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You want to be ageless and live healthier longer, right?
But are drugs from big pharma the answer?
At least some scientists think it can be.
Here I’ve given you information on anti-aging supplements, what the scientists offered in the podcast, the research on those drugs and my recommendations.
It’s your choice how far you want to go in being ageless. I want to make sure it’s an informed choice.
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You want to be ageless and live healthier longer, right?
But are drugs from big pharma the answer?
At least some scientists think it can be.
Here I’ve given you information on anti-aging supplements, what the scientists offered in the podcast, the research on those drugs and my recommendations.
It’s your choice how far you want to go in being ageless. I want to make sure it’s an informed choice.
This may sound like something you wouldn’t expect me to ask, given that I’m all about finding natural solutions for anything possible.
Saturday when my brother texted me a link to a podcast about anti-aging pharmaceuticals, I was curious. So I stopped what I was doing and listened.
Are We Looking at Aging All Wrong?
It is inevitable from the standpoint that from the day you are born the clock is ticking. Every year you are one year older.
Some people have the attitude that if they don’t think about it or acknowledge it, they aren’t getting older.
That’s denial.
Being ageless is about facing reality and making the most of the control you have over how you live in your body.
Having a positive youthful attitude is very helpful. There’s some truth to the saying, “You’re as young as you feel!”
How those years affect you internally and how it shows externally is to a large extent within your control.
Nine years ago I started educating myself about anti-aging supplements, anti-aging skin care, and our ability to change the expression of genes that cause aging.
I saw mouse research that blew my mind.
Yes, genes can be regulated to influence aging, without pharmaceuticals.
By up-regulating genes that support youthful expression and down-regulating the genes that are causing you to age faster, you can influence and slow the aging process with all-natural supplements and/or changes to the way you eat.
Or you could give pharmaceutical anti-aging supplements, if you can call them that, a try.
It’s up to you.
Scientists Recommend Anti-Aging Pharmaceuticals
No surprise here, given my bias to natural solutions, that I’m sad to see there are scientists suggesting you might want to start taking drugs because they have a side effect of anti-aging in humans.
My brother sent me this podcast to listen to because of my interest in bringing you helpful information on being ageless.
This is a science podcast. The scientists speaking (starting around 14 minutes in) are credentialed. Taking what they say at face value you might want to run out and see if you can get these drugs from your doctor.
I say, not so fast.
This raises a few red flags for me…
First, I have a bias against pharmaceuticals. They would always be my last resort after finding no natural safe food or plant-based solution because pharmaceuticals have side effects.
Second is that the side effects can be quite serious and cause other problems that then have to be treated with more drugs.
Third is that some pharmaceuticals set up reactions and dependencies in the body that make it difficult to stop taking them without causing other issues.
Having said that, here are the drugs these scientists are recommending.
2 Drugs that May Have Anti-Aging Properties
Rapamycin is an anti-rejection medication for organ transplants.
It has major side effects, so even the scientist that is saying this has an anti-aging benefit doesn’t recommend taking it. At first listening to the podcast, I thought she did recommend it, so I’m glad I listened a second time.
So why is she on this podcast talking about it in the first place?
It’s easy to get caught up in the benefits being portrayed and not hear the whole story, so listen and read carefully when it comes to information about your health. It always a good idea to run things by your trusted medical professional.
An article by the National Institutes of Health published 3 years ago cites that it can extend lifespan and improve age-related functional decline in mice, thereby providing the first proof of principle that a pharmaceutical agent can slow the aging process in mammals.
But, the research is unclear as to whether there is a pro-longevity use in humans because of the known clinical risks for adverse side-effects, including increased incidence of new-onset type 2 diabetes.
If you’re willing to take the chance of getting diabetes, you might want to read the article and go deeper into the other side-effects.
The next obstacle is finding a doctor who would prescribe a drug for you outside what it’s made to treat.
And then there’s the cost.
What about Diet and Nutrition and the Other Drug?
Now the other scientist on the podcast that believes in the benefits of calorie restriction is talking about a drug that mimics the effects of calorie restriction.
Metformin was originally prescribed for diabetes. Then they found people who were taking it didn’t get as much heart disease or cancer.
So these scientists are saying you should try to get your doctor to prescribe it for you. They think it will help with anti-aging.
If you heard a scientist saying that other researchers aren’t waiting for more studies, they are already taking it themselves, would you jump on the bandwagon?
They say Metformin is a safe medication. Pre-diabetics can ask their doctor to prescribe it.
But wait, because in some studies of mice it has no anti-aging effect on lifespan and in some, a 6-10% anti-aging effect.
Is that something you would be willing to suffer side-effects for?
There are some very serious side-effects, including what’s called a black box warning, the most serious warning from the FDA.
And if the serious side effects don’t scare you, the more common side effects aren’t so pleasant either.
The more common side effects of metformin include:
- heartburn
- stomach pain
- nausea or vomiting
- bloating
- gas
- diarrhea
- constipation
- weight loss
- headache
- unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth
Not Willing to Put Up with Side Effects Long Term?
If the purpose of this drug is to lower blood sugar levels, is it possible that if you do this through diet and exercise naturally, that you could also reap the anti-aging benefit of this drug?
Who knows. It could be some component of the drug that leads to that possible increase in longevity of 6-10% in only some mice.
On the other hand, I’m pretty sure that if you eat a healthier more plant-based diet, cut back your added sugar consumption, and stop eating processed foods, you could see an increased longevity benefit.
Add a little exercise and who knows what additional benefit you could see.
Bottom line, taking a drug is easier than changing your diet and exercising.
That doesn’t mean it works better, or that it even works at all.
Educating yourself about how you can support the healthy function of your body is the first step.
Anti-Aging Supplements, Yes or No?
I do believe that anti-aging supplements, in fact, supplements, in general, are a necessity because we can no longer get all the nutrients we need from our food because of various factors.
I do take an all natural supplement specifically for anti-aging that does help regulate the way your genes express themselves.I also take other supplements. If you would like to find out what I take and why I’d be happy to talk to you about it.
Whole Foods or Junk Food?
The more real whole foods you eat, the better you will feel and look.
Everybody likes to hear about someone living to a ripe old age who smoke, drank and ate crap their entire life. It gives you false security that you can continue to live any way you want. Genes do play a part in lifespan, but are you willing to take the chance that yours will carry you through?
The reason you hear those stories is that they are a rare occurrence.
It’s much more likely to see the boring reality of people living longer who eat right, get exercise and do things to have a strong mind and are involved in a community.
Yes, social interaction is a big predictor of longevity, but that’s a topic for another time.
Caloric Restriction for a Longer Healthier Life
Given that the biggest health issue in the U.S. is the fact that the population is more obese than ever, the idea of calorie restriction will not be a popular one for the general public.
Calorie restriction is the only method proven to extend lifespan.
According to the National Institutes of Health, calorie restriction (CR), a dietary intervention that is low in calories but maintains proper nutrition, is the only intervention known to date that consistently decreases the biological rate of aging and increases both average and maximal lifespan.
Before I had become interested in anti-aging, I had seen a documentary that showed calorie restriction of people on Okinawa.
If you look at the article on calorie restriction, it talks about Okinawa further down.
Compared to most industrialized countries, Okinawa, Japan, has 4–5 times the average number of centenarians with an estimated 50 in every 100,000 people.
They have about a 20% calorie restriction compared to mainland Japan and a more nutrient dense, lower calorie diet.
I know that’s not the answer you’re looking for.
You want to know which drugs are the pharmaceutical answer to anti-aging.
Resources:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/science-friday/id73329284?mt=2&i=1000397474060
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4413601/
https://www.healthline.com/health/metformin-oral-tablet
https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/metformin-side-effects
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3014770/
*I am not a medical professional. I give my research and personal opinions for informational purposes only. Please contact your healthcare professional when making changes that could affect your health.
Health and nutrition are a big passion of mine because, without your health, all the success you can achieve is meaningless. In 1981 I started seriously studying health, nutrition, and the mind/body connection. I stopped eating meat in 1990 for health reasons and compassion for animals. In 1999 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2005, the day after Christmas, I lost my mother at the age of 69 to lung cancer. Since then, helping others to regain their health by making simple changes has become a driving force in my life.
Until next time, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Just comment on this post here or on Facebook.
If you would like private mentoring, go to the contact page above and tell me what you would like help with. As your mentor, whether for your health, your lifestyle or your business, I hold a bigger vision for you than you hold for yourself. When you have faith and a team that believes in you, it gives you courage. When you don’t have to do it all yourself, all things are possible for you. Commit today to go for your dream 100%.
With over 40 years in sales and marketing, along with 45 years studying human behavior, Lynn Pierce, “The Voice of Women Empowered to Create an Ageless Body, Mind & Soul After 50” mentors soul-based entrepreneurs to reach your own personal version of success and an ageless lifestyle. Tell Lynn what the life of your dreams looks like, and she’ll create the blueprints to get you there, along with the sales system to fund it. Author of, “Breakthrough to Success; 19 Keys to Mastering Every Area of Your Life”, Lynn Pierce’s personal growth and business acceleration systems help her clients get three times the results in half the time with one-tenth of the effort. Claim your free special report, “What Do You Stand For” here
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