• Log in with Facebook Log in with Twitter Log In with Google      Sign In    
  • Create Account
  LongeCity
              Advocacy & Research for Unlimited Lifespans

Photo
- - - - -

Noticing changes. Any way to slow this down?

aging supplements vitamins lifestyle markers wrinkes grey hair hair loss coarse

  • Please log in to reply
13 replies to this topic

#1 AlxM

  • Guest
  • 45 posts
  • 0
  • Location:Canada

Posted 22 March 2014 - 02:44 PM


Over the last 7-8 months I've noticed that I've started aging quite a bit. Currently in my mid-30s (non-smoker) but have noticed the following:

1) Beard growth is more coarse and significantly darker than before
2) Dark circles more prominent
3) Wrinkles under the eyes more apparent
4) Diffuse hair loss increase
5) Increase in grey hair throughout body, not just limited to my head and beard. (Have always had premature greying since I was 20)

Q: Are the above simply activation of genes that kick in with age, and part of the normal aging process?

Q: What supplements can I begin taking to counteract or slow down the progression of the changes that I'm experiencing?

Q: What blood work markers do you suggest I test for in addition to checking current Ferritin levels (to help explain hair loss increase)?

Would appreciate your feedback...

Edited by AlxM, 22 March 2014 - 02:44 PM.

  • dislike x 1
  • like x 1

#2 niner

  • Guest
  • 16,276 posts
  • 2,000
  • Location:Philadelphia

Posted 23 March 2014 - 04:03 AM

How's your diet? Do you get enough sleep and exercise? One blood test that comes to mind is Hemoglobin A1C, which will tell you if your blood sugar is decently controlled. Excessive blood sugar leads to Advanced Glycation Endproducts, which lead to wrinkles, vascular and other problems.

Do you use a good sunscreen on a daily basis?

sponsored ad

  • Advert
Click HERE to rent this advertising spot for SUPPLEMENTS (in thread) to support LongeCity (this will replace the google ad above).

#3 Dorian Grey

  • Guest
  • 2,152 posts
  • 968
  • Location:kalifornia

Posted 23 March 2014 - 06:38 AM

Regarding the ferritin level... The upper end of the normal range for ferritin is set outrageously high do to the large number of elderly who build up excess iron late in life. The Iron Disorders Institute has a good read on what OPTIMAL ferritin levels truly are.

http://www.irondisor...org/iron-tests/

"Serum ferritin measurements range from about 15–200 ng/ml for women and 20–300 ng/ml for men. Although laboratory ranges vary, most are close to these values. Approximately 95% of the population will fall within “normal” population range simply because ranges are calculated using standard statistical methodology. Except for the lower ends of these ranges, which can predict anemia or iron deficiency anemia, the ranges per se do not define optimal or even healthy iron levels. Optimal SF ranges for men and women are 25 – 75 ng/ml. Individuals with risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stoke, liver diseases and cancer face amplified risks proportional to the amount of stored body iron over and above the optimal range.
Numerous medical research studies have demonstrated that serum ferritin above 100 ng/ml has been associated with decreased cardio vascular fitness and increased incidences of: atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, cancer gout and accelerated aging including osteoporosis and sarcopenia (muscle wasting) due to oxidative stress. Fortunately this does not pertain to everyone; ferritin levels and stored iron can remain safely contained, even when ferritin exceeds 150 ng/ml, if the body’s natural antioxidant defenses are working properly (see section on GGT)."

Interesting you mention the premature graying of hair... Iron has a tendency to displace copper and copper is associated with hair coloring. I would definitely NOT add copper in an attempt to restore hair color as copper (in addition to iron) is another nasty aging mineral that tends to accumulate and contribute to the aging process. If iron is at all elevated (ferritin nearing or into triple digit territory) I would lower iron through blood donation. Lower iron, and copper will be allowed to do its copper thing properly.
I went through an "aging spurt" in my early 50s myself... Skin on back of hands went thin and wrinkly, bags under eyes, tired and general malaise. Found my iron was a bit high (ferritin over 150) so I lowered it. Also got on a kick about "endotoxin" from aging/leaky gut and started taking an FOS prebiotic and lactobacillus probiotic (Culturelle). Don't know what fixed me up, but bags under eyes are gone and I'm feeling much better. Skin on back of hands is still thin and wrinkly though.
Believe iron reduction was my fountain of youth... Ferritin over 100 is not normal, it is elevated! Clinical iron overload doesn't occur until ferritin reaches 300 or so in males, but high iron is simply not healthy. If you can not / will not donate blood, IP6 (Inositol Hexaphosphate) will chelate iron when taken properly (on a very empty stomach with a full glass of water). I look and feel ten years younger.

Edited by synesthesia, 23 March 2014 - 06:55 AM.

  • like x 2

#4 blood

  • Guest
  • 926 posts
  • 254
  • Location:...

Posted 23 March 2014 - 07:04 AM

Are you thinking your ferritin levels could be too low? Maybe they're too high? A high burden of iron conceivably could accelerate aging.

One thing you could do is eat less, and lose weight. Eating too much day in, day out is very damaging to health and arguably very aging.

(I've lost 13 kg over the last year - I wasn't "fat" to begin with - it's taken at least 5 years off my appearance, and I feel healthier and more youthful.)

Edited by blood, 23 March 2014 - 07:06 AM.


#5 Dolph

  • Guest
  • 512 posts
  • 122
  • Location:Germany

Posted 23 March 2014 - 08:03 AM

Optimal SF ranges for men and women are 25 – 75 ng/ml.


To say that 25ng/ml is within "optimal" is another ridiculous extreme. There are many people who already suffer symptoms of deficiency at that level.

With ferritin that low the body also absords a lot more cadmium and other stuff than normal!

There are very good physiological reasons to estimate the optimal range for ferritin for men AND women to be somewhere between 70 and 100 ng/ml.

#6 Dorian Grey

  • Guest
  • 2,152 posts
  • 968
  • Location:kalifornia

Posted 23 March 2014 - 05:13 PM

Most normally menstruating females live with ferritin levels within or even slightly below the 25-75 range, and until menopause have substantially lower rates of cancer, heart disease and other chronic illness compared to men. By age 75, both men and women typically have substantially higher levels of stored iron/ferritin and rates of disease between the sexes become about equal.

Iron fortification of food has helped prevent anemia in menstruating females, which has long been a substantial problem, but males have suffered greatly due to this enforced consumption of supplemental iron. I'll accept ferritin of under 100 as not typically all that problematic, but the upper limit of the normal range for ferritin of 200 (in females) and 300 (males) set by most labs and accepted by most doctors is outrageously high and not conducive to optimal health.

Whenever ferritin rises into triple digits... Get Thee to a Blood Bank! I got swift results from lowering my ferritin back towards the sweet spot of 50, and I believe you will to.

More on the benefits of iron reduction here: http://www.healtheir...duction-therapy

Edited by synesthesia, 23 March 2014 - 05:59 PM.

  • dislike x 1

#7 blood

  • Guest
  • 926 posts
  • 254
  • Location:...

Posted 25 March 2014 - 07:43 PM

New research links high salt consumption and obesity with accelerated cellular aging (shorter telomeres):
http://www.lef.org/n...tm?NewsID=22112

#8 AlxM

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
  • 45 posts
  • 0
  • Location:Canada

Posted 25 March 2014 - 10:32 PM

How's your diet? Do you get enough sleep and exercise? One blood test that comes to mind is Hemoglobin A1C, which will tell you if your blood sugar is decently controlled. Excessive blood sugar leads to Advanced Glycation Endproducts, which lead to wrinkles, vascular and other problems.

Do you use a good sunscreen on a daily basis?



I get sufficient sleep and exercise 3-4 times a week. Let's assume for a moment that one of the causes could be attributed to Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGE), what supplements could be taken to counteract this? Chromium Picolinate comes to mind for sugar regulation and possibly vitamin K2 for vascular support. Anything else?

#9 AlxM

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
  • 45 posts
  • 0
  • Location:Canada

Posted 25 March 2014 - 10:38 PM

New research links high salt consumption and obesity with accelerated cellular aging (shorter telomeres):
http://www.lef.org/n...tm?NewsID=22112


So my understanding is that there can be a number of causes that lead to Accelerated cellular aging (shorter telomeres). So same question as above - what steps or supplements can help slow down this telomere shortening process? I realize it occurs naturally as part of the aging process, but I assume the pace at which this occurs can be influenced somehow?

Edited by AlxM, 25 March 2014 - 10:38 PM.


#10 Kevnzworld

  • Guest
  • 885 posts
  • 306
  • Location:Los Angeles

Posted 25 March 2014 - 11:45 PM

How's your diet? Do you get enough sleep and exercise? One blood test that comes to mind is Hemoglobin A1C, which will tell you if your blood sugar is decently controlled. Excessive blood sugar leads to Advanced Glycation Endproducts, which lead to wrinkles, vascular and other problems.

Do you use a good sunscreen on a daily basis?



I get sufficient sleep and exercise 3-4 times a week. Let's assume for a moment that one of the causes could be attributed to Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGE), what supplements could be taken to counteract this? Chromium Picolinate comes to mind for sugar regulation and possibly vitamin K2 for vascular support. Anything else?


As Niner advised, take your HbA1C first. You can buy an at home test at CVS. Then you can see if any of the measures you take are effective. Glycation is just one element of the aging process. Chasing what may or may not shorten, mitigate shortening or lengthen telomeres is a difficult pursuit. There are a lot of threads and an entire section on longecity about that.
I stick to the healthy diet, sleep and exercise approach regarding telomeres.
The list of supplements that may counteract the glycation process is controversial .
Do your own research before taking anything. I take the following for blood sugar control and glycation mitigation :
Blood sugar control :
chromium
Metformin
Green coffee bean extract

Glycation mitigation:
Carnosine 1000 -1500 mg
Benfotiamine. 150 mg
B6 p5p and pyridoxamine 100 mg
Vitamin C, buffered ascorbate.
  • like x 1

#11 niner

  • Guest
  • 16,276 posts
  • 2,000
  • Location:Philadelphia

Posted 26 March 2014 - 01:36 AM

New research links high salt consumption and obesity with accelerated cellular aging (shorter telomeres):
http://www.lef.org/n...tm?NewsID=22112


They found that if you weren't obese (and they only looked at adolescents), then there was no effect from the high salt diet. "High Salt" probably equates to more processed food, and might result in a poorer hydration level if sodium is high enough. I tend to doubt that there is a direct effect of sodium on telomere length. The main cause of telomere shortening other than cell division is oxidative stress. It might be that high sodium combined with obesity lead to higher oxidative stress, although I'm suspicious that it's just a marker for crappier diet.

#12 nowayout

  • Guest
  • 2,946 posts
  • 439
  • Location:Earth

Posted 26 March 2014 - 02:33 PM

The things you can do now that will most likely make the biggest difference are: (1) some intermittent fasting to stimulate apoptosis (see, e.g. Leangains for one approach that amounts to skipping breakfast), (2) weight training, (3) no steady state cardio, rather just a few minutes of HIIT instead, (4) TRT if you are deficient, (5) botox, hyaluronic acid based fillers, and laser ablation (in order of seriousness) for photoaging, (5) minoxidil for hair loss, (6) Keep your weight down to reduce facial sagging (and for some reason weight training also reduces facial sagging in my observation). Have your thyroid checked since problems there can cause diffuse hair loss. For greying, there is nothing to be done that doesn't qualify as speculation and myth - believe me I have researched the hell out of it.

#13 nowayout

  • Guest
  • 2,946 posts
  • 439
  • Location:Earth

Posted 26 March 2014 - 05:01 PM

Oh, and also (7) take MK-7 for reversing vascular calcification.

sponsored ad

  • Advert
Click HERE to rent this advertising spot for SUPPLEMENTS (in thread) to support LongeCity (this will replace the google ad above).

#14 tunt01

  • Guest
  • 2,308 posts
  • 414
  • Location:NW

Posted 26 March 2014 - 05:33 PM

For greying, there is nothing to be done that doesn't qualify as speculation and myth - believe me I have researched the hell out of it.


Need some way to get catalase up substantially. Wish I knew!





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: aging, supplements, vitamins, lifestyle, markers, wrinkes, grey hair, hair loss, coarse

1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users