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Sirtuins excite various researchers – and consumers of pills – in the anti-aging movement.

The way this works, is that sirtuins are proteins produced by the SIRT1 and SIRT3 genes. In yeast, and later in roundworms, the situins have been found to extend life. Once this was discovered, ways were looked for him to increase the production of the sirtuins. After much research resveratrol – present in red wine – was identified as having this property.

However, not everybody is convinced that this is a viable line of research for anti-aging therapy.

For example, fightaging.org points out that “messing around with metabolic fixes” such as this is a distraction from the path towards proper anti-aging techniques. The site points out that the reason so much attention is focused on sirtuins is partly due to the huge amounts of money which had been poured into it.

A more promising line of research, the site opines, would be to investigate how  the damage to the cell’s mitochondria could be reduced over time. The mitochondria – which are the “powerhouse” – the energy source – of our cells.

Various lines of research point of this as being a more fundamental break on longevity than the than the effects of the sirtuins.

Here is the very interesting post:

Promising Line of Research for Anti-Aging

Related articles about Sirtuins and Anti-aging

• Scientists ferret out a key pathway for aging (biosingularity.wordpress.com)
• Scientists ID key protein that links dietary restriction with healthy hearing, aging (physorg.com)
• Anti-ageing pill step closer as scientists finds enzyme that stops our cells from dying (dailymail.co.uk)

Sirtuins May Hold The Anti-Aging Key… Or May Not is a post from: Living To 150

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In laboratory tests, sirtuins were found to be involved in longevity. This was discovered because cells would live much longer when one of their genes – SIRT1 – was stimulated. This gene produces the sirtuin proteins.

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Furthermore, when the activity of the SIRT1 gene was reduced, the yeast cells died sooner.

The same effect was later found in experiments on roundworms. this coincident effect led scientists to believe that exactly the same would happen with humans – who share a very large proportion of their DNA with both yeast and roundworms.

This led to a search for nutrients which would naturally stimulate the SIRT1 (and SIRT3) gene, and the discovery of resveratrol in red wine.

Resveratrol is now seen as a very promising candidate for research in anti-ageing medicine.

The role of Sirtuins in aging is covered nicely in this article which includes the section: “SIRT3: Balancing Cancer and Aging”

Related articles on Sirtuins and SIRT1 and SIRT3

• Movie star SIRT1 makes for a great body but an old brain (genes2brains2mind2me.com)
• SIRT1 gene important for memory (eurekalert.org)

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Aubrey de Grey is one of the top UK commentators on anti-aging. He is a Cambridge ‘Don’ who is very knowledgeable about this fascinating topic.

Aubrey has reduced aging to an engineering issue: he has narrowed it down to 7 problems which need to be solved – and most of them are on the way.

So it’s just a matter of time…

Aubrey de Grey: Why we age and how we can avoid it

www.ted.com Cambridge researcher Aubrey de Grey argues that aging is merely a disease — and a curable one at that. Humans age in seven basic ways, he says, all of which can be averted. TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of really great talks and performances.

Aubrey de Grey – Ending Aging

Dr Aubrey de Grey believes that we do not have to age and die after three score years and ten. Watch a remarkable visionary introduce his ideas.

Related articles to Aubrey de Grey and Anti-aging

• Aubrey dr Grey in GQ magazine and BBC news and Genescient’s Stem Cell 100 (nextbigfuture.com)
• Aubrey de Grey on the Harvard Mouse News (acceleratingfuture.com)
• Aubrey de Grey and David Brin Discuss When Will Life Expectancy Reach 200 Years? (nextbigfuture.com)
• Living Better, Longer – And Maybe Forever (bigthink.com)

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This is a great ebook which does a good job of explaining where we are today with regard to healthy anti-aging strategies.

Best of all – it is completely free. David Kekich is doing all he can to publicize anti-aging, so is giving this book away. It’s a chunky tome – and packed full of information.

It tells you 7 steps to take to: “catch the emerging wave of medical breakthroughs…” for a healthy, extended life. I strongly recommend this book to help get you up to speed with the current state of anti-aging knowledge.

Also, follow author David Kekich on twitter @MaxLifeorg .

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Gosh – I’d like to go to this – the Manhattan Beach Project, Los Angeles. It’s the conference I wanted to go to when I went to Convergence08 last November: because this on is focused specifically on longevity.

The field of longevity research is getting very exciting now. Aubrey de Grey is quoted as thinking there is a 50/50 chance of his living forever.  Now, if a conservative scientist says that, you have to take note.

Unfortunately, I cannot go – I have things booked for November and can’t get away. But it’s in the diary for next year.

Apparently there will be recordings of the speakers which can be watched for free.

“You’ll get to see all of the twenty minute presentations by world-leading researchers. Each one of the fifteen presenters will also answer up to ten minutes of questions.”

Sorry to miss it. The usual suspects – Aubrey de Grey and Ray Kurzweil – will be there (albeit Kurweil will be beamed in). The whole thing is hosted by David A Kekich and Greta Blackburn of Maximum Life Foundation, and sponsored by Life Extension Foundation. Should be very good.

Follow Maximum Life Foundation on Twitter @maxlifeorg .

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In June this year, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine approved $60m worth of funding to fund 15 grants aimed at moving some of the stunning results from stem cells from the lab to clinical practice.

The pace of progress with stem cell research means that results can progress from project conception to clinic use in ten years – a very rapid time compared to conventional research.

These grants mean that we will be able to take advantage of this exciting technology that much faster.

California funds the biggest stem cell research programme in the world. This is thanks to Californian residents who voted the measure through in a referendum.

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My main aim is to live to 150 – at least to start off with.

(It’s said that the first person who will still be healthy at 200 is already living.)

So with that aim in mind I need to prepare myself for my trip to Denver, Colorado to see Terry Grossman, in July 2009.

What do I want to achieve?

Three main things.

1. Firstly, to have new blood tests taken, so that I can compare these with the ones I had done last year at Life Extension Foundation, and get the clinic’s views on them.
2. Secondly, to have a more detailed health assessment done, and so further review my health status.
3. Thirdly, to get the clinic’s views on my lifestyle, and how that is affecting my health, looked at against the backdrop of the blood tests.

New Blood Tests

It will be interesting to see how my blood test have changed compared to last year.

My main concerns with the blood tests were:

• High cholesterol. My total cholesterol was 235 mg/dl. This is about 6 in the UK measurement, and so about 30% too high. LDL and HDL were similarly high. However, my total cholesterol/HDL ratio was pretty good. Triglycerides were also good, at 72 mg/dl. (What is cholesterol?)
• Blood sugar. Fasting blood sugar was 102 mg/dl, or 5.6mmol/l in UK terms. Optimal is between 70 and 85.  So 102 is high. However, haemoglobin A-1 C was 5.6%, which is good. This is a measure of blood sugar over the past three-months. Also, fasting insulin was good at less than 2 mIU/dl.
• Hormones. My free testosterone was measured at 9.1 pg per millilitre. This is within the recommended range, but low within the range. Thyroid hormones again, were low within the normal range.

I will be looking to see whether the new blood tests reflect similar values to the old ones – from a year ago.

It will be interesting to hear the clinic’s personal recommendations. Last year I had only support via the telephone, which was not ideal. This one-to-one advice will be more helpful.

Preparing for My Health Review is a post from: Living To 150

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The latest “Statins Beat Heart Attack” headlines would be wryly funny if they weren’t so tragic.

Short sighted journalists are fooled by profit-hungry drug companies who, as often seems to be the case, are driving partisan research chemists.

“Statins Reduce Heart Attacks”

This is not news, and it is not even surprising. Anything which reduces general inflammation in the body will reduce heart attacks. This includes Omega 3 fatty acids, and any number of herbs including nettles, ginger and turmeric. The problem with using statins instead is the many side-effects users have reported.

The New Trial

The new trial is clearly partisan. For a start, it is called ‘Jupiter’, which stands for Justify the Use of Statins… Hmmmh – little doubt about the results they are looking for, then.

The particular brand of statins it ‘justifies’ is Crestor, made by AstraZeneca which costs around £26 a month. As the predominant statins used in the UK are the generic Simvastatin which cost £1.42 a month, the trial results are great for AstraZeneca. No doubt certain sectors of the community will be calling for the replacement of Simvastatin with Crestor (is it me – or isn’t that also a toothpaste?).

Drug Company Strategy

Statins are the best thing that have happened to drug companies for a long time. They are turning into a license to print money. One prime benefit of selling statins is that they are being used by younger and younger people – and they ‘need’ them for life.

As the drug companies see their profits slashed by cheap generic replacements – they simply come up with a new twist – as in this case – to show, by a flawed study, the superiority of their new, replacement product. Then they get to milk it drug until the patent runs out.

This is exactly what they did with HRT (ERT); each time the evidence showed that HRT damaged health, new research unearthed a new supposed benefit of HRT so they could persuade doctors to keep prescribing it and journalists to keep writing about how good it was.

What To Do Instead Of Taking Statins

This trial was carried out by selecting people with a high level of c-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. They were then given statins.

Agreed – CRP does indicate general inflammation in the body which gives a raised chance of heart and artery disease as well as of diabetes, various cancers and Alzheimers’ disease.

Where I don’t agree is the treatment. Drugs are not usually necessary.

To treat raised CRP a combination of herbal treatment and fish oils will usually bring it down. Take these, then recheck CRP in 2-3 months.

Ideally, CRP should be less than 0.5 mg/L (milligrams per litre) in men and less than 1.5 mg/L in women.

Avoiding Statins – or Coming Off Them

Don’t just stop statins if you are taking them. Come off them with professional guidance. Most certainly involve your doctor in this process. Similarly if you have been told that you need to take statins. Be cautious. Around 50% of people come off statins because of the side-effects; but don’t put yourself at risk by just not taking them – you need an alternative strategy.

1. The following link leads to an article which contains a list of 8 natural alternatives to lower cholesterol, based on sound science:
Natural ways to cut cholesterol

Extract from this article about avoiding statins:

“HOW TO AVOID STARTING STATINS
If your doctor advises you to begin taking a statin drug, suggest a lower dose or a delay in initiation of the drug until you have had two to three months to try natural cholesterol- and LDL-lowering agents. Patient involvement in treatment decisions is commonplace today, and most physicians will work with you. A rough rule of thumb: adherence to a low-fat, high-fiber diet (that eliminates processed foods), along with some of the nutritional supplements discussed in this article, will lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 30%. Keep this in mind when starting your program. ……..”

See the article for more detail.

2. This article covers the role of general inflammation in generating disease
Aging and Longevity – 4. Inflammation

Also, read Life Extension Revolution, by Miller, Chapter 7:  Cooling Inflammation: Disease-Proofing Your Body

Above all, don’t fall for the drug-company hype; because that’s what it is. In 2004 the pharmaceutical industry was estimated to be receiving $22 billion (£14 billion) from statin drugs.

Do your research and make your own mind up. And it’s not easy to get your CRP checked regularly – but is very, very useful to do so as it gives an early warning of problems to come.

Statins – Don’t Be Fooled By The Research is a post from: Living To 150

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My blood pressure is down. Not that it has ever been worryingly high; on the rare occasions I have taken it, it’s been around 125/85. That is pretty good.

A friend has hypertension, so I bought a blood pressure monitor to keep an eye on it.

After a week or so I took my own blood pressure and it was 110-115/65. Very low, thought I. Took it again, same. I thought I just wasn’t used to the machine. Waited a week and took it again.

Down, Down, Down

Yes, my blood pressure has come down. And I’m very happy because this correlates with increased health.

I haven’t recently taken up marathon running or any extreme sport; so I put it down to changes I have made in my diet this year.

I suppose taking Life Extension’s Life Extension Mix might have had an impact. But I think it’s more likely diet.

Dietary Changes

In my diet, I have: increased the raw food I eat – I have salad once or twice a day; almost cut out bread, potatoes, rice, pasta; increased nuts and seeds; almost cut out food cooked over 250 degrees F (about 110 degrees C).

I am really surprised at this reduction in blood pressure; but very pleased. I feel it is definitely a benefit of the changes in my diet.

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Researchers in Canada found that orange juice taken alongside a drug for hayfever – fexofenadine – reduced its absorption by half.  It is likely that there would be similar effects on many other drugs.

The researchers suggested that the spike in blood sugar was the mechanism which caused the reduction in drug absorption. In this case, other fruit juices will have a similar effect. (The previously identified interference of grapefruit juice with some drugs involves a different mechanism.)

The researchers advised drinking fruit juices 4 hours away from any drugs being taken.

Fruit Juice And Diabetes

The blood sugar spike caused by drinking fruit juice is also responsible

for the increased risk of diabetes they cause. Sugar is already pouring into the blood stream for most people. This comes from digested starches (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) as well as from direct sugar sources – eg soft drinks. With extra sugar on top of this from fruit juices, the current dramatic rise in diabetes not surprising.

I advise:

• Avoiding drugs as much as possible, in general, and trying to use natural methods such as nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes
• Avoiding fruit juice – which increases the risk for diabetes. Whole fruit in moderation is fine – because the fibre reduces the spike.

If you take these two actions, then the finding from this study need not be a concern.

Mail Online coverage of the study
Life Extension Foundation comprehensive article on Diabetes

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Low-level inflammation causes millions to die every year. This type of inflammation can easily be identified with a simple blood test. Usually, it can easily be treated with a combination of all herbs and nutrients. In years to come it will be measured routinely, because it is such an effective predictor of disease.

What Is Low Level Inflammation?

We generally know when we have an inflammation, because it is characterized by the classic indications of heat, swelling, redness and pain.

However when there is low-level inflammation there are no obvious external signs. But what is certain is that this low level inflammation is an accurate predictor of many serious diseases.

What Problems Does It Create?

There is very clear data showing that low-level inflammation makes heart and artery disease much more likely. This has been confirmed by analyzing the results of major studies.

By itself, this is a very important factor in health and aging. Ofter all, half the population of Western countries die of heart and artery disease.

But there is more. Low-level inflammation is also an accurate predictor of many other degenerative diseases, including;

1. Alzheimer’s disease
2. Arthritis and rheumatism, and
3. Some, probably many, cancers

How Can It Be Measured?

The actual causative factors of inflammation – inflammatory cytokines – can be measured; but this is expensive. It is better first to measure two blood components which indicate the presence or absence of inflammation; then home in on the cytokines only if necessary.

These two blood components, which accompany inflammation, are easily and (fairly) cheaply measured. They are c-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen. In the UK you might even get your doctor to get these measured for you.

If these two are very high and there is no obvious inflammation present (such as an infection), then some sort of low level inflammation is present. This inflammation will be wearing out body tissues and certainly leading us towards degenerative diseases.

The level of CRP you are aiming for is less than 1 mg/L (milligram per litre) for men, and less than 1.5 mg/L for women (Philip Miller, 2005, p184 – see end of next paragraph). Over 2 mg/L for men and 3.5 mg/L for women leads to significant additional risk for heart disease, and other degenerative diseases.

How Can Inflammation Be Treated?

Low-level inflammation can be treated through diet and by using supplements.

Diet: this is pretty much the standard anti-aging diet, namely:

1. Plenty of fresh vegetables, many of them preferably raw.
2. Reduce to a minimum potatoes, pasta, bread and rice.
3. Reduce all types of sugar to a minimum – honey and maple syrup included
4. Moderate amounts of fruit, mainly berries, eaten whole and not as juice.
5. Choose foods low on the glycemic index.
6. Eat healthy fats. Apart from trans fats and saturated fats, which should obviously be avoided, Omega 6 fatty acids promote inflammation. These are present in most oils except olive oil, and in meat and dairy products as well as in grains. Grass-fed meat is lower in Omega 6 fats than grain-fed meat. Omega 3 fatty acids on the other hand, are anti-inflammatory. They are found in olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish and in vegetables in small amounts.

Supplements: The top supplement to take to reduce generalised inflammation is fish oil. All adults are advised to take at least 1 gramme of DHA + EPA daily, and up to 3 grammes.  Probably 2 grammes is good to aim for. This is provided by 6 capsules a day of the typical omega 3 supplement – but check the label – some are stronger than others. Look on the label for the level of EPA and DHA and add them together.  You are looking for 2 grammes or 2000 mg. (Ignore the total amount of fish oil – you are looking just for EPA and DHA.)

Other anti-inflammatory supplements include bromelain – from pineapple, the hormone DHEA and vitamin K.

Herbs which can counteract low-level inflammation include natural, ginger, turmeric and ginkgo.

The exact treatment protocol use will be best determined by a professional you’re working with. Or you might start with that given in Philip Miller‘s excellent book “Life Extension Revolution” (2005 edition, page 194).

The 4 ‘-ations’ – Essential Indicators of Health

The 4 ‘-ations’ – which include inflammation – are four very damaging processes which cause aging and which produce the degenerative disease which kill most of us. The other three of these processes are methylation, oxidation and glycation.

The knowledge of how to deal with these 4 killers is growing rapidly, mainly among the few researchers who are interested in longevity or healthy aging.

It typically takes 25 years for the medical profession to absorb new information of this magnitude. This means it is up to us as individuals to learn about, and take control of, these processes.

Fortunately, the evidence is clear and the solutions are quite simple. To me, this is an absolutely fascinating topic. I hope I have conveyed that to you in these four articles, and that you find them useful.

Aging and Longevity – 4. Inflammation is a post from: Living To 150

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Oxidation is essential for human life. For example, energy production requires the oxidation of glucose into carbon dioxide, as well as its opposite – the ‘reduction’ of oxygen to water.

However, there are times when we don’t want oxidation to occur.

Essentially, oxidation is the removal of an electron from an atom or molecule. There are times when this electron removal serves to damage the molecule from which it is removed. This can result in damage to proteins, lipids, and the DNA of cells.

Free Radicals And Oxidation

Free radicals are naturally produced by many body processes. They are molecules which are hungry for an extra electron – they are powerful oxidising agents. The body has natural processes to deactivate free radicals. But if they become too numerous, they will oxidize important structures sucha as the brain, removing electrons and causing widespread damage.

As they an essential part of life, free radicals cannot be eliminated completely. However, through dietary and lifestyle changes we can minimize them.

What Problems Does Oxidation Cause?

As with inflammation, oxidation is involved in all major degenerative diseases. These include heart and artery disease, cancers, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

How Can We Avoid Oxidation

There are two approaches to avoiding oxidation:

1. Making changes to reduce free radicals, and
2. Maximising antioxidants.

1. Reducing Free Radicals

We can help to reduce the number of free radicals the body produces by:

• Eating a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables and moderate amounts of fruit
• Reduce exposures to toxins. This includes:
  • avoiding cigarette smoke
  • avoiding other chemicals and fumes in the air as far as possible
  • eating organic foods to avoid chemicals added during growing, and
  • removing the chlorine from water before drinking it.
• Avoiding anything but moderate exposure to sun. Direct sunlight on the skin produces large numbers of free radicals.
• Maintaining harmony and balance in our everyday lives, thus reducing stress to a minimum
• Avoiding low-grade inflammation, which generates many free radicals

Two additional things which increase oxidation are the process of aging, and extreme exercise. As we age, we need more antioxidants to mop up free radicals. So older people have more of a need to supplement their antioxidant intake.

Similarly, athletes have an increased need for antioxidants, because of the extra free radicals extreme exercise causes.

2. Maximising antioxidants

Antioxidants are are obtained from food and are made within the body.

Antioxidants From Food

These include vitamin C, vitamin D, beta-carotene and selenium. These are present in vegetables and in fruit. Green tea contains valuable antioxidants called catechins. Green tea is highly recommended as a regular regular drink. (Black tea has antioxidants too, but green tea is better. Take it without sugar or milk.)

By all means, supplement your diet with a top quality multi-mineral vitamin supplement. I recommend Life Extension Foundation’s ‘Life Extension Mix’. A good multi-mineral formula will also contain minerals which catalyse the processes of anti-oxidation; ie, they enable them without being used up themselves.

Antioxidants Made Within The Body

These include coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid [ALA] and N-acetylcysteine [NAC]. These are available to take in supplement form if desired.

More Antioxidants = Live Longer and Stay Healthier

Oxidation – loss of an electron – is a natural part of life. So are the presence of ‘free radicals’ – those elements which ‘steal’ these electrons. But, however natural it may be, we greatly benefit from keeping oxidation to a minimum.

This is where we can act: to keep to a minimum those situations which cause free radicals to be formed; and to take foods and supplements which maximise our supply of anti-oxidants.

By doing this we will stay healthier for longer and age more healthily.

The 4 ‘-ations’ – Vital Indicators of Health

The 4 ‘-ations’ of which oxidation is one – the others are methylation, glycation and inflammation - are four processes which are very damaging to the cells of our body. We have the power to reduce these processes to a minimum and thus greatly reduce the likelihood of developing diseases such as cancer, heart and artery disease, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.

Aging and Longevity – 2. Oxidation is a post from: Living To 150

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There is news currently about how statin drugs are associated with lower levels of Alzheimer’s disease.

This is not surprising – because statins lower inflammation; and there is a link between Alzheimer’s disease and low-level inflammation. 

However, the solution to low-level inflammation is NOT to take statin drugs. Just as the answer to cholesterol is not to take statin drug – except in isolated cases.

Measuring Low Level Inflammation

Currently, the best and cheapest way to find out if you have a raised level of low-level inflammation is to measure c-reactive protein, or CRP. This substance has a raised level if inflammation is present. This blood test is simple and not expensive.

Treatment

If CRP is high, treatment to lower inflammation is a combination of herbs and nutrients. Some important options are:

- Fish oils/Omega 3 fatty acids
- The ‘master hormone’ DHEA
- Bromelain – from pineapple
- Nettle leaf
- Ginger
- Turmeric

For more details, check out Philip Miller’s excellent book: "Life Extension Revolution", p 191.

Alzheimer’s treatment protocol

And – as a general rule – don’t take the statins!

Statins & Alzheimers – Right For Wrong Reason is a post from: Living To 150

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I hate to report this, but a solid study has shown that drinking orange juice once a day increase type II diabetes risk.

The reason I hate to report it, is because many people will be as shocked as I was – or even disbelieving – when first hearing that their morning ‘health’ drink could actually be unhealthy.

But it is true.

The Whole Fruit, Nothing But The Fruit

All fruit juices are similar to sugar water. True, the sugar is not glucose; it’s fructose. But it still spikes up blood sugar after drinking it.

The whole fruit contains fibre which slows sugar absorption down. The juice has most or all of the fibre removed so that the passage of sugar into the blood stream is rapid.

The Path To Diabetes (type II)

The 3-step pattern leading to diabetes can then emerge:

1. Sugar in the blood demands insulin, from the pancreas. Insulin influences ‘receptors’ in the cell walls to allow sugar to pass inside.
2. Over time the cell wall receptors become less responsive to repeated insulin insults. The pancreas has to produce more and more for the same result.
3. The overworked pancreas becomes can’t keep up with the demand for insulin. Blood sugar builds up and diabetes is present.

Avoid Diabetes – And Delay Aging

A feature of diabetes is that sufferers get aging diseases much earlier than the rest of us.

This is why diabetics tend to get problems with heart and arteries, kidneys and eyes at a relatively young age. Control of the diabetes is essential; and for most, perfectly possible.

Control Through Diet

Although input from an experienced practitioner is always helpful, one of the main approaches to dealing with Type II diabetes (also called ‘maturity onset’ diabetes) is through a rigorous diet.

This is the same diet as a ‘healthy aging’ diet, but with more care taken to keep blood sugar low.

This means reducing intake of sugar and starches (mainly potatoes, pasta, rice and bread) dramatically such that your blood sugar remains at a low-normal level – not just a moderate level.

Blood sugar can be monitored through regular blood tests.

A practitioner can advise on supplements to be used. Also see:

• Life Extension Foundation – diabetes for a great article
• Life Extension Magazine August 2008, p67 "Metabolic Disease and Heart Attack, which is very relevant. 
• www.meta-syndrome.com for information on Metabolic Syndrome.

Finally, here is:

• A report of the Orange Juice study

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Reliable and valuable research on health issues is not easy to come by – and I want it every day, whether for myself or to help customers of my herbal company, Specialist Herbal Supplies.

One of the websites I go back to again and again is that of Life Extension Foundation. If you have a health condition and you want to find a treatment protocol for it, you can probably find one on their website.

The treatments recommended include prescription drugs where these are appropriate for consideration as well as recommendations for supplements and herbs. All recommendations have references to studies validating the benefits cited.

A highly recommended site to help you understand how the body works, and how disease processes develop and how you can treat them.

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A friend was concerned about arthritis as she aged. Having an aging father in law in poor health made her think of her own state of health. Systemic inflammation is one factor to take seriously.

Systemic inflammation is when there is general ‘background’ inflammation without pain or symptoms – at least initially. For this reason it is insidious as it can just creep up on you. The joints and muscles can slowly degenerate without you realising it.

The same inflammation is a major cause of a host of other diseases including heart and artery disease; some cancers; Alzheimer’s disease, as well as conditions due to thickened blood such as angina and clouded thinking.

Systemic inflammation can be indicated through blood tests for C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen. If both of these are low, this is a good sign that systemic inflammation is not rampant in your body.

My own measures for these two are: CRP – 0.82 mg/L, and 149 mg/dL of fibrinogen. The ‘reference range’ (range within which the lab suggests the results are ok) for CRP is 0-3 mg/L and for fibrinogen 193-423 mg/dL.

This makes my CRP within the good range; but I think .5 is even more desirable than .82 (says Philip Miller).

My fibrinogen level is lower than the reference range. The lab’s doctor says this is a good thing. I wonder why it is so low. High fibrinogen thickens the blood; low fibrinogen should thin the blood. This might be expected to make me bleed more easily, which I do not experience – at least not yet  

Systemic inflammation is one of the 4 key ‘-ations’ identified by Philip Miller (Life Extension Revolution, Ch 7) as being crucial to address if you wish to achieve healthy aging.

Treatment is simple; change your diet to exclude inflammatory factors (such as Omega 6 fatty acids) and take a mixture of herbs including:

• Nettles
• Circumin (Turmeric)
• Ginger

and supplements, including:

• DHEA
• Vitamin K
• Bromelain

Then you need to retest the blood to see if what you did worked. A lot of hassle, but it’s worth it to help avoid degenerative diseases.

Afterwards, an annual blood test will check everything is still ok. This should be part of a regular health routine.

Arthritis and Inflammation is a post from: Living To 150

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I now have to decide on my initial treatment for longevity, based on my blood test results.

I have taken Life Extension Foundation‘s Life Extension Mix (a very special multi-mineral/vitamin mix) for around 6 months. I did this on purpose prior to taking the blood tests. This may well have boosted levels of certain blood components up to their current good levels.

Eg, chromium, zinc and selenium are often found to be deficient; my chromium and zinc were fine; the selenium I don’t know because that was the one test which did not come out for technical reasons.

My 3 aims for treatment now are:

A reduction in fasting glucose levels. (Because of the generally damaging effects on the body of any more than a low level of blood glucose)

A reduction in total cholesterol. Mine is 235mg/dL (6mmol/L), and the target is around 180mg/dL (4.6mmol/L).

A reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP). Mine is good at .82mg/L; ideal is less than 0.5mg/L. CRP is a strong indicator of low-grade inflammation in the body which promotes heart and artery disease, cancers and arthritis.

Next – my programme to achieve these aims.

Aims Of Treatment For Longevity is a post from: Living To 150

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I plan to interpret my own blood tests, using my studies of anatomy and some biochemistry in my career, LEF (Life Extension Foundation) advice line; the books I have, particularly by Philip Miller (Life Extension Revolution), Internet searches; and advice from a knowledgeable friend in the UK. I am not an expert in blood test interpretation, but with this help I should be able to get a fair way.

I will get as far as I can in improving my test results, and then consult a life extension specialist to go further.

The Tests Which Were Done

I’ve had just over about 60 tests carried out by Life Extension Foundation. These are to test:

• The sugar in the blood/insulin response
• Kidneys
• Liver

• Electrolytes
• Cholesterol and triglycerides
• Homocysteine (heart and artery health)
• Prostate
• Some hormones – Testosterone, DHEA, Estradiol
• C-Reactive Protein (indicates ‘systemic inflammation’)
• White and red blood cell numbers and shapes
• Thyroid hormones – 3 tesets
• Vitamins B12, D
• Hemoglobin A1c (test for ‘glycation’ – which causes wrinkling of skin and vital organs)

I will talk about the results next post.

Blood Tests For Longevity – Details Of Mine is a post from: Living To 150

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As an indication of why excellent blood tests are so important to longevity, I like this quote from Philip Miller’s ‘Life Extension Revolution’:

…we know that the key to beating disease is to respond to early signs of cellular dysfunction, long before the first sign or symptom appears. While full-blown disease is often unstoppable, the cellular mechanisms that begin the disease process are relatively easy to influence. By quenching these tiny sparks, we can prevent the fires from igniting.

The value of blood tests is in the early warning they can give before signs and symptoms turn into diseases.

Interpreting the results might be easier than you think. For example, the results of my first blood test surprisingly identified high cholesterol. The lab made it simple for me by putting the desired range in one column, and writing ‘high’ next to it for me to see clearly.

And now I know it is so, I can do something about it before it produces heart and artery disease.

Why Excellent Blood Tests Are So Important is a post from: Living To 150

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A series of good blood tests are essential if you want to know what is going on inside your body. As mentioned previously, you can pay fortunes for blood tests; or the cost can be quite modest.

Life Extension Foundation (LEF) in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, offer very reasonable prices for blood tests. In addition, every year they have a sale when prices are even cheaper. LEF can arrange to take your blood all over the USA.

Living in the UK, I searched around for labs who offered a similar analysis, but with little luck. I later heard of one which probably could do; but I have no doubt they would be much more costly. LEF charged me less than £250 ($500) for around 50 tests.

They seemed to take a ton of blood – 6 vials of the stuff; but I didn’t stagger out of the lab, so it obviously was not too much.

While I was in Florida I thought I should allow a few days rest to adjust to the jet lag. I enjoyed the lovely warm weather, the local bars, and learned to scuba dive.

The test results have now arrived by post. And yes – there are some concerns as well as some reassuring signs.

My plan is:

1. Interpret the results as best I can, using books, Internet, and LEF’s free telephone advice service.
2. Devise a treatment plan
3. Retest and re-assess.

When I come across something I cannot improve, or when I have done all I can, I will seek professional help. I am currently leaning towards consulting Philip Miller (author of Life Extension Revolution) in California.

Good Blood Tests are Vital is a post from: Living To 150

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