Are anti-aging hormones safe??? Want to trade in your body for a younger model? Hormone supplements hold promise, but carry risks. Top experts debate what you should do - Expert Roundtable

Natural Health, May-June, 2003 by Erin O'Donnell

Klatz: I find it reprehensible that Dr. Perls and his ilk in the gerontological establishment try to diminish the message of anti-aging medicine by their false attacks upon our credibility and our credentials, which are excellent. We have a society of 11,500 physicians and scientists, many of whom are members of universities, who hold academic positions, including myself, who are well published, who have all the credentials and accolades that Dr. Perls and his ilk have. However, our members have a different position, that aging is a treatable condition, which is in conflict with the gerontological establishment that says, "Just grow old and die."

Perls: Dr. Klatz has misrepresented the gerontological community. We are advocates of older people. We strive to improve their quality of life and minimize the diseases associated with aging. My problem is that the anti-aging community often takes inaccurate views of aging, thus biasing society against older people.

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO STAY YOUNG?

What is your best advice for helping readers live long lives?

Klatz: You really should become educated.... The best way to get educated is to read. There are hundreds of excellent books about the prevention of disease states.... In every one of my books--none of which Dr. Perls has bothered to read--you will see a comprehensive approach to health care. There is no one magic bullet. No two people are identical.... And because of that, it is important that people seek a customized, optimized health care regimen that will ... allow them to live their maximum possible life span.... So education is rule number one.

Sahelian: [Dr. Perls] already mentioned exercise and a good diet. There's also having a positive attitude ... [and] getting deep sleep at night. If we do this, we're way ahead of a typical patient I saw two weeks ago, who had read a book on human growth hormone and came in and wanted to have these injections. And he had done hardly any of the things I just talked about. And I emphasized to him that first these things need to be done, and they're probably a lot more effective than getting hormone injections.

You Can Live Longer

Our panelists have fundamentally different opinions about the safety of anti-aging hormones like HGH and DHEA, but they agree that certain habits are essential to keeping you youthful.

SHAKE A LEG.

Exercise gets a wholehearted thumbs-up from our panelists, who praise the anti-aging virtues of strength training in particular. Work out with weights at least three times a week, and perform vigorous cardiovascular exercise like brisk walking at least three times a week.

WORK TO STAY SLIM.

Choose a diet that helps you maintain a healthy weight, our panelists say. Being overweight increases your risk of many diseases of aging, including heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.

LOAD UP ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

Our panelists recommend eating at least five servings a day. Produce supplies fiber and antioxidants that prevent disease.

CAN UNHEALTHY CARBOHYDRATES.