10 replies to this topic

[BrandonFlorida]

I have been taking nutritional supplements since I was about 13, in the mid 1960s. Since then, my regimen has only increased in size. Today, I guess I take about 25 different supplements. Since the beginning, anti-aging has been the primary focus, although I'm interested in general good nutrition too. Now that I'm 55, anti-aging is even more on my mind. Let me play the devil's advocate for a minute, though. Can anyone point to a specific person, alive or dead, who took a lot of supplements and has lived to an unusually old age, or died at an unusually old age? If supplements work at all to slow aging, we should be able to identify one person who they appear to have been successful for. I'm not saying that there is no such person, only that I am unaware of one. I'll concede that general nutrition will clearly extend life by promoting general health, but what about slowing the aging process? I would be interested to hear what people have to say about this, particularly if they do have such an example.

[Mind]

Since supplemental nutrition did not develop in earnest until the mid 20th century there is unlikely to be many people over 60 who have maintained a supplement regimen their entire adult life, much less anyone in their 90s or 100s. You are probably a trail-blazer in that regard. Two hi-profile people I know who advocated aggressive (sometimes mega-dosing) of vitamins are Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw. They still sell supplements. and have news at LEF.org, although, the last update was March 2008. Durk is 66 this year and has been focused on life extension much of his life. Perhaps you are familiar with them. I suspect LEF knows some long term supplement users since selling supplements is a good portion of their business. William Faloon looks healthy...not sure of his age though.

[BrandonFlorida]

Yes, it couldn't be someone who started at an early age because of the timeline for the development of supplements. For example, though, if someone started in 1970 at the age of 45, he would be 84 today. If all this works, one might be able to find someone in his mid-80s who started taking supplements as they became available and now looks like he's in his late 50s.

[niner]

Yes, it couldn't be someone who started at an early age because of the timeline for the development of supplements. For example, though, if someone started in 1970 at the age of 45, he would be 84 today. If all this works, one might be able to find someone in his mid-80s who started taking supplements as they became available and now looks like he's in his late 50s.

Supplements, particularly as they existed in the 70's and 80's, just aren't going to lead to a result like this. You might want to look at a guy like Jack Lalanne and consider his diet and exercise regimen. I don't know what if any supplements he may have taken. Through a combination of diet and supplementation, you can probably "square the curve" (survival fraction vs time), thus pick up a significant number of years. However, you will not stand out as unusually old under this scenario, so you aren't likely to hear about in the news.

[thestuffjunky]

well, great subject and easily the #1 reason why there are so many nonbelievers(supplemental medicine). 'if it dosnt work in just vitamins, how can it work at all". first, i have no medical or much of science backgrounds(degrees), but i love to learn and maybe that is because i take my daily.... however, i wouldnt say 'an unusually old age", but lets take a step back in time. i will say that to be a sailor before the late 18th cen. was the deadliest job on this planet. it all goes back to scurvy and, if you will, half-life of nutrition in food. if the nutrients in foods are gone before consumption, then you now just have a full belly... so, the whole world owes its dues to a crew of sailors that lived longer(on sea) than anyone before them. HOW? vitamin C. that would be the turning point of modern supplements. then you only lived to see maybe 40. so, YES vitamins HELP, but your organs are muscles of a sort. if all you had was a sip of water to consume your vitamin a day, the organs couldnt get a work-out. and since vitamins are very difficult to have a high concentration of animal(protein. everything needs this stuff)(look at vegetarians), then your organs would start to eat each other and you would then in turn die prematurely. not an answer to the oldest person admitting they took vitamins for their whole life, but without them, you at 55 and everyone else around that age and older would not even know what a cell phone is. science and medicine are the staples in this universe and the reason we ALL can progressively live longer...

[Mind]

I agree Niner, Jack Lalane would be a interesting proxy for supplementation. I am unsure if he ever took anything in pill form, but his juice mixes certainly had higher concentrations of vitamins. Of course this brings up the old question of confounding parameters. Since people who supplement also take care of their health in other ways, it might be hard to tease out the effect (positive or negative) of vitamins.

[BrandonFlorida]

A quick check of his Wikipedia article shows that Lalane was a proponent of nutritional supplements. He is presently 94.

Edited by BrandonFlorida, 02 August 2009 - 03:59 AM.

[immortali457]

A quick check of his Wikipedia article shows that Lalane was a proponent of nutritional supplements. He is presently 94.

His phyto-nutrient intake throughout the years must have been huge do to all the many years he's juiced.

[ajnast4r]

I am unsure if he ever took anything in pill form,

Share Guide: Do you use supplements?

Jack LaLanne: Are you kidding? About 40 or 50 a day. Everything from A to Z. Ninety percent of them are natural, as much as I can take. I take enzymes, I take herbs, the whole bit!

http://www.shareguide.com/LaLanne.html

[Shepard]

Art DeVany has said that he has taken antioxidants since he was in high school. He's currently in his early 70s.

[kenj]

Art DeVany has said that he has taken antioxidants since he was in high school. He's currently in his early 70s.

FWIW, IMO a combo of CRish diet + certain supplements (those sups not killing people, when you talk 'bout 'em ;-)), enough rest and exercise, seems remarkably sensible when looking at those practising it full scale: One person (Paul Wakfer) is taking many! supplements for a longer time, IIRC he's also 70 now, and doin' more than fine, ISTM. (Also his wife, Kitty Wakfer in good shape.)

Well: I *would* avoid heavy hormonal supplementation, and crystal meth.......