Turning Back the Clock with Anti-Aging Supplements

Better Nutrition, Sept, 2001 by Brenda Adderly

A better tomorrow starts with some of today's latest weapons against aging

Ask any child what he or she would like to grow up to be and you probably won't hear "old." But with millions of Baby Boomers moving into the middle years, researchers around the world are hard at work developing ways to delay the signs of aging. No one has come up with a magic "Fountain of Youth" pill, but we sure can counteract some of the damage done by Father Time with lifestyle changes and supplements that help build and preserve muscle, burn fat, maintain brain power and keep skin looking young.

LIVE LIKE THERE IS A TOMORROW

For most young people, aging is not a major concern. Living on fast food, a few hours' sleep and very little exercise can take a toll, though. The ill effects of those youthful bad habits are compounded in our middle years, when our bodies don't function as efficiently as they once did.

Clearly, the fight against aging begins with regular, moderate exercise and a healthy diet based on whole foods (fruits, vegetables and whole grains). Fortunately, exercise and diet work synergistically, each enhancing the effects of the other. Without weight-bearing exercise, for instance, bones can be weakened by osteoporosis, even when calcium intake is high. Similarly, exercise and a good diet help keep weight down, which not only lowers the risk of death but also protects against many chronic diseases like diabetes, osteoarthritis and heart disease.

A diet based on whole foods, rather than processed or fast food, can help you maintain your youth, especially if it includes foods that scientists call natural age fighters. Blueberries, blackberries and boysenberries, for example, are at the top of the list, according to researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. In animal studies, experts have found that these berries, which are rich in substances called anthocyanins, reversed age-related mental decline.

Of course, even the best diets -- and intentions -- may fall short, since it's difficult to determine the precise vitamin and mineral content of food these days. Experts suggest starting an anti-aging regimen with a multi-vitamin product that includes the B complex family, beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, E and K, and the minerals calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese and zinc. Keep in mind, though, that as more scientific proof appears supporting the benefits of supplements, experts are raising recommended amounts. The National Academy of Sciences, for example, recently raised the daily safe upper limits for vitamin C to 2,000 mg and vitamin E to 1,500 IU, and now suggests 400 meg of the trace mineral selenium.

THE OXYGEN DILEMMA

None of us would live very long without oxygen. But ironically, oxygen is also one of the culprits behind aging. According to the widely accepted free radical theory, molecules that have lost an electron become unstable rogues that raid the electrons of healthy molecules, leaving them damaged. The resulting "oxidation" process can affect cells throughout the body, including the genetic directions in our DNA. Unchecked, free radical damage leads to a long list of conditions and diseases, many of them associated with aging.

Some vitamins and other substances work as antioxidants by fighting the oxidation caused by free radicals. The best-known antioxidant team is ACES--vitamins A, C, E and selenium. Of these four substances, the trace mineral selenium is probably the least well known, but recent research shows that it may be one of the most powerful. Earlier studies have shown that cancer patients are frequently deficient in selenium. Now new animal research in France has found that supplemental selenium cuts liver cancer deaths in half and results in "highly significant" improvements in protection provided by antioxidant defense systems. Selenium deficiencies have also been linked to severe cases of flu. Experts stress, however, that taking too much selenium can cause problems, including diarrhea, nausea, fatigue and a metallic taste in the mouth. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose of 400 meg a day, especially if you frequently eat garlic, Brazil nuts or grains, all of which can be rich sources of selenium. (The amount of selenium in food depends on the amount of the mineral in the soil where it was grown, and that can vary widely.)

Recently, researchers have discovered potent antioxidant abilities in other compounds, such as the flavonoid family known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs). OPCs provide dual protection against aging, because they not only fight free radicals but also extend the protective effects of other antioxidants, like vitamins C, E and beta-carotene.

OPCs are found in red wine, chocolate, barley, apples and berries, as well as herbs like horse chestnut and hawthorn. As supplements, OPCs often derived from grape seed, grape skin (or a combination) or from French maritime pine trees. The recommended dosage ranges from 50 to 300 mg, or according to the product directions.