Continuing with my skepticism, unless SES Research is prepared to define and establish a biological standard for the C60 they are selling as a ‘consumable’, the results of any in-vivo testing will be of dubious merit.
The field of nanotechnology has advanced tremendously since the Baati rat study, to the point where we now know that it is a particle’s size, shape, surface charge and concentration that are critical in determining its biological response in living organisms. The range of conflicting and contradictory outcomes in biological testing of C60 bears this out. Some studies are overwhelmingly positive, while others are frightening. It’s concerning to me that, while most fullerene manufacturers refuse to sell to consumers, SES Research has chosen to capitalize on the surge in consumer demand, touting the results of the Baati rat study, while deliberating downplaying (if not outright attempting to discredit) the Ichor Therapeutics research. This willful deceit should make any consumer question SES Research's ethics.
Most consumers don't know that the number of process variables in fullerene production are many, and although these variables may be of little significance for industrial applications, they are often confounding factors in whether they elicit a favorable or detrimental response in a biological system. C60 is nanotechnology, which makes it profoundly powerful on the cellular level. Nano size molecules can and do override normal cellular defenses, influencing molecular signaling in ways that are unpredictable and incompletely understood. Contrary to what consumers tend to believe, solvent-extracted, industrially-produced C60 “powder” is actually a highly-crystalline aggregate of C60 molecules. Actual single molecules of C60 in these "powders" are the exception. Mortar-and-pestle grinding, pulverizing and jet milling are only moderately successful in breaking down these crystals into individual, single molecules; most of the aggregates remain in the 10-micron range. Although a single molecule of C60, by virtue of its Golden Mean ratio, is exceptionally biocompatible and activates pathways associated with DNA repair and cellular rejuvenation, the vast array of irregular sizes and shapes of C60 aggregates are often NOT biocompatible. Aggregates of C60 that are large and jagged become a source of “phagocyte frustration” and may become lodged in various tissues and organs. Impurities (i.e., other metals) in the carbon rod feedstock, as well as solvent residues from the fullerene purification process, can also elicit toxic and detrimental responses in biological systems. These factors have been determined to be the likely cause of adverse outcomes in several biological studies examining C60. They likely also account for the number of adverse reactions that many people have reported to various C60-OO preparations. This is not surprising in the case of an industrially-produced product such as C60, with no process controls for an established biological standard. Lot variability is a given and can be expected to result in unpredictable biological responses.
I would be surprised if SES Research is prepared to control for all of these process variables in the production of their C60. And unless all of these parameters were noted for the C60 which they supplied for the Baati rat study, how could SES possibly claim to be in a position to replicate it? They have already admitted to changing their production process, having most recently added a "proprietary wash" to try to remove more of the solvent residues. To me, this study that they are proposing seems like nothing more than a marketing ploy to bolster sales and consumer confidence for a product that may well have genuine potential as a dietary supplement, but is in dire need of a defined biological standard and legitimate testing for biocompatibility, purity, safety and efficacy.
Edited by ShoreBird, 23 February 2020 - 08:20 PM.