Researching Anti Aging Supplements – a Rant

March 1, 2008 by GiGi · 1 Comment

Welcome back!

I'm currently doing the research for the next article in my series on Antiaging Supplements. (If you're not familiar with the series, it started with Before You Start An Anti Aging Program,

a listing of the popular supplements was given here: Do You Need Anti Aging Supplements?

and the first supplement was covered here: Alpha Lipoic Acid )

I must admit, I'm getting "information overload" at this point. Apparently, for every study you find that discovers a certain supplement might be good for this, there's another study that says, "No, it doesn't appear to do that at all".

You can read in one place that the recommended dosage is A and if you exceed that dosage, certain side effects MAY occur. Another place will tell you that you should take twice that amount (A) to get any benefit at all.

Most supplements are not FDA regulated (and Thank God – their track record isn't so good), so there are no standard dosages set. New research and discoveries are being made at a rapid rate as the science of anti aging and supplementation is considered fairly new.

So I will go with the "generally accepted" agreement among the various reputable sources and let you know if there are variances you should be aware of. I will also keep a detailed list of my sources which I will provide upon request.

I hope that's helpful information to you as you go through the series.

Do You Need Anti Aging Supplements?

February 14, 2008 by GiGi · 9 Comments

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.