Anti-ageing hormone found in Welsh plant

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London: A natural food supplement called Asphalia, composed of completely plant-derived materials which are grown and produced in South Wales and are naturally rich in melatonin, has been proven to aid the body’s ability to achieve REM sleep faster than any other sleeping tablets and with no adverse side effects.

It is a well known that melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of the circadian rhythms of the body. It has also been proven to be a powerful, potent and natural antioxidant – five times as powerful as Vitamin C and twice as strong as Vitamin E, as well as helping to strengthen the immune system and providing cardiovascular protection. Melatonin however, is best known for its role in jet lag and in maintaining healthy sleep.

Available over the counter in the US, synthetic melatonin has become one of the most popular remedies for insomnia and jet lag. However, in the UK, synthetic melatonin supplements were banned several years ago, as they were classed as a hormone and are now only available on prescription.

In a published study reporting that some plants were rich in natural melatonin, the gramineous plant Festuca arundinacea, a meadow grass with unique properties, was shown to contain far more melatonin than any of the other 24 plants that were tested. (Hattori, Migitaka et al., 1995)

An independent Welsh laboratory, Coghill Research Laboratories, established in the early 1980s, has been growing this plant for several years and has now developed Asphalia as a food supplement based on its leaves. This natural plant-derived melatonin is proving more effective than its synthetic equivalent.

Asphalia contains melatonin in physiological doses (in the sub-microgram range), which have been shown to remain efficacious for longer than the pharmacological doses (in the milligram range). The latter usually applies to melatonin supplements made from synthetic chemicals.

Besides helping to regulate sleep, Asphalia also promotes wellbeing in people suffering from exposure to electromagnetic pollution, since it contains such a strong anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants provide protection against extremely low frequency (“ELF”) electromagnetic fields (“EMFs”) found near power lines, domestic wiring and electric appliances and also against higher frequency radiations from radar, radio waves, cell phones and masts. A new DoH-funded committee (SAGE) has recently advised of the public’s need to mitigate exposure to EMFs.

It is also especially beneficial for people over 40, as melatonin declines with age – from the age of 70, the body only makes 10% of the normal adult concentration, a principal cause of the ageing process.

Approved by the MHRA as an over-the-counter food supplement, Asphalia’s Greensward anti-oxidant formula is made purely from Festuca arundinacea .

Asphalia products are now available from independent health food stores across the UK, by mail order and online at www.asphalia.co.uk T. + 44 (0)1495 752122. Costs £11.75 for 30 capsules (one month’s supply) plus £2.50 p&p within the UK.

Melatonin not effective for sleep disorders, says new report

Edmonton: There is no evidence that melatonin is effective in treating secondary sleep disorders or preventing jet lag, finds a study published online by the British Medical Journal.

Sleep disorders are a widespread problem and place a burden on society through their negative impact on quality of life, safety, productivity, and healthcare utilisation.

Complementary and alternative therapies, such as melatonin (a hormone that is thought to play a part in controlling daily body rhythms) have been used increasingly to manage sleep disorders.

Researchers at the University of Alberta, Canada analysed trials of the effects of melatonin on people with secondary sleep disorders (sleep problems associated with medical, neurological or substance misuse) and sleep disorders arising from sleep restriction, such as jet lag or shiftwork disorder.

They found no evidence that melatonin is effective in treating secondary sleep disorders or sleep disturbance in people with jet lag or people with shiftwork disorder, say the authors. There is evidence that melatonin is safe with short term use, but further studies are needed to determine its long term safety, they conclude.

Melatonin No 1 anti-ageing ‘drug’

Fort Lauderdale: Melatonin has been named the top anti-ageing drug in a list of 10 recommended by the US’s Life Extension Foundation, leading experts on anti-ageing therapies.

The availability of these hormones and supplements varies from country to country and some are only available through prescription from a qualified physician.

Anyone embarking on a life extension programme using hormones and supplements is advised to seek a blood test from an anti-ageing physician to check their biomarkers so that the correct levels of supplementation are taken.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 10
SYNTHETIC HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE

Injections of synthetic human growth hormone have been used by geriatric physicians to rejuvenate aging men by increasing their muscle mass, strength, flexibility, and coordination.

Growth hormone deficiency is a major cause of the decline in immune function and protein synthesis with advancing age in both muscle and neurologic tissues. Recent findings suggest that growth hormone may be an effective treatment for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease as well as early senile dementia caused by a decline in brain cell energy metabolism. We will soon be reporting on clinical benefits reported with growth hormone therapy in both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients.

If growth hormone were not artificially overpriced because of the FDA restriction of its sale in the United States, we might have placed it higher on our list. It doesn’t cost any more to synthesize growth hormone than it does to synthesize insulin. Without FDA interference, most aging Americans could easily afford injections of growth hormone in an attempt to slow aging. The need to inject growth hormone also limits the availability of this highly potent life extension drug.

The current cost of synthetic human growth hormone ranges from $12,000-225,000 annually.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 9
PIRACETAM

The most frequently used offshore drug to boost short-term memory and overall cognitive function is piracetam.

There are more than 800 published studies documenting the ability of piracetam to promote youthful neurologic function, including enhanced cellular protein synthesis and interhemispheric and intercellular communication.

Stroke victims might avoid paralysis and death if given drugs like piracetam after entering the hospital. Even in patients who suffered stroke-induced brain cell injury years ago, there is evidence that piracetam may help to improve the functioning of these damaged cells. Piracetam can be ordered in Europe.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 8
DHEA
Because of some recently published studies in elderly humans, the news media have been touting the multi-faceted anti-aging benefits of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone).

DHEA is now fulfilling much of the promise indicated in the animal studies that Saul Kent and The Life Extension Foundation have been informing our members about since 1975.

For those suffering from adult-onset diabetes, atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, or any form of autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis or lupus, DHEA replacement therapy is highly recommended.

DHEA can be expensive for people who need high doses, but for most people it is reasonably priced. We recommend blood tests to measure the effect that DHEA supplementation has on your DHEA serum level. While these tests currently cost $55-$110, they can save you money by enabling you to lower your daily dose of DHEA. Men should also have more regular PSA (prostate specific antigen) tests to make sure they do not have prostate cancer.

It is regrettable that we have had to advise men with prostate cancer to avoid DHEA because it could increase testosterone (and subsequently dihydrotestosterone levels), which could accelerate the proliferation of prostate cancer cells. For all men taking DHEA, we suggest supplementation with SERENX (saw palmetto extract) to block the conversion of testosterone into the more dangerous dihydrotestosterone.

SERENX (also called PERMIXON) has not been listed in the top ten because it is not an appropriate therapy for most women. However, for men over 40, we strongly recommend the daily intake of 1 -2 capsules of low cost SERENX to prevent benign prostatic hypertrophy and possibly prostate cancer.

If DHEA was completely free of side effects, and did not require blood testing, LEF says it would be listed higher. It is a well substantiated life extension therapy that can help to protect us against many of the degenerative diseases associated with aging, and may have an effect on aging itself.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 7
VINPOCETINE-HYDERGINE
These two drugs provide a wide range of anti-aging effects in brain and other cells that you cannot easily obtain with any other therapy.
Vinpocetine and/or Hydergine have been shown to:
* improve blood supply to the brain
* increase the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain
* increase oxygen use by the brain
* enhance metabolism in brain cells
* protect the brain from damage during periods of decreased and/or insufficient oxygen supply
* slow the deposit of age pigment (lipofuscin) in the brain
* prevent free radical damage in brain cells
* increase intelligence, memory, learning, and recall
* enhance the use of glucose by brain cells
* increase ATP levels in the brain
* stop blood from becoming sticky
* raise brain levels of serotonin

Vinpocetine is rather expensive (at 20-40 mg a day), which is one reason we don’t list it any higher. Vinpocetine has been on the world market since the early 1980s, but as far as we know, has yet to be entered in the FDA’s new drug approval quagmire. The cost of this periwinkle herbal extract would be very little if the FDA didn’t interfere with the shipment of drugs from overseas companies. We are currently seeking a standardized periwinkle extract that we could sell as a low cost nutrient just as we do with acetyl-l-carnitine and melatonin.

Hydergine is more affordable at effective dose ranges of 4 to 12 mg a day. Most generic brands of ergoloid mesylate are comparable to the Sandoz “Hydergine” brand.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 6
LIFE EXTENSION DRUG GH3 or K.H.3

GH3 and K.H.3 are popular products whose active agent is procaine, an anti-aging compound discovered in the 1950s by Romanian physician Ana Asian. Both GH3 and K.H.3 suppress monoamine oxidase (MAO) levels. Elevated MAO destroys the essential neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. GH3 or KH3 also suppress elevated serum cortisol levels, which has been linked to several of the degenerative diseases of aging. There are better cortisol suppressing therapies such as low dose RU486, but at this time, RU-486 is not available to Americans.

GH3 and K.H.3 can be taken every day including the days you take deprenyl, which is a selective MAO inhibitor. An appropriate dose of these drugs is one to two GH3 or KH3 tablets daily. Some doctors believe you should take a five day break from these drugs once a month to avoid too much monoamine oxidase suppression, but our review of the scientific literature does not support the need for taking such a break.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 5
CENTROPHENOXINE

Lifespan studies have documented specific anti-aging properties for the combination of DMAE and p-chlorophenoxyacetate, the two active ingredients that make up centrophenoxine, a potent life extension drug sold under several names, including Lucidril.

Centrophenoxine has extended the lifespan of laboratory mice and has been shown to reduce a type of cellular debris called lipofuscin (aging pigment) in the neurons that populate our brain and central nervous system. The excessive accumulation of lipofuscin with advancing age has been linked to age-related neurologic diseases.

Centrophenoxine speeds up information processing in the brain and enhances brain cell uptake of glucose. Brain cells use glucose to produce the energy they need to perform their neurological functions and to maintain cell viability.

Some People cannot tolerate even one tablet a day of centrophenoxine, while others can take 1-4 tablets a day and experience dramatic cognitive and energy enhancing effects.

Centrophenoxine can be ordered from European sources at affordable prices.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 4
PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is sold as a drug in Europe at outrageously high prices. The standardized PS extract now available as a dietary supplement is less expensive than the European “drug”, but is still a pricey item.

We have written extensively about the anti-aging benefits of PS later in this September edition of Life Extension Update and want to reiterate that PS may produce a cumulative effect that could enable people to reduce their dosage of the drug after attaining the desired cognitive enhancing benefits.

Standardized PS extract is contained in the new COGNITEX and is available in bottles of 100 mg soft-gel caps.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 3
DEPRENYL(Also known as Eldepryl)

This was a hard one to call. A good argument could be made for deprenyl being Life Extension Drug Number 2, but we based this decision strictly on the published evidence we have today. A new study tomorrow could cause us to move deprenyl to number 2.

Deprenyl has produced dramatic life extension effects in animals, but we are fairly certain that deprenyl alone will not do as well in humans. The reason for this is that in rats, the elevation of monoamine oxidase (MAO) plays a greater role in the aging process than in humans. Deprenyl is a potent, selective inhibitor of MAO-B, the type of MAO that damages brain cells during “normal” aging.

Life Extensionists take deprenyl to help prevent Parkinson’s disease and the symptoms of aging that are very similar to those suffered by Parkinson’s patients. There is solid evidence that deprenyl protects many types of brain cells from premature aging and death. There is also evidence that deprenyl boosts cellular production of SOD and catalase, the natural antioxidant enzymes that are depleted in aging.

Our current protocol calls for 2-5 deprenyl tablets (5 mg) a week for those in their 40s. The older you are, the more deprenyl you should take, but it is advisable not to take more than one 5-mg tablet (or capsule) of deprenyl a day unless you have the early symptoms of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. In this case, you should take 10 mg of deprenyl a day under the supervision of a physician.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 2
ACETYL-L-CARNITINE
There are too many new studies appearing in the scientific literature about acetyl-l-carnitine for life extensionists not to take this enhanced amino acid compound that enters the blood stream and penetrates cell membranes more effectively than regular I-carnitine.

Acetyl-l-carnitine is beneficial to heart muscle cells, immune function and probably enhances energy production in every cell of the body. The multi-faceted benefits of acetyl-l-carnitine in brain cells makes it the single most important supplement we can take to maintain and improve overall neurological function.

Acetyl-l-carnitine has been shown to improve neurological function even after we stop taking it, suggesting that acetyl-l-carnitine may re-program neuronal and neurotransmitter functions to enable the brain to function in a more youthful, energetic state.

We suggest that healthy members go on at least two 50-day cycles (2 capsules each day) of acetyl-l-carnitine supplementation every year. If you can afford to take acetyl-l-carnitine more often, this should produce greater benefits.

LIFE EXTENSION DRUG NUMBER 1
MELATONIN

Melatonin is the most documented anti-aging therapy in the world.

It not only protects us against neurological aging, but possibly protects us against every age-related disease known to mankind. It is a highly potent antioxidant, has been shown to protect against various forms of cancer, and has extended lifespan in laboratory animals. Melatonin has also been used by physicians at high doses as an effective treatment for a wide variety of diseases. We will soon be carrying an exclusive story about one of these physicians who has been using melatonin for over 15 years in his research. There has been no evidence of toxicity in any of the published studies of melatonin that we have seen.

Melatonin costs very little. The Life Extension Buyers Club uses only ultra pure pharmaceutical-grade melatonin that costs us 40% more than lower grade melatonin. This ultra pure melatonin goes through additional purification processes that makes it almost 100% pure (99.8% to 99.9% certified purity), yet the cost for this premium melatonin is still less than $5.00 a month for most people.

There are still dedicated life extensionists who do not take melatonin because they think it is only useful for the treatment of insomnia. Melatonin is effective in about 80% of people suffering from insomnia, and is highly effective in preventing the symptoms of jet lag. However, we strongly suggest that people who do not suffer from insomnia take at least a 1 mg of melatonin every night. The cost of melatonin is too low for anyone seriously following a life extension program not to use it. A two-month supply of 1 mg melatonin capsules costs just $4.50

There are some people who should not take melatonin. Here are the conditions where melatonin might be contraindicated :
* children (unless recommended by a doctor)
* pregnant women
* people under the age of 30
* people with seasonal affective disorders (SAD)
* people with acute schizophrenia
* manic patients
* possibly those with ovarian or immune system cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma

All others should consider taking melatonin on a regular basis. You can order melatonin in bottles containing 1, 3 or 10 mg capsules from The Life Extension Foundation

Preventing Heart Attacks And Strokes
ASPIRIN
This is an extra added bonus to our top ten coverage of life extension drugs. Seventy-five percent of Americans die from heart attacks and strokes. There’s no point in taking all or any of the life extension drugs listed in this magazine if you’re going to drop dead of a heart attack or stroke caused by a blood clot that blocks your blood circulation before the anti-aging benefits of these drugs take effect.

Even if you don’t die immediately from a stroke, you stand an excellent chance of becoming partially or completely brain dead. If you don’t suffer from a stroke, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) can cause chronic loss of neurological function as a result of decreased circulation to the brain.

One of the best ways of preventing heart attacks and thrombotic strokes is the daily intake of low-dose aspirin–1/4 to 1/2 an aspirin a day. Aspirin works by a mechanism that is different than anti-thrombotic nutrients, such as green tea extract, ginkgo, vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, etc. The nutrient that most resembles aspirin’s anti-clotting action is EPA/DHA fish oil supplements. We highly recommend fish oil supplements for a wide range of health benefits, but most People do not like the “repeating” that occurs after ingesting fish oil capsules and fish oil capsules are fairly expensive.

Alternative medicine practitioners are often biased against aspirin because of the side effects that chronic over-dosing of aspirin can produce. Two regular aspirin tablets contain 650 mg of salicylic acid and people in chronic pain have been known to consume 4-to-12 regular aspirin tablets a day and consequently suffer serious side effects. A baby aspirin tablet has only 81 mg of aspirin, which is all you need to protect you against heart attacks and strokes, and if you take it with a heavy meal, there is little risk of gastric irritation.

Aspirin is just too inexpensive and readily available for life extensionists not to take. Aspirin reduces overall cardiovascular disease risk, may lower colon cancer risk, and Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw have uncovered evidence of a unique mechanism by which aspirin may slow the decline in protein synthesis during aging.

The Life Extension Foundation sells a fund-raising aspirin product called Healthprin. Each tiny heart-shaped tablet contains just 81 mg of aspirin, equal to just one-quarter of a regular aspirin tablet. Healthprin heart-shaped aspirin tablets are easy to break in half if you only want to consume only 40 mg of aspirin a day.

About Elixir

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Avril O’Connor is the Editor of Elixir News and Elixir magazine. It has been developed from a passion which began in 2002 when there was a proliferation of web sites selling anti-ageing products and services….but few with an independent voice.

In April 2005 Elixir News was born. It is editorially independent enabling consumers to better make informed choices about their health and anti-ageing products and services.

We do not accept payment to write endorsements of products and services or for the inclusion of experts and services in our directories. This enables Elixir News to be a credible and independent news source, as well as including all the services and professional experts that we consider relevant to our readership. Nevertheless inclusion is not an endorsement by us and should it come to our attention that any business mentioned on our site is being conducted in an illegal or unethical manner we will remove it from our directories.

Visitors to our site should also bear in mind that many claims are made for anti-ageing products and services that are not necessarily substantiated by scientific evidence and should always take the expert advice of a qualified medical doctor.

It is the intention of Elixir News to fairly report and investigate the facts. If we consider that any claims for products/services are bogus or unsubstantiated we will say so. If you have had negative experiences with businesses in this sector please let us know and we will take up the challenge. We also report on our positive experiences with products and services. Advertising or sponsorship is clearly labelled as such.

We hope that you will find our web site useful in arming you with knowledge that can help you live a longer and happier life. But once again we do advise anyone with persistent health problems to consult a qualified medical practitioner/doctor. Anyone embarking on a intensive anti-ageing programme should, in particular, seek the advice of a qualified specialist about the supplements they plan to take and in what quantities, as they may conflict with drug therapy and certain medical conditions. The doctor may advise certain blood and other tests to determine your individual needs.

Please do let us know about your experiences and feedback on the information within this site. Email us at info@elixirnews.com