Longevity Therapies

Longevity Therapies for Men

Ponce de Leon, the Spanish explorer, spent most of his life searching for the “Fountain of Youth”. In more recent times, scientists have been similarly occupied…albeit in a more rigorous manner. Thanks to their collective research, we now understand significantly more about what causes the symptoms we associate with aging. More importantly, science is discovering new ways to slow down or even reverse the effects of aging.

Anti-Aging Solutions

Aging may not be as inevitable as we once thought. Or…at the very least…the process can be managed. Read on to learn more about the latest in cutting-edge anti-aging treatments.

Metformin

Made from compounds found in the French Lilac, metformin has been used since the Middle Ages to treat diabetes, and it was approved by the FDA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in 1994. Metformin works by reducing glucose production in the liver. It also improves insulin sensitivity and limits the absorption of glucose from food.

Where aging and longevity are concerned, metformin has shown exciting potential for preventing cancer, cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndromes…even among non-diabetic populations.

So how can a diabetes drug extend lifespan…and healthspan?

Because metformin stimulates the secretion of a protein that suppresses appetite (called GDF-15), people who take metformin tend to eat less. Researchers posit that metformin has the same effect on the human body as calorie restriction, with calorie restricted diets having a well-established link to longevity and better overall health.

Recent research has also revealed metformin’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties (thanks to its ability to activate AMPK, an enzyme that has an important role to play in cellular energy equilibrium). Further, it appears that metformin reduces cellular damage by inhibiting the mTOR pathway (which reduces oxidative stress). This is significant because inflammation and oxidative stress are responsible for many age-related conditions:

• Cardiovascular Disease—Studies suggest that metformin limits inflammatory stress on heart and blood vessels.
• Kidney Disease—Inflammation is a key factor in kidney disease. It appears that metformin protects kidney cells from inflammation-related damage.
• Neurodegenerative Diseases—Neuroinflammation is a significant factor in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This type of inflammation is also linked to depression and the damage associated with brain injuries. Research indicates that metformin restricts inflammation in brain and nerve cells, while simultaneously reducing oxidative stress.
• Cancer—It appears that metformin reduces the spread of cancers, as well as reducing risk factors for developing cancer in the first place.

LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone)

Medical professionals have used naltrexone to treat opioid and alcohol addiction for years. Naltrexone is effective for this purpose because it inhibits opioid activity in the body, but doesn’t have a narcotic effect of its own. When treating addiction, dosing for naltrexone is typically 25-50mg per day.

However, for more than two decades, “low dose naltrexone” (also known as LDN) has been used off-label to treat autoimmune disorders. When used for this purpose, dosage is typically 1.5-12mg per day (with 3-4.5mg per day being common).

How can LDN promote a longer life? LDN has been shown to:

1. Increase endorphin production (which improves mood)
2. Modulate the immune system
3. Suppress inflammation
4. Reduce physical and mental fatigue
5. Relieve chronic pain

NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide)

Scientists have known about NAD+ (a coenzyme derived from vitamin B3) since 1906. But it has been in the decades since then that researchers have figured out how NAD+ works at the cellular level.

Today we know that NAD+ can be found in every cell of the body. We also know that NAD+ faciltates cellular reactions that convert food to energy and that repair cell damage (among other things).

In particular, NAD+ activates enzymes called sirtuins. These enzymes are like switches that can turn off genes related to age-related processes like inflammation, fat storage, and blood sugar regulation.

Similar to declining hormone production, the human body produces less NAD+ with age. This declining production causes numerous issues:

• Loss of Mitochondrial Energy—Mitochondria are the powerhouses within every cell in your body. NAD+ helps to transfer the energy housed within glucose and fatty acids to your mitochondria, where it’s converted into cellular energy. This important energy transfer breaks down if NAD+ levels are low.
• DNA Damage—Low NAD+ inhibits two groups of enzymes (sirtuins and poly ADP ribose polymerases) that are responsible for the repair of damaged DNA. The result can be an accumulation of DNA defects that can lead to age-related ailments like cancer and heart disease.
• Brain Cell Damage—Oxidative stress and poor mitochondrial function have been linked to age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It turns out that the production of PGC-1-alpha, a protein that protects brain cells from oxidative stress, is regulated by NAD+. This means that low levels of NAD+ will result in low PGC-1-alpha levels, which may increase the risk for developing age-related brain disorders.

Reduced NAD+ production has also been linked to vascular inflammation, fatty liver disease, abdominal fat production, and insulin resistance. The bottom line is that NAD+ is critical to virtually every cellular function within the body.

Rapamycin 

In 1972, a Canadian scientist named Suren Sehgal was working with his research team to collect soil samples from Easter Island.

From those samples, he and his team isolated a compound that was produced by bacteria in the soil. They named this compound “rapamycin”, after the native name for the island (Rapa Nui).

Eventually, researchers found that rapamycin had some valuable medical benefits. In particular, the FDA approved it in 1999 for use as an anti-rejection drug for transplant patients. It has also been used to treat some autoimmune conditions and some tumor-based cancers.

Recent research suggests that rapamycin also provides powerful anti-aging benefits. These benefits include:

• mTOR Pathway Regulation—The “mammalian target of rapamycin”, also known as the “mTOR signaling pathway”, regulates cell growth, metabolism, and aging. An uninhibited (or unregulated) mTOR pathway has been linked to the increased development of age-related diseases and a faster aging process.
• Longer Lifespans—A number of animal studies suggest rapamycin can increase lifespan by reversing or slowing the aging process.
• Improved Healthspan—Studies have tied rapamycin use to better overall health in combination with longevity, thereby improving healthspan simultaneous to improving lifespan.
• Autophagy—Research indicates that rapamycin stimulates autophagy (i.e., the removal of cellular components that are damaged or not functioning properly). The process of autophagy naturally diminishes with age, but rapamycin seems to encourage the body to continue this important process despite age.
• Mitochondrial Support—Mitochondria are responsible for producing energy within your cells. Rapamycin appears to support mitochondrial function as people age.

Glutathione 

As the “mother of all antioxidants”, glutathione is an incredibly powerful antioxidant that delivers impressive health benefits. In young, healthy individuals, glutathione works to trap free radicals and reduce inflammation. It also removes heavy metals and other toxins from the body. The result is protection from many chronic illnesses such as:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Chronic infections
• Autoimmune disorders
• Diabetes
• Alzheimer’s
• Parkinson’s
• Arthritis
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease

When we’re young, our bodies produce and recycle enough natural glutathione to be healthy. However, as people age, glutathione production and recycling can be impaired.

Method of Treatment

1. We start with lab testing. Lab tests will check your hormones and other important markers.
2. If hormones are imbalanced, our physicians will recommend hormone replacement therapy. If this approach meets with your approval, individualized treatment will be prescribed for you.
3. For those who wish to take their better aging efforts to the next level, our physicians will discuss the following options with you:
   • Metformin—This is an oral medication that is taken two times per day.
   • LDN—This is an oral medication that is taken one time per day.
   • NAD+—This medication is taken sublingually or by injection three times per week.
   • Rapamycin—This is an oral medication that is typically taken one time per week.
   • Glutathione—This amino acid is taken by injection daily.
4. Follow up lab testing will be ordered as appropriate.

There’s no way around getting older. But aging is a different matter. The physical symptoms we associate with aging have specific physical causes. And in many cases, these age-related conditions can be prevented, reversed, managed, or delayed. What are your better aging goals?