Over the past three decades, great strides have been made in anti-aging research. The end of the Human Genome Project has allowed anti-aging scientists to begin to understand the genetics of aging. We have more than 20,000 genes, and within this large group, scientists have isolated a group of genes that control aging. The basic fact that there are genes that control aging is one of the most influential discoveries of the 21st century. However, the discovery of longevity genes is simply a precursor to decoding the genetics of aging. Scientists are now discovering what these genes do and how they do it. What we do know about these genes is that, once activated, they can extend lifespan and delay the onset of age-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
As scientists continue to interpret the genetics of aging, they have discovered that resveratrol, a compound in the skin of grapes and red wine, can activate these longevity genes. Much of the research on these longevity genes and the effect of resveratrol can be attributed to Dr. David Sinclair, a world-renowned geneticist. Sirtuins, a group of cellular enzymes, are at the core of Dr. Sinclair’s research. We now know that sirtuins (pronounced sir-TOO-ins) are universal regulators of aging found in most living organisms, from bacteria and yeast to humans.
According to Dr. Sinclair, the sirtuins serve as the cell’s guardians. They allow cells to survive damage and delay cell death. Every cell in your body has the specific genetic code to reproduce. Sirtuins, like silent sentinels, watch over cell replication and spring into action to repair any misunderstanding of the genetic code. However, over time, environmental pollution, dietary factors, and lifestyle issues add more genetic damage, and soon the natural repair mechanisms are overwhelmed. The result is DNA damage that will have a domino effect on subsequent cell replication.
Think of it like making a photocopy. If the copier works well, a flawless original document will produce a clean copy. However, if the copier is not maintained, it will eventually produce poor reproduction. If you continue to make poor quality copies, subsequent mirrors will degrade with each successive copy cycle.
Dr. Sinclair and his associates knew that sirtuins could repair DNA damage in aging cells, but the question now was how to activate the sirtuin pathway. Dr. Sinclair tested tens of thousands of compounds and the first sirtuin activator he isolated was resveratrol. In conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, he began testing his theory that resveratrol might activate longevity genes in laboratory animals.
In his landmark study, he used three groups of laboratory mice. He fed a group of one-year-old lab mice a high-calorie, high-fat diet and supplemented with resveratrol. A second group was fed the same high-fat, high-calorie diet, but did not receive a resveratrol supplement. The third group received a normal diet and no resveratrol.
The mice on the high-fat diet without resveratrol soon became obese and began dying at an accelerated rate from heart disease and cancer. However, animals fed a high-fat diet supplemented with resveratrol fared better. Blood tests revealed that their blood glucose and insulin levels were significantly lower than in the high-fat, non-resveratrol mice, and the resveratrol mice had significantly less diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
The animals that received resveratrol supplementation had more energy, ran faster, and had more endurance than the high-fat group that did not receive supplemental resveratrol. More importantly, more than a year after the experiment began, the mortality rate of the resveratrol group was about the same as that of animals on a normal diet. According to Dr. Sinclair, resveratrol had effectively modified most of the known genetic pathways of aging. He commented on the conclusion of the study; “I try not to promise too much, but the data looks pretty spectacular, I was surprised.”
In fact, the results surprised the scientific community. Imagine a natural substance that can activate a genetic defense mechanism that can offset the health consequences of poor diet and moderate common diseases of aging like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Building on the success of early resveratrol studies, Dr. Sinclair teamed up with businessman Christoph Westphal, another Harvard Ph.D., and together they raised tens of millions of dollars to create Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, a Cambridge-based biotech company. Massachusetts. . Sirtris immediately put its version of resveratrol to the test in an FDA-approved study.
In the initial study, diabetics received daily doses of resveratrol or a placebo. After 28 days, patients taking resveratrol showed better scores on an oral glucose tolerance test, which measures the body’s ability to break down and use blood sugar. The patients who took the placebo showed no improvement. The study also found that resveratrol appeared to lower baseline blood glucose levels in diabetic patients.
It may be too early to call resveratrol the fountain of youth, but pharmaceutical giant Glaxo Smith Kline recently bought Sirtris Pharmaceuticals and all rights to resveratrol-based drugs for $750 million. Time will tell if resveratrol can slow down the aging process. However, subsequent research continues to convey the promise that one day there will be a pill to effectively treat diseases of aging such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
The latest resveratrol research confirms what Dr. Sinclair has discovered. In a recent study conducted at the College of Life Sciences, Chinese researchers examined the effects of resveratrol on atherosclerosis, the progressive circulatory disease characterized by clogging or hardening of blood vessels caused by plaque buildup. The results of their study showed that resveratrol slowed disease progression and improved blood vessel function by regulating dilation and constriction.
Scientists found that resveratrol had a strong anti-inflammatory effect on blood vessels, which many experts believe is the main catalyst for heart disease. In this study, resveratrol had a positive influence on blood pressure levels and reduced overall oxidative stress through its powerful antioxidant properties. In addition, resveratrol inhibited the modification of LDL cholesterol and improved general circulation. Research results on resveratrol indicate that it has a decidedly positive effect on heart health.
Study after study shows that resveratrol has the potential to prevent cardiovascular disease and reduce inflammation throughout the cardiovascular system. Some studies have shown that resveratrol is effective in maintaining bone health and delaying the onset of osteoporosis. Many of these studies show that laboratory animals supplemented with resveratrol have increased muscular strength and endurance, improved coordination and mobility, and reduced fat cells.
New studies are uncovering evidence that resveratrol may be your brain’s best friend. The researchers examined the action of resveratrol as a possible adjunctive therapy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Several epidemiological studies indicate that moderate wine consumption is associated with a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the exact molecular mechanisms involved remained to be clearly defined until the researchers examined the action of resveratrol on amyloid B, a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease.
They found that resveratrol does not inhibit amyloid B production. Resveratrol has no effect on amyloid B-producing enzymes; instead, resveratrol’s neuroprotective influence stems from its ability to promote rapid amyloid B degradation (1).
Resveratrol is a molecule produced by plants in response to stress. By producing resveratrol, the plant can cope with many negative factors in the environment. Resveratrol may be one of the greatest discoveries of our time. Numerous studies confirm that resveratrol can improve cardiovascular function and offset the health consequences of poor diet and lifestyle. Overall, resveratrol’s age-defying health benefits closely mimicked those previously associated with rigorous calorie-restricted diets, raising hopes for simpler and easier means to help combat age-related decline.
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(1): “Resveratrol promotes clearance of beta-amyloid peptides in Alzheimer’s disease.” September 13, 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16162502.