Calorie Restriction and Aging

Welcome back!

There was an article printed recently in a special diet and health issue of Scientific American that covered the subject of calorie restriction and its effects on aging. It was interesting to note that this article was originally done 10 years ago, yet the subject still remains new today. Read more

Can Anti Aging Supplements Help Other Problems?

We all know that many anti aging supplements can help with diseases associated with aging, such as heart problems, Alzheimers, cognitive function, etc.  But can they help with other ailments not associated with aging?

Unfortunately, a family member was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  I immediately went on the internet to look up alternative therapies and to my surprise, many of the supplements I already take were on the list of supplements to try for Multiple Sclerosis.

Those not familiar with MS should know that it generally starts in younger people, between the ages of 20-40.  Some of the recommended supplements (this varies of course, depending on the individual) include:

• Fish Oil
• Coenzyme Q10
• Curcumin/Turmeric
• Magnesium
• Selenium
• Calcium
• Zinc
• Vitamins C, E, B12 and D3

And of course, the same things I always preach -  a healthy diet high in antioxidants, lots of exercise, plenty of sleep.

The one thing I forgot about in all my research on anti aging was that a lot of the studies done on supplements were for helping with other diseases, not anti aging.  The anti aging properties of some of these supplements were a by-product or discovery of the study itself.

It’s good to know that many of the supplements associated with anti aging are generally good for you whether help with aging is your goal or not.

Do You Need Anti Aging Supplements?

Obviously, if you’re a reader of my blog, you probably know something about [tag-tec]anti aging supplements[/tag-tec] or at least have an interest in them.

There are many people that still believe that plenty of exercise, a proper diet and the right amount of sleep is really all you need to fight the aging process.

And if it works for them, who am I to argue? I’m a big proponent of exercise, diet and sleep. You HAVE to start there for any anti aging program to work. But if you’re doing all that and you’re still feeling the effects of age, you may want to consider supplementation.

The fact is that researchers have now proven that vitamin supplementation can prevent several common chronic diseases goes to show that the average American diet does not provide the optimal amounts of nutrients. However, supplementation is not an adequate substitute for a good diet.

To start, a good quality multivitamin is the core of any supplementation program. With or without iron is a subject of debate, but I would suggest if you need iron supplementation, it should be separate as most people get enough iron in their diet and too much can pose problems as well as prevent absorption of other vitamins.

Beyond that, here is a list of widely accepted (in the anti aging field) supplements you should explore further. I will be going into each one separately in future articles, but here is a brief summary:

* Alpha lipoic acid - a powerful antioxidant that has proven to be helpful in a wide variety of conditions including diabetes,stroke,memory and brain function and numerous other benefits
* Acetyl L-carnitine – enhances memory as well as mental quickness
* Coenzyme Q10 - has been shown to improve many conditions associated with aging but is most known for it’s cardiac or heart disease benefits.
* Green tea extracts – green tea catechins may play a role in cognitive enhancement, maintaining proper weight and lowering risk of certain cancers
* Omega 3 Fish Oil -Fish Oil supports healthy heart and cardiovascular function, the function of cellular membranes and healthy brain development.
* Resveratrol – found in red wine, this powerful antioxidant provides anti-inflammatory, cardio protective and neuro protective functions.
* Ascorbyl palmitate – a fat-soluble Vitamin C, this antioxidant helps protect cells from free radical damage.
* Vitamin E – actually Annatto Tocotrienols, a new type of Vitamin E, helps to promote the cardiovascular system.

Bruce N. Ames, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley, swears by: his daily 800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid and 2,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine. In these amounts, he says, the chemicals boost the energy output of mitochondria, which power our cells. “I think mitochondrial decay is a major factor in aging,” Ames says–it’s been linked to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

This is not a complete listing, nor should you go out and buy a bunch of supplements. Always check with your physician first and you may want to see a doctor specializing in anti aging.

You may also want to be tested first for any deficiencies – an important step before you start any supplementation. See my article here – Supplement Testing.

Should you start an anti aging supplement program? Totally up to you. Give any program a chance to do its job – usually a month or two, before deciding if it works for you.

Acetyl L-Carnitine	Alpha Lipoic Acid	CoEnzyme Q10
Green Tea Extract	GreenHealth Multivitamin	Omega-3 Fish Oil

Nutrition Joke AND a New Healthy Aging Book

I’m not sure if most of you have been to the regular Anti Aging Nutrition News site I have, but if not, I thought I’d share a cute nutrition joke I found.

Here’s the link to that:

Nutrition Joke 

Also, I have a new Healthy Aging E-book I just finished. You’ll need to subscribe to the news feed via email in the big blue box on the right to get it. 

If you’ve already subscribed to the feed via the feed reader, drop me a line under the Contact link and I’ll send you the link to that. 

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