Can we slow the aging process?
In recent times many new antioxidants have been discovered and tested and I believe that it is now possible to slow the aging process in comparison to what is normally expected. Many more people could live beyond 100, possibly 110 years. To be sure the 'experts' will probably disagree, but I encourage you to read on. God spoke of human lifespan being 120 years in Genesis 6:3.
The most exciting research into the slowing of human aging and prevention of chronic disease is a supplement which boosts AMPK levels. If you read no further I would strongly recommend reading this article on AMPK. This supplement which boosts AMPK can be bought here. Also read about the diabetes drug metformin for which trials are starting. See this article too.
Two of the most interesting other supplements for slowing the aging process are resveratrol of which you could take up to 300mg daily and SODzyme - take three capsules before breakfast. Better still, get your SODzyme and other anti-aging nutrients in a Life Extension product called "Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer" which includes PQQ and carnosine. Try curcumin and astaxanthin which also slow the aging process. Whatever you do, be sure to take AMPK Activator. These are all available from the Life Extension Foundation, as are all of the supplements mentioned below. There are also several hormones which probably slow the aging process, namely melatonin, DHEA and Human Growth Hormone. If you can't get DHEA in your country (such as in Australia) then you may import a precursor Pregnenolone. Human Growth Hormone is expensive, but precursors such as Arginine and Ornithine are readily available. I also suggest taking chromium and boron both of which are in Life Extension Mix which includes vegetable extracts, selenium and most vitamins including folic acid. Also have plenty of magnesium and coenzyme Q10 mentioned below. The Life Extension product "Two-per-Day" contains many vitamins and minerals including 200mcg of selenium and chromium, as well as boron, lycopene, choline, inositol, apigenin and more.
Exercise and nutrition
Firstly, let me say that exercise such as brisk walking (as well as resistance exercise, weight lifting etc) does improve your metabolism and overall health, helping you to control weight and fat levels. And speaking of fat, I probably don't need to tell you that most people in affluent Western societies consume too much fat. In general, all animal products are riddled with fat - not just the obvious white stuff, but all through that bacon and pork, the red meat and the chicken. You need to cut back on meat and go without it at least three days a week. Milk and cheese also are not as good for you as you might be led to believe - try almond milk. Avoid excess salt, sugar, alcohol, chocolate and caffeine as much as possible and keep off tobacco altogether! And, yes you've heard it before, eat more fiber, wholegrain products, fruit and vegetables and drink more purified water!
Why are supplements necessary?
With all that good food, why then should we take supplements? Science has shown that the body needs at least sixty or more essential nutrients on a regular basis. Modern food processing and agricultural processes destroy a very large proportion of the nutrients that should be in the food. A UK study by David Thomas (published March, 2004) found that, compared with 1940 levels, vegetables had lost half their calcium and 76% of their copper for example. When Abraham lived to 175 years (Gen 25:7) he no doubt got most of those nutrients in his diet. God had ordered that the soil be rested for one year in seven, and this would have restored the levels of important minerals like selenium (which with CoQ10 slows aging) and boron which are so low these days. We have no option but to put back the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients by way of supplementation.
However, modern research has discovered that additional therapeutic benefits can be obtained from taking vitamins and other supplements in doses well above the quantities that can be obtained from a healthy diet. Vitamin E, for example, has been shown to halve the risk of heart disease, but only when taken in doses of about 200 IU per day. You would need a large bucket full of wheat germ to get somewhere near that amount.
I usually suggest thinking of high doses of vitamins as something altogether different, more like a medication. I first started taking such doses primarily to reduce the risk of disease. The slowing of the aging process has been an unexpected benefit for which scientific evidence is only just beginning to appear. Even if you don't feel convinced about the latter, there is reason enough to take them to prevent disease and live at least as long as you expect without the pain and agony so many others suffer needlessly.
Which supplements should we take?
There is no magic formulation to prevent all diseases, but I believe the tablets and capsules I take each day go a long way towards preventing most. As mentioned above, some of the benefits I have gained are listed towards the end of this page. I know I will never convince everyone to take everything I do, and nor is that my objective. What I suggest is a regimen which may give you most of the benefits for about a third of the price ...
Firstly, you need a basic antioxidant supplement with each meal. This should include at least 200 IU of vitamin E per day, some grape seed extract, selenium, boron and plenty of vitamin C. Add to this at least 100mg of coenzyme Q10 in a soft gel base and a vitamin B complex with at least 800mcg of folic acid. Include astaxanthin and a fish oil supplement and take a mineral supplement at night with plenty of calcium if you are female and more magnesium if male. but no iron. Men should also take pomegranate supplements to reduce their PSA and risk of prostate cancer. Include 80mg to 100mg of aspirin, 200mcg of chromium polynicotinate and 500mg of RNA and one or two capsules of curcumin and boron. Add ginkgo plus CLA if you wish to reduce weight, but the drug metformin is best for weight loss. Then end your day with 10mg to 30mg of melatonin just before going to sleep.
What are the benefits of each?
Briefly, vitamins C and E are basic antioxidants which should always be taken together. They help neutralise the charged free radicals which inhibit the process of methylation and, in so doing, cause disease and rapid aging. You can see evidence of free radical attack when an apple turns brown - lemon juice (with vitamin C) slows this process. SODzyme raises the body's natural antioxidant (SOD) which is thousands of times more powerful than Vitamin E. Most antioxidant supplements will include several other vitamins and minerals which work together in synergy. Grape seed extract has a far more powerful antioxidant which should be in any protocol. Folic acid together with vitamins B6 and B12 and trimethylglycine (TMG) help to improve methylation and to reduce the level of homocysteine which can cause heart disease even when cholesterol levels are normal. Coenzyme Q10 generates energy and also reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as protecting against cancer and even gum disease. Women with breast cancer have actually been cured by taking about 400 to 600mg a day for three months! EPA in fish oil and perilla oil helps to lower blood pressure and may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, as do magnesium and aspirin which should always be taken with your main meal. Chromium supplements have slowed the aging process in animal studies quite dramatically, and DMAE and RNA are thought to do likewise. Ginkgo has many advantages and may help preserve your brain power! Melatonin helps you to sleep well, overcomes jet lag and acts as a powerful antioxidant protecting against brain aging and reducing the risk of breast cancer and many life threatening diseases. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) also fights cancer and is a very effective supplement for weight management.
Please tell others about this site Slower-Aging.com and play a part in improving their health as well as your own! But whatever you do or whatever you take, don't forget to have regular medical check ups! None of the above is to be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice.
Suggested Life Extension Foundation Products
The prices quoted are valid at June 2018 and are member prices when buying one bottle at a time:
Further discounts are available if you buy four at a time and also in the annual sale in December. Items in bold are especially recommended. Consider Item 01309 Optimized Quercetin [article] if you are not taking Item 00927 vitamin C tablets. Elderly people may also take Item 01647 PQQ [article].
Item 01411 Grapeseed Extract, Resveratrol & Pterostilbene (100mg 60 caps) US $27.00 [article]
Item 01469 Triple Action Cruciferous Vegetable Extract & Resveratrol (60 caps) US $24.00 [article]
Item 01997 Endothelial Defense with Pomegranate & Cordiart (60 softgels) US $51.00 [article]
Item 02024 Triple Action Blood Pressure (30 AM veg.tabs + 30 PM veg.tabs) US $33.00 [article]
Item 02121 Homocysteine Resist (60 caps) with high potency folic acid US $19.50 [article]
Item 02148 Optimized NAD+ cell regenerator with resveratrol (30 veg caps) US $36.00 [article]
Item 02298 Comprehensive Nutrient Packs Advanced* (30 day supply) US $67.50 comprising:-
Item 00407 Super Bio-curcumin (400mg 60 veg caps) US $28.50x0.5 per 30 days [article]
Item 01929 Super Ubiquinol CoQ10 (100mg 60 softgels) US $42.00x0.5 per 30 days [article]
Item 01983 Super Omega 3 EPA/DHA (60 softgels) US $13.50 (2 in 30 day pack) [article]
Item 02091 Once-Daily Health Booster (60 softgels) US $40.50x0.5 per 30 days [article]
*These packs are recommended for everyone. The cost if bought individually is: US $78.75 / 30 days
Click here for information regarding membership. Note the disclaimer on the Life Extension website.
Doug Cotton (Sydney) Last updated 20 November, 2023