October 2021 Longevity Review

Posted by Chris Pollyanna , 08 November 2021 · 1,372 views

longevity supplements fasting resveratrol nad+ nmn senolytics

It’s been a busy month. I spent a good chunk of time helping the Aging Analytics Agency polish their Longevity Industry in Canada report, which gave the Canadian Longevity Association some exposure. In fairness, the report was largely complete by the time I got involved, but I did copy edit it, so any grammar snafus are all on me! As for the promised news from the last newsletter, I’m afraid you’re going to have to wait another month, but suffice to say the gears are turning in the background.

Had the second post(ish) covid meetup of the CLA, where one lovely lady turned up to stop me from sitting in the pub on my lonesome! A couple others joined by video link, but that didn’t quite work out due to the noise levels. Hopefully, once I begin to organise these meetups on a more regular basis, attendance will ever so slightly increase...

Also had a good video call with the founders of YOUAREULTD, a Canadian ageing related website. It was great talking to others who “get” the idea of a longevity economy. I look forward to collaborating with them in the future and making similar contact with other like minded organisations.

Moving onto the rest of the newsletter, there were some interesting theoretical papers published last month, as well as reviews on the benefits of resveratrol, potential use of collagen, and a bunch of interesting fasting & senolytic papers.

Stay safe!

Follow me on Twitter @ChrisPollyanna1 for occasional updates (I really need to up my Twitter game).

For previous updates, you can find them in the Canadian Longevity Association Facebook group, and also my Patreon account, which includes bonus material for supporters.
Don’t forget to check out Lifespan.io’s Rejuvenation Roadmap - the best resource for seeing the state of progress towards longevity therapeutics. I added three new companies in the past month.

Finally, if you are interested in helping create a Canadian longevity non-profit, then please contact me via the Canadian Longevity Association website.
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October Round-Up:

It’s funny how longevity research themes/topics seem to be published in waves, and this past month the wave has been to do with fasting, probably the best current (and cheapest!) way to improve your longevity. Here, I’m highlighting a review of human studies on intermittent fasting, which I practice, but there are several more in the supplemental section.
*Research review shows intermittent fasting works for weight loss, health changes Abstract

I usually don’t post observational studies in the round-up section, however I’m making an exception here. Controlling blood pressure is vital for long term health, however, while most previous studies have focused on cardio-vascular health, this one shows how keeping blood pressure under control is also important for maintaining cognition, in particular the importance of keeping it as close to 110/70 as possible. I check my blood pressure every morning.
*The Link Between Brain Age and Blood Pressure Full Text

Although I consume over a gram of turmeric every day for the curcumin, I am aware that it is not very bioavailable, and that there are better formulations available in supplement form. However, there are many different types, each claiming to be better for bioavailability - so which one is the best? This paper might have the answer, as they tested them against each other in humans. Spoiler Alert! Curcumin made using micelles appeared to be the best.
*Increasing Post-Digestive Solubility of Curcumin is the most Successful Strategy to Improve its Oral Bioavailability: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial in Healthy Adults and In Vitro Bioaccessibility Experiments Full Text

It is rare for a month to go by without the round-up containing some senolytic news, and this month isn’t the exception. Here researchers have used senolytics to tackle the senescent cells associated with cancer, thereby improving outcomes. Most cancer treatments, even if successful, produce a lot of collateral damage such as senescent cells, which can cause longer term health issues. By co-treating those cells, researchers hope to not only treat cancer better, but improve the quality of life for survivors.
Removing Senescent Cancer Cells With Peptides Full Text

And finally, dietary citrate was shown to increase the lifespan of flies and the metabolic health of mice. This, if it turns out to be true, could be something which is readily translatable to humans in the near term.
Dietary citrate supplementation enhances longevity, metabolic health, and memory performance through promoting ketogenesis Full Text

Covid-19 Longevity Related Papers:
*Supercentenarians that Survived COVID-19 Full Text
*Mesenchymal stem cell treatment improves outcome of COVID-19 patients via multiple immunomodulatory mechanisms Full Text
*The Effect of Melatonin on Thrombosis, Sepsis and Mortality Rate in COVID-19 Patients Full Text

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Videos to watch:
A short three part series from Lifespan.io on cellular reprogramming, which is one of the most exciting areas in longevity research, and one which I believe has the potential to truly rejuvenate us.
Science to Save the World – Cellular Reprogramming 1
Science to Save the World – Reprogramming Mouse Cells 2
Science to Save the World – Cellular Reprogramming in Humans 3

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2021 Supplemental Information

***Disclaimer 1 – As should be self-evident to anyone receiving these emails, I am NOT a doctor or indeed a scientist. All the information pertained within is for information purposes only; use at your own risk. Please consult with a healthcare practitioner if you need medical advice.***

**Disclaimer 2 – In no way should supplements be a replacement for an unhealthy diet or lifestyle. A varied, plant dominant dietary pattern is the cornerstone for health. Try to eat the rainbow – the greater the variety, the greater the benefit. Even though I might take a supplement derived from a plant source, I still eat the plant in question. Also, make sure you move as much as possible – that is what we evolved to do.**

*Also bear in mind that most of the studies mentioned below are in rodents, not humans. Rodents, needless to say, do not always react the same way to drugs as humans do – witness the countless times cancer or another disease has been cured in rodents only to subsequently fail human trials. I have *bolded any human trials.*
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Lifestyle

Fasting/Dietary Restriction – certainly the cheapest & also one of the most effective anti-ageing interventions currently available. It comes in many flavours, but I fast for at least 12 hours every day.
*Innate immune remodeling by short-term intensive fasting Full Text
Interrupting high-fat, high-calorie diet with regular 'fasting' cycles helps mice live longer, healthier life: study Abstract
Fasting is required to see the full benefit of calorie restriction in mice Abstract
Daily caloric restriction limits tumor growth more effectively than caloric cycling regardless of dietary composition Full Text

Diet – let food be thy medicine…
*Restriction of Dietary Advanced Glycation end Products Induces a Differential Plasma Metabolome and Lipidome Profile Full Text
*Egg intake moderates the rate of memory decline in healthy older adults Full Text
*Physical Activity and Nutritional Influence on Immune Function: An Important Strategy to Improve Immunity and Health Status Full Text
*Study reveals moderate drinking protective against heart disease Abstract

Exercise – if you could bottle the benefits of exercise, it would be the biggest blockbuster drug of all time.
Massage doesn’t just make muscles feel better, it makes them heal faster and stronger Abstract
*Acute Effects of Different Exercise Intensities on Executive Function and Oculomotor Performance in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise vs. High-Intensity Interval Exercise Full Text
Vascular Ageing and Aerobic Exercise Full Text

Non-prescription Supplements (in alphabetical order)
*Due to concerns about engendering homeostasis, I’ve begun varying my intake of supplements so that I’m not taking all of them every day. Haven’t worked out a rota so far.

Astaxanthin – which is behind the pink colour of salmon & shrimp. Considered the most powerful carotenoid, it has anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuro-protective and skin-protective qualities. I take 4 or 8 mg intermittently.
*Astaxanthin Supplementation Increases Glutathione Concentrations but Does Not Impact Fat Oxidation During Exercise in Active Young Men
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of astaxanthin following spinal cord injury in a rat animal model Full Text
Astaxanthin Inhibits Diabetes-Triggered Periodontal Destruction, Ameliorates Oxidative Complications in STZ-Injected Mice, and Recovers Nrf2-Dependent Antioxidant System Full Text