August 2021 Longevity Review

Posted by Chris Pollyanna , 14 September 2021 · 1,672 views

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Hope you’ve had a nice summer, the distractions of which might have held me back a bit, but certainly did not hold back further advances in the longevity field. If you scroll down, you’ll find that the Round-Up focuses on in-human supplement studies, but they just scratch the surface of all the progress made.

Despite the summer distractions, there were some notable events for me. There was the first post-COVID meetup of the Canadian Longevity Association, where it was so nice to finally see people in person again (fingers crossed that the Delta variant doesn’t scupper future events). There was a longevity dinner in Toronto sponsored by Acorn Biolabs, where I got to meet so many new longevity enthusiasts and potentially make some great connections. Finally, there was Lifespan.io’s annual Ending Age Related Diseases conference, where I volunteered and which was a resounding success.

Looking forward to fully getting back in the groove, now that the weather is getting cooler again and those pesky summer distractions fade away...

Stay safe!

Follow me on Twitter @ChrisPollyanna1 for the latest updates.

For previous updates, you can find them in the Canadian Longevity Association Facebook group, and also my Patreon account, which includes bonus material for supporters.
Finally, if you are interested in helping me create a Canadian longevity non-profit, then please contact me via the Canadian Longevity Association website.
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Round-Up:

For most people the greatest fear of ageing is succumbing to dementia, so any supplement which could help avert that is highly desirable. Here are four studies on supplements which might show just that:
*Neuroprotective Effect of Trans-Resveratrol in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial Full Text
*Increased habitual flavonoid intake predicts attenuation of cognitive ageing in twins Full Text
*Effect of Dietary Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Disodium Salt on Cognitive Function in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study
*B vitamins and prevention of cognitive decline and incident dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Considering that high blood pressure is a leading cause of reduced longevity, anything that can help people lower theirs should be applauded. Here is a one-in-four pill that could help people do just that.
*Four-in-one blood pressure pill: Safe and much more effective than usual hypertension treatment, study finds Abstract

It’s always nice to see when something you are doing for other purposes turns out to be potentially good for longevity. I take melatonin every night to help me sleep, but this study shows an association between melatonin intake and reduced mortality:
*Association between Dietary Melatonin Intake and Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in Japanese Adults in the Takayama Study

Although this is a study in mice, it involves a procedure, plasmapheresis, which is available in clinics world wide.
Young and Undamaged rMSA Improves the Healthspan and Lifespan of Mice Full Text

Covid-19 Longevity Related Papers:
*Oral nano-curcumin formulation efficacy in the management of mild to moderate outpatient COVID-19: A randomized triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial Full Text
*A Pilot Study on Controlling Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Inflammation Using Melatonin Supplement Full Text
*Metformin Use Is Associated with Decreased Mortality in COVID-19 Patients with Diabetes: Evidence from Retrospective Studies and Biological Mechanism Full Text

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Videos to watch:

A couple of videos from Lifespan.io’s Ending Age Related Diseases 2021 Conference, more of which will be published in the future.

Geroscience And The Lesson of Gilgamesh — Keith Comito’s Opening Remarks

Epigenetic Clock - Dr. Steve Horvath

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2021 Supplemental Information

***Disclaimer 1 – As should be self-evident to anyone receiving these emails, I am NOT a doctor or indeed a scientist. All the information pertained within is for information purposes only; use at your own risk. Please consult with a healthcare practitioner if needing medical advice.***

**Disclaimer 2 – In no way should supplements be a replacement for an unhealthy diet or lifestyle. A varied, plant dominant dietary pattern is the cornerstone for health. Try to eat the rainbow – the greater the variety, the greater the benefit. Even though I might take a supplement derived from a plant source, I still eat the plant in question. Also, make sure you move as much as possible – that is what we evolved to do.**

*Also bear in mind that most of the studies mentioned below are in rodents, not humans. Rodents, needless to say, do not always react the same way to drugs as humans do – witness the countless times cancer or another disease has been cured in rodents only to subsequently fail human trials. I have *bolded any human trials.*
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Lifestyle

Fasting/Dietary Restriction – certainly the cheapest & also one of the most effective anti-ageing interventions currently available. It comes in many flavours, but I fast for at least 12 hours every day.
*5-Day Fast Improves Longevity Biomarkers in Humans Full Text
Benefits of time-restricted eating depend on age and sex Full Text
A Review of the Impact of Calorie Restriction on Stem Cell Potency Full Text

Diet – let food be thy medicine…
*Small changes in diet could help you live healthier, more sustainably Abstract
*Eating walnuts daily lowered 'bad' cholesterol and may reduce cardiovascular disease risk Full Text

Exercise – if you could bottle the benefits of exercise, it would be the biggest blockbuster drug of all time.
*Roles of physical exercise in neurodegeneration: reversal of epigenetic clock Full Text
*Exercise improves health through changes to DNA Full Text
*Regular, Intense Exercise Training as a Healthy Aging Lifestyle Strategy: Preventing DNA Damage, Telomere Shortening and Adverse DNA Methylation Changes Over a Lifetime Full Text
*Short-Term and Lifelong Exercise Training Lowers Inflammatory Mediators in Older Men Full Text

Non-prescription Supplements (in alphabetical order)
*Due to concerns about engendering homeostasis, I’ve begun varying my intake of supplements so that I’m not taking all of them every day. Haven’t worked out a rota so far.

Astaxanthin – which is behind the pink colour of salmon & shrimp. Considered the most powerful carotenoid, it has anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuro-protective and skin-protective qualities. I take 4 or 8 mg intermittently.
Astaxanthin Attenuates Adiponectin, Calprotectin, miRNA222 and miRNA378 in Obesity induced by High-Fat Diet in Rats
Study on the Enhancement of Immune Function of Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis Full Text
Astaxanthin Inhibits Autophagic Cell Death Induced by Bisphenol A in Human Dermal Fibroblasts Full Text

Curcumin – the spice which gives curries their yellow colour. Anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective. I take 1 gram intermittently. Needs to be taken with black pepper (piperine) to improve bioavailability.
Curcumin as Prospective Anti-Aging Natural Compound: Focus on Brain Full Text
Mechanistic Insight into the Effects of Curcumin on Neuroinflammation-Driven Chronic Pain Full Text
Anti-inflammatory effects of oral supplementation with curcumin: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Fisetin – a flavonoid found in highest concentrations in strawberries. Senolytic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuro-protective & Sirt1 activator. I take 100mg intermittently.
FIsetin Preserves Interfibrillar Mitochondria to Protect Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Melatonin – a natural hormone produced in the pineal gland, it makes us get to sleep every night, but it has many other functions, including as a mitochondrial antioxidant. I take 3mg every night primarily as a sleep aid.
*Melatonin Supplementation and Anthropometric Indices: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial Full Text
*Effects of daily administration of melatonin before bedtime on fasting insulin, glucose and insulin sensitivity in healthy adults and patients with metabolic diseases. A systematic review and meta-analysis Full Text

Nicotinamide MonoNucleotide (NMN) – newer NAD+ precursor. I take 250 – 500mg on days I exercise.
*Nicotinamide mononucleotide: a potential effective natural compound against insulin resistance Full Text
Nicotinic acid mononucleotide is an allosteric SARM1 inhibitor promoting axonal protection

Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) – NAD+ precursor.
Instability in NAD+ metabolism leads to impaired cardiac mitochondrial function and communication Full Text
Nicotinamide riboside has minimal impact on energy metabolism in mouse models of mild obesity Full Text
Aberrant NAD+ metabolism underlies Zika virus–induced microcephaly Full Text