How Aging Will Soon Be a Thing of the Past
Is aging inevitable? Some out there that argue this is not the case, that in fact the fountain of youth has actually been discovered. One of the leaders in anti-aging research is Australian-born scientist David Sinclair. He has been pursuing the subject for the last 20 years and has worked in the world’s most prestigious labs, including MIT and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Sinclair talks with much expertise about nicotinamide riboside, which is found inside the body and converted into NAD+, and supports healthy aging. David Sinclair is not concerned so much about turning back the hands of time merely for appearance’s sake, but to slow down the process of degeneration of the heart, brain, and other vital organs to prolong life.
The Main Reason We Age
Dr. Sinclair explains that as we age, our blood vessels eventually wither and die. This reduces the blood flow to organs and tissues and leads to many diseases as we age, particularly those that affect the muscles, organs, and the mind.
“At age 40, we have about half the amount of NAD+ in the body than we did in our 20’s.”
– Dr. David Sinclair
Endothelial cells, which line the walls of blood vessels, are exceptionally important for the health of the vessels. Muscles need blood flow to remain healthy – and exercise helps this, but not completely.
When it comes to healthy blood flow into the muscles, the two key players are a molecule called NAD+ and a protein called SIR1 found in the mitochondria. NAD+ boosts SIR1, which helps blood flow from the blood vessels into the muscles and creates growth-promoting proteins.
However, both NAD+ and SIR1 decline as we get older. So, what can we do to prevent this?
NMN [Nicotinamide Mononucleotide] is a chemical compound located within the body. This compound boosts NAD+ levels, which then increases SIR 1. We can actually take NMN in supplement form, and this is encouraged by scientists like David Sinclair over taking NAD+ in supplement form.
NMN + Resveratrol makes NAD+ in the body better than taking NAD+
50 mg of resveratrol with 500 mg of NMN is generally recommended.
What happens when NAD+ is boosted?
NAD+ is a vital molecule: without it, life would cease to exist. Boosted NAD+ levels improves the way multiple tissues and cell types age, including:
- The heart
- Stem cells
- Skeletal muscle
- The brain
Clinical studies have shown that Nicotine Riboside can increase NAD+ levels in white blood cells, even stop the path to diabetes for those who are pre-diabetic.
To recap, it’s important to note that NAD+ is required for energy production in:
- The brain
- Immune cells
- Muscle tissue and cellular repair
NAD+ also is involved in activating enzymes called sirtuins that play a huge role in longevity. Sirtuins regulate many metabolic processes, including the release of insulin in the body to balance blood sugar levels. They also impact how well we respond to stress. It’s easy to see why we can become more stressed as we age if our NAD+ starts to diminish.
NAD+’s role in Energy Metabolism
NAD+ can be synthesized in the body from many foods, especially the amino acid tryptophan. This can be found in salmon, spinach, nuts, and the three forms of Niacin – including Vitamin B3 – also found in lean meats, legumes, and vegetables like mushrooms, green peas, avocados, and potato.
Contributing Factors in Age-Association Decline in NAD+
Certain factors add to the age decline in NAD+. Among these are:
- Increased chronic inflammation
- Increased immune activation
- Decreased NAMPT activity, which leads to decreased NAD+ production
Though NAD+ declines with age, do we necessarily have to as well? Supplementing the cells with resveratol and NMN, along with small control stresses like Intermittent Fasting or cold therapy have shown to extend the lifespans in lab mice. Human studies obviously will take more time down the road, but that does not stop some from already reaping the benefits of science.
A word about topical NAD+ lotions
There are now topical NAD+ lotions that aid anti-aging and have remarkable effects on the skin, turning back the hands of time. These lotions are becoming popular on the market, especially with women. Unfortunately, creams and salves do not have the same potency as taking supplements internally. Unless you have a highly sensitive stomach, you’re better off saving your money.
At the moment, the average woman spends around $313 every month on her appearance. This ends up totaling $3756 every year, which equals $225,360 over a typical lifespan.
Topical NAD+ therapy is even being experimentally used on those suffering from psoriasis- without the harmful side effects of other treatments.
Otherwise, topical NAD+ falls under the category: skip, and save your money.
Conclusion
With the advances in medicine today, it looks like more research will be performed on NAD+ and ways to enhance it within the body. Who knows, maybe all of us will be able to maintain our youthful agility well into our 90s? Perhaps future generations will never really have to experience aging at all, and only have accidents or injury to worry about. All I know, is aging as we know it will never be the same.
Hopefully, our futures can be looked upon with more excitement, hope, and joy; knowing that we can not only have more time, but the energy as well.
