This is an extended update to post 1711. The updated protocol can be found near the end.
THE DE-AGING HYPOTHESIS
The human body is a work in progress. Some 300 billion cells are lost every day and must be replaced by stem cells (SCs). Given that viable SC numbers decline dramatically throughout life even while cellular replacement needs increase, the endogenous proliferation of stem cells should provide the most direct and comprehensive approach to restoring cellular maintenance and extending lifespan.
Each of the 200 different cell types in the human body has the same genetic code, but are distinguished by another code that resides above the genetic code and determines which genes are turned on or off for each cell type. This is the epigenetic code. Most of the epigenetic code is in the form of methylation of the DNA or the histones that carry them. With time, cells undergo epigenetic mutations (epimutations) that degrade cellular performance. These occur far more frequently than with the underlying genetic code, and there is no repair mechanism except replacement. Thus replacing old epimutated cells with new cells derived from SCs having de novo methylation will improve the performance of organs and the body as a whole. It will also reduce the epigenetic age, which can be easily measured in a lab. Tests are available to the public, with one offered by Trumelabs.com presently the cheapest.
Cells are unaware of their epigenetic damage, but have a clock to determine when they are old and thus sufficiently damaged to require replacement. This is the telomeric clock. When it runs out (the Hayflick limit) cells commit suicide (apoptosis). Hopefully there are sufficient SCs to supply replacements. But with age, there aren’t, as SC niches become depleted.
So how to refill SC niches?
It’s known that SCs are quiescent due to high expression of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), which allow protons to dissipate through the inner mitochondrial membrane without producing ATP. It is also known that mitochondrial fusion will bias SC division to proliferation. Thus by simultaneously supplying a fusion supplement and a blocker for UCP2, quiescent SCs should awaken and begin proliferating, subsequently replacing senescent cells as needed.
A proposed method for reversing age can be divided into three parts:
- Filling SC niches: Blocking proton leakage through UCP2 pores with C60* activates SCs while promoting mito fusion directs them to proliferation.
- Replacement of senescent cells: Mitochondrial fission/apoptosis using senolytics removes senescent cells, which are replaced by cells derived from proliferated SCs of part A, at the direction of natural paracrine signaling.
- Maximizing epigenetic age reversal: Supplying a demethylase promoter during parts A and/or B further reduces aberrant methylation and epigenetic age.
*The fullerene C60 dissolved in oil is proposed herein as a UCP2 blocker. The use of C60 to extend rodent lifespans was the subject of three papers. The first (in 2012, PMID 22498298) showed that feeding rats C60 in oil increased rat lifespans by 90% over controls, and attributed the increase to the antioxidant properties of C60. The next two (in 2021, PMID 33123847 and PMID 33849306) attempted to replicate this result in mice, but found no increase in lifespan. The discrepancy can be resolved by postulating a different MOA for C60 — UCP2 blocking rather than ROS quenching — and a different feeding regime for the three experiments. Although none of the papers precisely described how their test animals were fed, it is likely the research group of the first paper fasted their rats overnight (as they did in a previous C60 toxicology study), while research groups of the next two papers likely did not, as there was no suggestion to do so in the first paper. Rodents have a metabolic rate about six times that of humans, so a state of fasting-induced mitochondrial fusion would have been easily achieved in the first study, but no fusion would have occurred in next two.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR REDUCING EPIGENETIC AGE
For fusion, use one or more of the following:
Preferred: Dihydromyricetin (DHM): This can penetrate the BBB, but has terrible taste. It should be stirred into water or juice with a high speed blender. It can also be baked into brownies, but ruins the taste.
Stearic acid triglyceride (food grade stearic acid): This has low availability unless prepared properly (baked into a brownie, for instance) and taken 3 hours before other supplements due to its slow digestion.
Mito fusion brownies
Betty Crocker Fudge brownie mix* (519 g)
2 eggs
4-5 tbsp water
120 g food grade stearic acid
*Or any mix that requires ½ cup oil, but don’t use the oil. Diet versions don’t work well.
Mix with power mixer and bake as directed on the box. Cut into 16 pieces, dust with flour to avoid sticking, and freeze. Dosage: 1 piece three hours before SC treatment.
Stearic acid monoglyceride (aka glycerol monostearate, GMS): This is a much more soluble and bioavailable form of stearic acid, if stirred into water of juice with a high speed blender. Both types of stearic acid have poor penetration of the blood brain barrier (BBB).
For fission: Nicotinamide (NAM). This may optionally be used with a like amount of ribose. Niacin may be used, but most will find the flush objectional. NR might be used, but it is essentially NAM + ribose that requires a time delay to be broken down. Apigenin is yet another possibility, but I prefer nicotinamide.
For UCP2 blocking: C60 dissolved in a biocompatible oil.
For SC nutrition: Lysine and methionine.
For promoting demethylase: AKG or source thereof.
UPDATED AGE REVERSAL PROTOCOL
(with DHM and GMS)
Day 1: Mito fusion/C60 —
1. C60 — one teaspoon if in olive oil, 1.5-2 teaspoons if in MCT oil
2. Sunflower lecithin — 2-4 grams
3. Dihydromyricetin — 2-6 grams
4. GMS — 1-2 grams
5. Glutathione (reduced or liposomal) — .5-1 grams
6. AKG (alpha ketoglutarate) — 1 gram
7. AAKG (arginine alpha ketoglutarate) — 2-3 grams
8. SAM-e — 200 mg
9. Lysine — 2-6 grams
10. Methionine — 1-3 grams
Astragalus root powder, every 10th treatment — 500 mg
Day 2: Mito fission, may be repeated for 2 days —
1. Nicotinamide — 1 gram
2. Ribose — 1-2 grams
3. AAKG — 2-3 grams (AKG can also be used)
4. Lysine — 2-6 grams
5. Methionine — 1-2 grams
6. Fisetin — 100-200 mg
You may skip this fission step for the first month.
Notes:
1. I generally add the C60 stack to water spiked with an orange/tangerine “water enhancer.” I take the fission stack as pills.
2. More lysine and methionine may be taken a few hours later.
3. Threonine (not listed) is optional. I have used 5-10g on occasion, so I can't say with certainty if it helps.
4. The solubility of C60 in MCT oil is less than in olive oil, so I use more with MCT oil.
5. I've dispensed with sulforaphane as a fusion agent, but it might be helpful for some people.
6. Present schedule varies, but generally 4-5 times a month.
7. Sunflower lecithin helps the bioavailability of DHM and GMS and supplies a source of choline that find useful. Sunflower lecithin powder seems considerably superior to soy lecithin for this purpose.
8. Lysine and methionine provide SC nutrition.
9. Astragalus root powder provides a telomerase promoter, but using too much will ruin the epigenetic benefits, as it will lengthen the telomeres of TACs and somatic cells, and block their replacement.
10. I use both AKG (already dissolved by the manufacturer) and AAKG. The first is very fast acting (more important during fusion) and the other somewhat slower (more important during fission). Calcium AKG is expected to be even slower and may be used instead of AAKG. Other AKG salts or AKG conjugates may be used.
Caveats:
1. This is a work in progress.
2. It is intended as a geriatric treatment for age reversal.
3. One should avoid alcohol during this treatment. Do not add other random supplements. Telomerase promoters like resveratrol should definitely be avoided.
4. A link to the latest protocol can always be found on my profile page.
5. All amounts are approximate and based on a 180 pound individual.
Results:
Best epigenetic age result to date was 28 years below chronological. Baseline result in 2018 was half a year above chronological. Substantial improvements in appearance and general health, consistent with the drop in epigenetic age.
Edited by Turnbuckle, 07 September 2022 - 12:06 PM.