, hyaluronidase, and beta glucuronidase. The first two attack vascular networks and the skin proteins elastin and collagen. The last two enzymes attack joint fluids (hyaluronidase) and glycoproteins (glucuronidase) in cellular membranes. Here is a summary of what OPCs do:
Minerals as Antioxidants Several minerals are important as antioxidants because they are necessary for our detoxifying enzymes to work. A researcher from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, Robert DiSilvestro, Ph.D., and H. Dewayne Ashmead, Ph.D. President of Albion Labs, Clearfield, Utah, have shown that Albion amino acid chelated copper, zinc and manganese boost the body's protective antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and diamine oxidase.This could well be one of the most important reasons for taking these trace minerals. The Albion chelation process delivers minerals within a matrix that resembles what has been found in the vegetation of Vilcabamba. These minerals are extremely bioavailable as evidenced by the health of the people of Vilcabamba and absorption and bioavailability studies at research institutions worldwide. Albion holds over a hundred patents on the process of amino acid chelation that converts ordinary earth bound minerals into the amino acid matrix that duplicates nature. Besides antioxidant activity, minerals perform many vital functions in the body. We will discuss these later on in this e-book. Now, let's move onto the next theory of aging. THE HORMONE (NEUROENDOCRINE) THEORY Human Growth Hormone
Within the brain, the hypothalamus secretes growth hormone releasing hormone or GHRH, which acts upon the pituitary to release HGH. The neuroendocrine system utilizes checks and balances to ensure that not too much of any one hormone is released, yet enough is released. This is illustrated in the diagram with somatastatin inhibiting (-) the release of HGH to balance the promoting effects of GHRH. We see another feedback loop in the opposing effects of cortisol and the sex steroids on the pituitary gland. HGH is converted by the liver into IGF-1 which exerts several anti-aging effects. These include promotion of fat burning and inhibition of fat storage. IGF-1 also promotes growth and regeneration of muscle tissue, bone, cartilage, youthful kidney function and smooth skin. IGF-1 protects the body from overproducing HGH by directly inhibiting further HGH release from the pituitary and by stimulating somatastatin. Environmental and dietary factors also affect release of HGH. These include "stress stimuli" such as exercise, fasting, hypoglycemia and high serum levels of certain amino acids known as HGH precursors. Measuring Your Blood Levels of HGH Since HGH is released during a short period and quickly converted into IGF-1, blood levels of IGF-1 are consistently higher, easier to measure and don't vary throughout the day. Therefore, most physicians prefer to measure IGF-1, which is a reliable indicator of HGH production. The most recent thinking about aging is that tissues become more resistant to the actions of HGH as one ages. In other words, aging can be thought of as resulting from HGH resistance. The good news is that this is reversible. Exercise and HGH Levels Exercise, that is moderate to intensive aerobic exercise, increases HGH levels 1.5 to 2 times. Recent studies have shown that aerobic exercise that is undertaken all at one time, rather than in several ten minute increments, is more effective in burning fat. Presumably this is because extended aerobic exercise increases HGH levels - one benefit of which is fat burning. Weight training can increase HGH levels three to four-fold. High intensity short duration weight training, particularly of the lower extremities, is the most effective. That's because the legs and pelvis comprise almost 70 percent of the body's muscle mass. Diet is very important in raising HGH levels. Obesity hastens aging, primarily because of its effect in lowering HGH. Injectable recombinant DNA human growth hormone has been shown to reverse many of the effects of aging including muscle wasting, bone thinning, obesity, weakened immunity, lack of energy, longer recovery from injury, and reduced sense of well-being. However, there are serious questions about the long-term safety of HGH injections and side effects are common. These include fluid retention, joint pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. And, the injections are very expensive (up to $1500 per month) and inconvenient, requiring injections up to twice daily. According to Ronald Klatz, M.D., two-thirds of the older population do not require injections and can stimulate their own HGH by the combination of supplements, exercise and diet. HGH precursors are "substances that stimulate the brain to release more of the hormone, including nutrient supplements and pharmaceutical products specifically designed for this purpose", says Dr. Klatz. These agents may boost blood levels of IGF-1 to the upper 200's or low 300's, about that of a thirty to forty year old. Other advantages of HGH precursors are convenience and low cost, less than two dollars a day. They are safe, well tolerated and are widely available. Insulin release after meals inhibits HGH and therefore the supplements should be taken at least two hours after a meal and just before going to bed. Athletes will sometimes take the supplements before working out as well. Here are the ways HGH precursors work: L-Arginineis a semi-essential amino acid that blocks somatostatin, a hormone that lowers production of HGH and its release from the pituitary. Arginine is very important in muscle metabolism because it provides a vehicle for unloading excess nitrogen from protein breakdown. L-Ornithineis a non-essential amino acid, the precursor of L-arginine with similar but more powerful effects in releasing growth hormone. L-Glutamineis a non-essential amino acid that prevents muscle breakdown by serving as fuel for muscle energy. Large amounts of glutamine as glutamic acid are stored in muscle and it is the primary amino acid found here. L-glutamine crosses the blood brain barrier and is an excitatory amino acid. L-Lysine boosts the GH releasing effectiveness of L-arginine and L-ornithine. It is the second highest amino acid concentrated in muscle. Glycine is the most plentiful fuel amino acid and is the preferred fuel for energy production, right behind glucose. Glycine is required for optimum muscle growth and builds up energy reserves of glycogen in muscle tissue. L-Tyrosineis concentrated in muscles. It's muscle content is third behind glutamic acid and lysine. L-tyrosine is also an anti-stress amino acid and a precursor of the body's pain relieving compounds called enkephalins. What is our personal experience with GH releasers? One of the authors of this e-book, Dr. Asarian, elevated his IGF-1 levels by 75 percent after eight months of HGH precursor supplementation. Dr. Asarian's weight also dropped 11 percent and has seen excellent results in others. The other e-book author, Marcia Zimmerman, has used GH releasers with elite athletes to improve performance and help them win drug-free weight-lifting and body-building competitions. She has found it is an effective supplement for "body sculpting"; that is, improving lean muscle to fat ratios. There are no known interactions between the amino acids mentioned above and medications. Some may experience nausea, diarrhea or flatulence when first taking very large amounts of GH releasers. These symptoms generally go away after a few days. Pregnant or lactating women should not use HGH precursors. |
Hormone levels diminish as we age. They peak in our twenties, stay pretty much at the same level through our thirties and then begin a steep decline. Dr. Ullis maintains in Age Right that we have less than 50 percent of our youthful hormone levels by age seventy. Your human growth hormone (HGH)is probably only at 15 to 20 percent of peak levels by the time you reach sixty or seventy. It is the most abundant hormone produced by the pituitary gland, located deep within the brain. HGH, also known as somatotropin, is released during the first hours of our deepest sleep at night. Moreover, it is only active for a short time before being converted in the liver into another hormone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), or somatomedin C.