How To Find The Best Anti-Aging Supplements

There are numerous companies that market “anti-aging” supplements, with each company asserting that its supplements can effectively decelerate the aging process and enhance lifespan.

What is the method to determine if an anti-aging supplement possesses scientific credibility? Additionally, how does one locate an anti-aging supplement that has the potential to be effective?

1. Most anti-aging supplements are based on outdated science

Despite numerous studies over the past two decades demonstrating that the majority of antioxidants do not slow down aging or reduce mortality, it is peculiar and disheartening that numerous supplement manufacturers still hold the belief that antioxidants have this effect.

Furthermore, it is observed that certain antioxidants, such as vitamin E and vitamin A, could potentially elevate the mortality rate.

Additional studies have indicated that the positive impacts of exercise can be negated by antioxidants or further enhance the likelihood of cancer advancing and spreading.

There exist numerous reasons that explain why the majority of antioxidants do not effectively decrease the process of aging.

Cells do not produce their own antioxidant proteins, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, or glutathione peroxidase, which are more powerful than the exogenous antioxidants obtained from supplements, because antioxidants switch off the defense and repair mechanisms in our cells.

One more reason is that specific compartments in the cells do not receive enough antioxidants to have an antioxidant effect. Additionally, it should be noted that aging is not solely attributed to oxidative damage; it also results from various processes such as epigenetic dysregulation and protein accumulation.

Scientific studies demonstrating the extension of lifespan through antioxidants exist, though frequently these studies possess substandard quality.

When antioxidants do contribute to a longer lifespan, it is primarily due to reasons other than their antioxidant properties, such as their anti-inflammatory or epigenetic effects. This is because various substances have multiple effects in the body, not solely antioxidant effects.

The notion that antioxidants can retard the aging process, which originated from Denham Harman’s free-radical theory of aging in the 1950s, is now considered outdated. Although appealing back then, recent scientific findings have revealed that the aging process encompasses more intricate factors beyond cell damage caused by free radicals.

Many other mechanisms, such as the accumulation of proteins, dysregulation of epigenetics, attrition of telomeres, dysfunction of mitochondria (not solely caused by free radicals), changes in the transcriptome, inflammation, crosslinks, and more, are observed to contribute to aging.

Several outdated and potentially harmful ideas about aging exist. Numerous websites promote or market growth hormone or testosterone as a means to decelerate the aging process. However, the predominant consensus in aging research over the past few decades is that both growth hormone and male hormones actually hasten the aging process.

The growth hormone accelerates body growth and hence speeds up aging. Several canonical aging pathways, such as the growth hormone, insulin-like growth hormone (IGF), and mTOR pathway, intersect with growth hormone-like pathways.

The lifespan of male mice is shortened by testosterone. One factor contributing to the shorter lifespan of men compared to women is the presence of male hormones, and this is also why neutered animals and eunuchs live considerably longer (eunuchs can live up to 14 years longer than their counterparts with reproductive organs).

Taking growth hormone and testosterone can improve your short-term well-being and may result in muscle gain and abdominal fat loss. However, it’s important to consider that in the long run, these hormones can actually speed up the aging process. Despite this, many individuals and studies tend to emphasize the positive immediate effects while disregarding the potential negative long-term outcomes.

Certain studies indicate that individuals of advanced age who possess greater levels of growth hormone-like substances tend to have longer lifespans. However, it is important to note that individuals who are generally healthier also tend to exhibit higher levels of various hormones in comparison to those who are frail, ill, or malnourished. This discrepancy is primarily due to the fact that individuals with poorer health conditions produce lower levels of various hormones. It is crucial to understand that this correlation does not imply a causal relationship.

Most studies that have been conducted on aging suggest that growth hormone-like substances and male hormones actually speed up the aging process. Therefore, those who advocate the use of these substances for slowing down aging either lack sufficient knowledge about aging or simply have a financial motive.

2. Most anti-aging supplements are not substantiated by scientific studies

Testing the physical endurance in old mice to discover anti-aging treatments can be done through the use of the treadmill test.

The majority of anti-aging supplement sellers make the claim that their supplements have the ability to decelerate aging; however, there is typically a lack of scientific evidence to support these assertions.

Most anti-aging substances lack thorough testing in animals to prove their ability to prolong lifespan, which is almost as detrimental as relying on outdated or poorly conducted scientific studies.

In some cases, there are reports about substances that can increase the lifespan of laboratory animals. However, it is common for these scientific studies to be inadequately conducted or founded on flawed study design.

When testing substances in an animal model, such as coenzyme Q10, it is important to consider the accuracy of reflecting aging. For instance, certain studies indicate that coenzyme Q10 has the potential to increase the lifespan of mice. However, it was later discovered that this effect only applies to mice with a genetic deficiency in coenzyme Q10.

Frequently, these studies are published in scientific journals of low impact factor, indicating that these journals publish studies of lower quality or evidence. Alternatively, a single study may demonstrate that a substance increases lifespan, while multiple other studies suggest no impact on lifespan (and these studies are not acknowledged by the seller).

Fortunately, there are individuals who approach aging with great seriousness and carry out thorough scientific investigations in animals to confirm whether particular substances have the potential to prolong lifespan.

One illustration is the Interventions Testing Program (ITP), which is comprised of multiple laboratories that carefully examine whether certain substances can increase the lifespan of mice.

Regrettably, a number of substances that are commonly thought to have anti-aging properties, including green tea extract, curcumin, oxaloacetic acid, medium-chain triglyceride oil, and resveratrol, were not found to increase lifespan. The same can be said for resveratrol, simvastatin, fish oil, and mitoQ.

Up until now, the ITP labs have discovered that only rapamycin, 17 alpha-estradiol (only in males), acarbose, and NDGA (nordihydroguaiaretic acid, only in males) have the ability to extend lifespan.

Studies conducted by various researchers have indicated that the majority of vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin E, B vitamins, vitamin K, as well as most minerals, do not have the capability to elongate one’s lifespan.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, green tea extracts, curcumin or fatty acids are useless. They are still important, given many people are deficient in these substances, or take in suboptimal amounts.

If you lack these substances or have insufficient amounts of them, your lifespan may be shortened or your likelihood of developing various aging-related diseases can increase. However, individuals who are already healthy and consume additional quantities of these substances are unlikely to prolong their lifespan.

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