Anti-Aging Medicine

by Dr. Ronald Klatz, MD, DO, and Dr. Robert Goldman, MD, PhD, DO, FAASP

American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M; www.worldhealth.net)

Breakthrough Natural Approaches to Longevity: The Role of Natural Health Therapeutics in Anti-Aging Medicine

Natural medicine, including nutritional therapies and lifestyle approaches, is a form of health care that is time-tested for safety and efficacy among two-thirds of the world’s population. Natural medicine is the most democratic of all healthcare approaches as it is widely accessible by the broadest population segments. Further, it is notable that almost all pharmaceutical products (drugs) owe their origins to natural medicine. Indeed, Carl C. Pfeiffer, MD, PhD, researcher, author, and founding director of the Brain Bio Center (Princeton, New Jersey) stated: “For every drug that benefits a patient, there is a natural substance that can achieve the same effect.”

In this column, we share recent medical headlines that demonstrate an array of breakthrough natural approaches to longevity. Collectively, this knowledge base clearly supports the vital role of natural health therapeutics in anti-aging medicine.

Watermelon Compounds Help

Reduce Blood Pressure

Watermelon is a rich edible natural source of L-citrulline, a compound that is closely related to L-arginine, which is crucial to the formation of nitric oxide, which helps to widen blood vessels and thereby mediate blood pressure. Arturo Figueroa and colleagues from Florida State University (Florida, USA) enrolled four men and five women, average age 54 years, with prehypertension (134/77 ± 5/3 mm Hg), randomly assigned to 6 weeks of watermelon supplementation or placebo, followed by a 4-week washout period and then crossover. The team found that supplementation with 6 grams of L-citrulline from watermelon improved arterial function and lowered aortic blood pressure in all nine prehypertensive subjects. Specifically, L-citrulline supplementation significantly decreased the second systolic peak, and did not alter heart rate, reflection time, or aortic pulse wave velocity. Concluding: “This pilot study shows that watermelon supplementation improves aortic hemodynamics through a decrease in the amplitude of the reflected wave in individuals with prehypertension,” the researchers posit that L-citrulline supplementation (from watermelon) could lead to reduced doses of antihypertensive drugs being needed to control blood pressure, or could even prevent progression from prehypertension to hypertension.

Figueroa A, Sanchez-Gonzalez MA, Perkins-Veazie PM, Arjmandi BH. Effects of watermelon supplementation on aortic blood pressure and wave reflection in individuals with prehypertension: a pilot study. Am J Hypertens. 8 July 2010.

Whole Grains Promote Lean Body and Cardiovascular Health

Previously, studies have linked higher intakes of whole grains to lower stores of abdominal fat. Nicola McKeown and colleagues from the USDA Human Nutrition Researcher Center on Aging at Tufts University (Massachusetts, USA) analyzed data collected in the Framingham Heart Study, examining dietary data collected on 2834 men and women enrolled in the Framingham Heart Offspring and Third Generation study groups. The study participants, aged 32 to 83 years, underwent multidetector-computed tomography (MDCT) scans, to determine volumes of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which surrounds the intra-abdominal organs, and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), found just beneath the skin. Prior studies suggest that visceral fat is closely associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors including hypertension, unhealthy cholesterol levels and insulin resistance that can develop into cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. When the team compared the relationship of both visceral fat tissue and subcutaneous fat tissue with whole and refined grain intake, they observed a more striking association with visceral fat. They also observed that participants who consumed, on average, three daily servings of whole grains but continued to eat many refined grains did not demonstrate lower VAT volume. The researchers conclude: “Increasing whole-grain intake is associated with lower [visceral adipose tissue] in adults, whereas higher intakes of refined grains are associated with higher [visceral adipose tissue].”

McKeown NM, Troy LM, Jacques PF, Hoffmann U, O’Donnell CJ, Fox CS. Whole- and refined-grain intakes are differentially associated with abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adiposity in healthy adults: the Framingham Heart Study. Am J Clin Nutr. Nov. 2010;92:1165–1171.

Tocotrienols Help

Boost Immune System

Tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E – an essential fat-soluble vitamin that has been shown to induce favorable effects on the human immune system – are found in rich amounts in cereal grains and rice bran. A team of Malaysian scientists evaluated the effects of a tocotrienol compound on immune function, recruiting 108 healthy nonsmoking women, aged 18 and 25 years, for a two-month long study. One group received 400 milligrams of tocotrienol compound per day, while the other group received placebo (400 mg per day of soy oil) for the study period. Blood samples were analyzed at the start of the study, and again after 28 and 56 days. After 28 days of supplementation, all subjects received a single shot of tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine. The team observed significant increases in levels of the anti-TT antibody, interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 in the tocotrienol group, as compared with the placebo group. The researchers write that: “We conclude that [tocotrienols have] immunostimulatory effects and potential clinical benefits to enhance immune response.”

Mahalingam D, Radhakrishnan AK, Amom Z, Ibrahim N, Nesaretnam K. Effects of supplementation with tocotrienol-rich fraction on immune response to tetanus toxoid immunization in normal healthy volunteers. Eur J Clin Nutr. 22 September 2010.

Omega-3s Assist Memory and Cognition

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the principle omega-3 fatty acid in the brain, and previous studies have suggested an inverse correlation between higher DHA intake and the relative risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Investigators with the “Memory Improvement with Docosahexaenoic Acid Study” (MIDAS) evaluated the effects of DHA on improving cognitive functions in healthy older adults with age-related cognitive decline. Involving 485 subjects, aged 55 and older, with a subjective memory complaint and who met criteria for age-related cognitive decline, the MIDAS researchers assigned subjects to either receive 900 mg/day of DHA orally, or a placebo, for 24 weeks. The team found that subjects who took DHA displayed improved memory and learning skills. The researchers conclude: “Supplementation with … DHA improved learning and memory function in [age-related cognitive decline] and is a beneficial supplement that supports cognitive health with aging.”

Yurko-Mauro K, McCarthy D, Rom D, et al., on behalf of the MIDAS Investigators. Beneficial effects of docosahexaenoic acid on cognition in age-related cognitive decline. Alzheimers Dement. November 2010;6(6):456–464.

Chats with Friends Boost Brainpower

In that a number of studies have suggested various interventions to help improve mental processes including memory and thinking skills, a team from the University of Michigan (USA) studied whether and how short-term social interactions might create cognitive benefits. Oscar Ybarra and colleagues studied 192 undergraduate college students, engaging each in a 10-minute conversation in which they got to know another person. The team found that this positive conversation helped to boost the subjects’ performance on a variety of cognitive tasks. Further, they observed that conversations with a competitive tone failed to improve cognitive performance. The researchers conclude: “The results highlight how social functioning can enhance core mental capacities.”

Ybarra O, Winkielman P, Yeh I, Burnstein E, Kavanagh L. Friends (and sometimes enemies) with cognitive benefits: what types of social interactions boost executive functioning? Soc Psychol Personal Sci. October 13, 2010.

Volunteering May Prolong Longevity

While volunteering has been shown to provide a multitude of health benefits for the volunteer, an Arizona State University (USA) team finds that older adults with functional limitations may reap life-extending benefits from volunteerism. Morris Okun and colleagues analyzed data collected from 916 community-dwelling American adults, ages 65 years and older. The researchers focused on the relationships among functional limitations (physical constraints causing difficulties with everyday tasks), volunteering, and mortality. The team found that people with functional limitations benefit from volunteering in terms of longevity, as compared with people without functional limitations. Noting that volunteering older people feel more useful, the researchers explain: “Volunteering buffers the association between functional limitations and mortality. We conclude that although it may be more difficult for older adults with functional limitations to volunteer, they may receive important benefits from doing so.”

Okun MA, August KJ, Rook KS, Newsom JT. Does volunteering moderate the relation between functional limitations and mortality? Soc Sci Med. November 2010;71(9):1662–1668.

Natural health therapeutics, including nutritional therapies and lifestyle approaches, demonstrate a proven record of safety and efficacy, and cost-efficiency. When applied prudently by trained physicians and practitioners, natural health therapeutics have the potential to preserve public health as such approaches are generally widely accessible to large segments of the population.

The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) is an international medical society representing 24,000 physicians, practitioners, and scientists from 110 countries around the world. Our member physicians embrace the most progressive medical therapeutics in the arena of advanced preventative health care aimed at enhancing and extending the human lifespan.

To stay updated on the latest breakthroughs in natural health approaches for longevity, visit the World Health Network (www.worldhealth.net), the official educational website of the A4M and your one-stop resource for authoritative anti-aging information. Be sure to sign up for the free Longevity Magazine e-journal, your weekly health newsletter featuring wellness, prevention, and biotech advancements in longevity.