Anti Aging | Anti Aging Skin

Anti aging

2009-06-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Anti-aging addresses how to prevent, slow, or reverse the effects of aging and help people live longer, healthier, happier lives. In contrast to life extension, which places more emphasis on the science behind aging, the term anti-aging is more often associated with specific remedies which may or may not be scientific.

The anti-aging marketplace includes nutrition, physical fitness, skin care, hormone replacements, vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Alternative medicine and holistic approaches have often been an incubator for approaches initially shunned by traditional medicine. is arguably the most scientifically rigorous part of anti-aging, being a research program focused on slowing down, repairing or reversing the underlying processes of biological senescence in order to deliver improved health and quality of life.

Leading sources of anti-aging information include the Life Extension Foundation (focusing on research and supplements), the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (focusing on anti-aging physicians and cutting edge treatments), Andrew Weil (focusing on alternative medicine, holistic health, and herbal supplements), the Chopra Center for Wellbeing (focusing on mind-body medicine and integrating Eastern and Western medicine), and the Ageless Lifestyles Institute (focusing on anti-aging psychology). In India, some anti-aging activities are studied by Center for Longevity combining western medical appraoches with Siddha Vaidya nd Ayurveda.

ANTI AGING BIOMEDICINE

2009-06-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

There are people who reach the age of 85 in a very good physical and mental condition. There are others who have extensive cognitive difficulties and physical disorders already by the age of 60. This is why it is logical to think that a person’s biological age is more indicative of their health than their chronological age. If an anti-aging theory or program is developed, it has to be tested whether it works. In the laboratory, using experimental animals, it is relatively easy to determine whether a certain anti-aging regime extends the life span. Not so with humans, because a lifelong study seems at present far from possible – nobody wants to engage in dedicating their life to studying something for over 50 years without any knowledge if the results would be favorable.
This is why there is a need to identify the effects this certain program has not only in the body’s systems, but in the general aging process. To determine a person’s biological age and to assess the effects of different anti-aging techniques scientist use the so-called biomarkers of aging. It is generally believed that seven major health areas are affected by aging: cardiovascular health, glucose regulation, brain function, muscle and skeletal health, endocrine function, immune system and oxidative stress.
Biomarkers of aging are physical properties in the human body which indicate that the body is aging. It is indicators of the normal phenomena of growing old. They are not, however, simply things which change with age. In order to be called a biomarker, a factor has to satisfy a number of criteria. The best markers will be the ones which are not susceptible to influence from the outside environment. For example, in the US cholesterol levels increase with age, but this is due to the nature of the American diet and is not characteristic for other parts of the world. Thus, a true biomarker would satisfy the following criteria:
A. The marker must predict the rate of aging and be a better predictor of life span than chronological age.
B. It must be able to be tested on a regular basis
C. It must work both for humans and other species, such as laboratory animals
D. There is support from human clinical assessment and complementary research studies.
E. The studies are based on a significant representative sample.
F. The result is a clear association with aging.
G. A relatively narrow standard deviation is present.
So far, around 24 factors have met the criteria and can be considered biomarkers. They may be indicated especially for males or for females, and figures may vary between the sexes. Here is their list:

1. 17-ketosteroid/ 17-hydroxycortiosteroid ratio (male)	13. Handgrip strength
2. Ascorbic acid	14. Hemoglobin A1C
3. Basal Metabolic Rate	15. Lung capacity- FEV1
4. Blood pressure- pulse	16. Lung capacity- FVC
5. Blood pressure- systolic	17. Maximum oxygen update (male)
6. Body Mass Index (female)	18. Near vision
7. Caries index	19. Noradrenaline- plasma (male)
8. Creatinine clearance	20. Peridontal index
9. DHEA-S	21. PSA total (male)
10. Fibrinogen	22. Skin elasticity
11. Hair baldness (male)	23. Testosterone free (male)
12. Hair grayness	24. Zinc- serum

In addition, there are also a number of other factors which may be considered partially biomarkers of aging. The main problem with these is that their reliability has not been confirmed through a sufficient amount of clinical and experimental data. These include body flexibility, blood urea nitrogen, LDL cholesterol, melatonin levels, static balance, serotonin levels and many others. They are to a certain degree indicative of a person’s biological age, but should not be confused with other general health factors, which do not have a clear association with age.
Biomarkers of aging could be divided in three major categories. There are the ones which determine the biological age, e.g. skin elasticity and visual accommodation. There are markers which predict the remaining life expectancy; they include DHEA-S, hand grip strength, etc. Finally, there are factors which determine disease susceptibility, such as systolic blood pressure and glucose-tolerance tests. All of the biomarker tests can be classified either as laboratory tests (e.g. blood and urine tests) or as physical tests undertaken in a clinic.

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2003 Jun;85(2-5):329-35.
Neuroactive steroids: new biomarkers of cognitive aging.
Vallee M, Purdy RH, Mayo W, Koob GF, Le Moal M.
INSERM U588, Institut F. Magendie, 1 rue Camille Saint-Saens, 33077 Bordeaux Cedex, France.

Intensive studies in animals established that neuroactive steroids display neuronal actions and influence behavioral functions. We describe here investigations on the role of neuroactive steroids in learning and memory processes during aging and suggest their role as biomarkers of cognitive aging. Our work demonstrated the role of the steroid pregnenolone (PREG) sulfate as a factor underlying an individual's age-related cognitive decline in animals. As new perspectives of research we argue that knowing whether neuroactive steroids exist as endogenous neuromodulators and modulate physiologically behavioral functions is essential. To this end, a new approach using the sensitive, specific, and accurate quantitative determination of neuroactive steroids by mass spectrometry seems to have potential for examining the role of each steroid in discrete brain areas in learning and memory alterations, as observed during aging.

ANTI AGING DRUGS AND SUPPLEMENTS

2009-06-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

Deciding on what, and if, supplements to take can be a very hard task considering the large controversy between the business side of selling supplements and scientifically backed health benefits. Much research has proved that regular supplementation can prevent and increase resistance to a variety of diseases associated with old age and early mortality. There are, however, criteria which are used to assess the claims that a certain supplement is advantageous. These include a background of publications in scientific literature with results from controlled experiments; data from these experiments should be confirmed by independent investigators; a good understanding of the actions of the material in the body; if the supplement is a pure substance, assumption derived from food data are unreliable.

There is a fundamental difference between preventing disease and retarding aging. Vulnerability to any threats to your health doubles each 8 years. By disease prevention people will avoid certain conditions which would kill them early, but they would not actually break the maximum lifespan barrier, which calorie restriction does. Anti-aging is when the vulnerability doubles each 14 years instead of 8. Modern medical practitioners tend to over-recommend the use of certain drugs and supplements which have not stood the test of time and believe in theories rather than facts.

The “official” viewpoint on supplementation is expressed in the determination of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs). In deciding on their values, there are six major criteria which are included: amount people consume normally of the nutrient; amount needed to avoid a particular disease; the adequacy of the physiological function in relation to the nutrient intake; amount of nutrient absorbed; studies determining the nutrient deficiency characteristics; and results from animal experiments. However, certain scientists have suggested a seventh, more reliable criterion to be used. It involves several different groups of animals from the same species being fed with different amounts of the nutrient and the RDA is set at the level fed to the group of animals which had the longest lifespan.

There are several classes of supplements: antioxidants, phytochemicals, hormones and fatty acids. Antioxidants are by far the most potent anti-aging agents. The theory of free radicals and free radical scavengers (substances which break the chain of free radicals and disperse it) was developed as the most plausible theory of aging. Yet so far it has not been clearly proven that supplementation with antioxidants alone retards aging, so this theory can still be questioned. It is certain that taking antioxidants result in longer life and lower incidence of disease, but results have not shown the life expectancy barrier to rise. What is known is that antioxidants decrease disease susceptibility and must certainly be part of a healthy anti-aging diet.

There is little doubt that supplements have various health benefits, but before deciding on the right combination of them, it is strongly recommended to undertake some research as to what has proved itself advantageous and what is only speculated upon. The calorie restriction method of anti-aging is certain to break the maximum lifespan barrier, but it has not become very popular for a number of reasons. This is why a lot of work has been put throughout history into finding the right anti-aging supplement, a so called “elixir of life”.

Most evidence about supplements’ benefits is epidemiological and comes from a certain repeatedly observed situation. For example, it has been observed that a diet with a high intake of fruit results in less incidence of cardiovascular disease. Once there is an observation, scientists start by guessing which substance in fruits is responsible for this effect, isolating it and conducting numerous tests on it. First any substance is tested on animals and if the results are encouraging, a prospective human study may be conducted. However, it has become recognized that protective effects of fruit and vegetables occur at an intake in the range of two or threefold of the RDA amount.

The three antioxidants which are best known for their activity are Vitamins E and C and lipoic acid. Vitamin E is the most significant fat-soluble, chain-breaking antioxidant in human blood. Larger than RDA doses of vitamin E increase immune response and resistance to infection. It also exerts cancer-inhibiting effects and protects from toxic chemical agents (mercury, lead, ozone). A human diet should be supplemented with around 300 IU of vitamin E. Vitamin C, the primary water-soluble antioxidant obtained from food, is essential for many body functions, such as brain metabolism, carnitine synthesis and manufacturing connective tissue. Vitamin C is an effective scavenger of free radicals and protects against LDL cholesterol, but in some cases it might act as a pro-oxidant, a function which is counteracted by Vitamin E. It is very important that these vitamins should be supplemented together. Vitamin C has proven beneficial in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and immune enhancement. Around 500 mg of the ester form of the substance should be taken between meals. The third important antioxidant is alpha-lipoic acid, which is both water and fat soluble. It plays a role in glucose metabolism, lowers oxidative stress and has shown to reverse age-related decline in mitochondrial functions. More studies are needed to determine lipoic acid’s health benefits and role in life extension, but for now it is best to take 120 mg daily.

Phytochemicals are plant-derived chemicals, divided into six groups; their most potent activity is prevention of cancer. Flavonoids are poorly soluble compounds which comprise the yellow and red/blue pigments in fruits and vegetables. They have shown antioxidant properties connected to those of vitamin C, as well as anticancer activity. PhytoEstrogens are plant substances of different kinds (isoflavones, lignans) that have an estrogenic effect in the body, which are present largely in soy products and flax seed. There is evidence that they possess inhibitory properties to prostate, breast and colon cancer, as well as osteoporosis. Isothiocyanates are present in cruciferous vegetables and inhibit experimental cancer development by detoxifying the carcinogen and eliminating it; their benefits are mainly recognized in gastrointestinal and respiratory tract tumors. Diallylsulfides, present in garlic, onion, leeks and chives, have shown to reduce proliferation of cancer cells, particularly cancer of the stomach and colon. Carotenes, responsible for the green and yellow-red colors of flowers and vegetables, are hydrophobic substances whose antioxidant functions are in quenching the free radical known as singlet oxygen. Beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lycopene are the strongest antioxidants, which are also active in the prevention of certain types of cancer and macular degeneration of the eye.

Selenium is an element, component of one of the body’s natural antioxidant enzymes, glutathione, as well as a metabolic antagonist to mercury, lead, calcium and arsenic. Selenium acts to encourage the apoptosis of cancer cells and thus high selenium intake is associated with lower cancer susceptibility. 200 mcg. daily should be supplemented to achieve a cancer inhibitory effect. The B-vitamins, in particular B5. B6, B12 and Folic acid, are associated with lowering the levels of homocysteine, a risk factor for heart disease. Vitamin B5 is central to the energy-yielding oxidation of glucose products and it also enhances the ability to withstand stress.Coenzyme Q-10, which acts like a vitamin, plays a critical role in the respiratory chain providing energy, as well as possessing antioxidant properties. Much controversial research has been conducted on this substance, with different results, but it is suggested that CoQ10 is beneficial in the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative disorders. Carnitine is a transport chemical required for the passage of fatty acids across cell membranes. Meat and diary products are major sources of carnitine which, when supplemented, improves stress tolerance, causes improvement in cognitive functions and has anti-fatigue effects.

Anti Aging Vitamins

2009-06-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

We probably all know by now that diet plays a pivotal role in health and healthy aging, so it should come as no surprise that science is discovering anti aging vitamins - vitamins that can lessen or slow down the detrimental effects of aging. We usually think of vitamin supplements as something to be taken like a pill, but many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are beneficial when applied topically to the skin as well.

Anti aging treatment today often includes vitamin and mineral supplements, and skin care products that contain vitamins and minerals, because of the evidence that these things help slow aging. Many of the so-called anti aging vitamins are antioxidants. Antioxidants remove free radicals, byproducts of metabolism that damage cells and contribute to aging and disease. Free radicals are always being produced in our bodies, so a continuous supply of antioxidants is needed to prevent cell damage. Some foods are being identified as potent antioxidants: blueberries and chocolate are two examples. Vitamins and minerals included in the antioxidant group include vitamins A, B-6, B-12, C, E, and selenium.

People have known about essential nutrients for centuries: even the famous captain Cook knew there was something in fresh fruit and vegetables (Vitamin C) that sailors had to have. Given the clear scientific proof, there's no reason to distrust the idea of anti aging vitamins - a body that is getting all its essential nutrients is obviously going to last longer than one that is deprived of them. An anti aging treatment that includes vitamins just makes sense.

The idea of adding vitamins to topical preparations is, perhaps, more controversial and less well supported by science. There is some evidence that topical anti aging vitamins do have some beneficial effect, though it is probably very slight in most cases. These products generally contain a very low concentration of the vitamin, and probably aren't any more beneficial as an anti aging treatment than simply protecting your skin from the sun. Application of lotions containing anti aging vitamins does frequently have an obviously beneficial effect when there are skin problems such as eczema, dry skin, or even sunburn.

It's important to note that Vitamin A actually makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight, so this vitamin should only be used in combination with sunscreen in an anti aging treatment. Vitamins C and E, on the other hand, have some ability to block harmful sunlight and can be considered topical anti aging vitamins on this basis alone (but don't use them instead of sunscreen: their sunblocking properties are no substitute for a good sunscreen or sunblock.)

Featured Anti Aging Vitamins

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Take a look at this special antiaging treatment and discover how you can prevent premature aging today.

Human Growth Hormone Product

2009-06-09T09:36:00.002-07:00

Can the use of a Human Growth Hormone product be your key to The Fountain of Youth?

You should certainly weigh the benefits and risks first before making a decision. Human Growth Hormone, or HGH, is a very complex hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. Essential to this process is the Insulin-like Growth Factor, or IGF-1. This protein is produced in the liver in response to HGH. The two compunds are essential for general health such as tissue repair, metabolism regulation and muscle growth.

The unique quality of Human Growth Hormone, consisting of a total of 191 amino acids, made it impossible to reproduce until 1986 when it was recreated in a laboratory. This invention is called a Recombinant Growth Hormone, or GH, and it simply means that it is a synthetic hormone produced in a lab. One GH, Humatrope, is one of the widely used growth hormones today.

Human Growth Hormone Supplements are available to consumers in a variety of forms. One form, by injection, requires a prescription and can only be legally administered by a physician. This is the most potent way for your body to absorb HGH, but it is quite expensive.

Another form of the Human Growth Hormone Supplement is through a spray. However, some sprays that contain HGH might not be absorbed into the body because they are orally administered. Some Human Growth Hormone Supplements are "precursors" in the form of sprays, pills or powders. These claim to cause the body to produce its own HGH. Two popular precursor pills, AM/PM, are in effervescent tablets or powders taken orally.

People use the various Human Growth Hormone product options for many different reasons. HGH is believed to not only decrease the effects of the aging process, but also increase energy, mood and lean muscle mass. It claims to improve sleep quality and sexual function and decrease negative cholesterol levels.

However, a visit to the Fountain of Youth is not without risks. There is an inherent Human Growth Hormone danger that a potential consumer should be aware of.. These include: heart failure, swelling of the legs, bloating, Carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, and painful joints and stiff muscles.

The unreliability of a product's claim is also a risk factor. Many companies sell Human Growth Hormone products to consumers that do not contain a form of hormone that the body can absorb. The health factors and potential hidden HGH danger make using Human Growth Hormone supplements a hazardous choice.

A more reliable, natural approach to anti-aging is the use of comprehensive supplements with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids and other important nutrients that can prevent premature aging and promote general health and well-being.

Due to poor manufacturing and handling processes, many of the foods we eat are depleted of essential nutrients before they make their way to market shelves. Therefore, even if we eat a "healthy" diet we are still not getting the nutrients our bodies need to perform at optimum levels. Combine that with stress, drinking, smoking, pollutants and other factors and our bodies are left in a state of nutrient deficiency. Human Growth Hormone products, even if they did work, do nothing to correct these imbalances...only supplementation can.

That's why it is important to find a high quality natural antiaging supplement, one that contains high-grade ingredients, blended synergistically to offer the maximum benefits, and enterically coated so that it remains intact as it passes through the stomach and into the intestines to be absorbed by the body.

Look for nutrients that have been clinically proven to reverse the aging process, such as amino acids L-Glutathione and L-Carnosine, which offer powerful antioxidant capability. DMAE is another anti aging natural supplement, helping reduce cognitive decline, and RNA, which can naturally tighten the skin.

These are just a few of the antiaging supplements, but a quality comprehensive formula will also include a host of vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts and other nutrients that work together to provide maximum health benefits for your body and fight the effects of aging, unlike a human growth hormone supplement which will probably have minimum impact.

Featured AntiAging Natural Supplement

About a year ago we discovered a special antiaging supplement called Total Balance, a breakthrough natural formula with all of the nutrients we mention above that can slow down the aging process and promote vitality and well-being.

Conquering Aging with Cloning

2009-06-09T09:36:00.001-07:00

Life Extension Interviews Michael West on new breakthroughs in anti-aging cloning research

Cloning: The word sounds like science fiction. But cloning is now science fact for many species, and it could hold the answer for the majority of problems of aging humans. Recent advances in cloning have come with remarkable speed, but doubts about their applicability to aging have remained. Now, in a major new paper published in the April 28, 2000 issue of the journal Science (1), a group led by Dr. Michael West has reported what may be the most revolutionary advance in cloning research so far. They have found that cloning can totally reverse cellular aging. To give you the inside story of this breakthrough, and on how it fits in with prospects for using cloning to intervene in aging, Gregory Fahy, Ph.D. and Saul Kent, President and founder of the Life Extension Foundation, interviewed Dr. West by telephone on March 18th, 2000. Dr. West is the founder of Geron. He is currently President and CEO of Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Massachusetts, where the research reported in Science was conducted.

Life Extension (LEF): Let's start at the beginning. Given that you left Geron to pursue cloning opportunities with Advanced Cell Technology (ACT), cloning obviously must be pretty important. But what is cloning?

Mike West: Cloning, as it is used in popular language, means the process we call nuclear transfer, which is an asexual way of reproducing an animal. Rather than using a sperm and an egg cell and getting a genetic mix between two animals, making a unique offspring, cloning uses an egg cell which is stripped of its DNA and a cell from the body of an existing animal. That body (somatic) cell is then placed into the egg cell.

LEF: The whole cell is placed in the egg cell?

West: Yes. This is the step we call nuclear transfer.

LEF: Even though it's more than the nucleus.

West: Yes. What we typically do is take the whole somatic cell and transfer it into an egg cell whose DNA has been removed. The result is a cell that has all of the DNA from an existing animal, so the resulting embryo and then, eventually, the animal is genetically identical to the original animal from which the cell was taken, unlike normal sexual reproduction, which leads to a unique new animal. In a sense it is being born again. It's a rebirth of a genetically identical copy of the original animal (2,3).

LEF: Are there different ways of doing cloning? Does it matter what the source of the cells is for example?

West: The technology has really only been used in a somewhat widespread manner over the last five years or so. So there hasn't been, to my knowledge, a complete survey of all of the different kinds of cells in the body from which we could clone an animal. But we do know that it is possible to clone an animal from cells that are usually easily accessible, such as skin cells or mucosal epithelial cells from the inside of the cheek.

LEF: How could cloning impact the field of anti-aging medicine?

West: Well, in the course of human aging, we have damage to the tissues and the cells in our body, not completely unlike the damage you see to your automobile over time. So, just like your carburetor needs to be replaced at some point, or your spark plugs need to be replaced, just through wear and tear you have organs that need to be replaced. I guess a striking example would be something like the loss of a tooth because of falling off a bicycle in a cross country race. Or a skin burn or other trauma. Also, of course, you can have an infectious disease, like a kidney infection which can damage the kidneys. Since the kidneys will not regenerate, they need to be replaced. So over the course of aging, we may need to have cells and/or tissues and organs replaced.

LEF: What is therapeutic human cloning?

West: Therapeutic human cloning is cloning for the possibility of recreating young cells and tissues (potentially of any kind) genetically identical to the person who needs them in order to replace worn out cells and tissues (4-7).

LEF: I think we need to clarify that when you are talking about therapeutic human cloning, we are now changing the definition of cloning that you gave us earlier. We are not talking about growing say a 12-year-old child and then taking the organs out of that child in order to replace old tissues in an adult, right?

West: Right. What we are proposing as an ethical and moral use of cloning technology in the arena of human medicine is the creation of microscopic balls of cells, called blastocysts. These are aggregates of about 100 cells that exist up to about 14 days of development. At 14 days, small aggregations of cells begin to individualize. By that, we mean the cells begin to become the various cells and tissues of the body, or that they've committed themselves to become an individual human being. Prior to day 14, the small ball of cells can still become two individual human beings. They can become identical twins, and indeed that is how identical twins form: the small ball of cells divides into two. So prior to day 14, this small ball of cells has not individualized, it has not decided to become one individual or two individuals.

LEF: Or even any particular part of any individual.

West: Yes. There is no skin, there is no blood, there is no bone, there is no tissue of any kind. So, because they have not individualized, they have not committed to becoming a person. And because there is no person there, and there are no differentiated cells of any kind, the blastocyst is often called a pre-embryo to distinguish it from an embryo which is committed to becoming a given individual. And because of that primitive state of the cells, the majority of ethicists have agreed that the creation of such an aggregate of cells to benefit people who are sick and in need of therapy would be a good and moral use of technology.

So what we envision is that the cloning step, the nuclear transfer step, is a bit like a time machine. We believe we can take a cell from a patient, even from a very old patient, and put it back into an egg cell, and that egg cell would be like a time machine, taking what was once a skin cell back in time, making it young again and erasing its memory of what it was, taking it back to the state of complete power, or as we say, "totipotency," such that the cell can then become any cell in the body. So once we've taken the cell back in time, and we have this small little ball of cells that can form anything, we can go in two directions. First, we could implant this small ball of cells into a uterus, and it could become a human being, or two human beings, forming identical twins. That would be reproductive cloning of a human being. The second path, which is the path that we are advocating, would be to use the cells to create specific cell types that a particular patient needs. So if the patient has Parkinson's Disease, rather than creating a human being, we would create just the dopaminergic neurons that they have lost, the loss of which is causing their Parkinsonian symptoms (8).

LEF: But the pre-embryo, in and of itself, doesn't spontaneously form wanted tissues. You would have to coax the pre-embryo cells to turn into the types of cells you want to form. Could you do that in tissue culture?

West: Yes. We believe that all of this could be done in tissue culture, growing individual cells, without creating a cloned human being.

Young and old cells show dramatic differences. Cloning can convert old cells into young cells.

LEF: What are embryonic stem cells?

West: Technically, an embryonic stem cell is a cultured inner cell mass. So the blastocyst is a little ball of cells, and inside it is a cluster of cells called the inner cell mass, and surrounding them is a shell of cells called the trophectoderm. The trophectoderm will become the placenta, and the inner cell mass will become the entire animal or, in the case of humans, the entire human being. The inner cell mass cells are totipotent. They have complete power. And because they have not yet committed to either becoming the germ line or the body (soma), they have not yet committed to the mortality of the soma, so they still have the immortality of the germ line. As you know, germ line cells have the ability of proliferating indefinitely, and that is why the species is immortal. We keep making babies generation after generation, so these cells are in this immortal germ line in a state of total power. When they are grown in the dish, they are called embryonic stem cells.

LEF: Has anyone taken these embryonic stem cells and turned them into specialized cells in tissue culture?

West: Yes.

LEF: Has this been published?

West: The first demonstration that human embryonic stem cells could be grown was published in the collaboration that I set up while I was at Geron with James Thomson at the University of Wisconsin at Madison (9), and then also in a collaboration with John Gearhart at Johns Hopkins University Medical School (10). That was in the Fall of 1998.

LEF: And what was done in this study, exactly?

West: It was the first time human embryonic stem cells were ever grown in vitro ("in the dish"). Also in this publication was evidence that they could be shown to differentiate into skin, neurons, heart muscle cells, blood cells, and all of the many different kinds of cells in the body.

LEF: But in that case, was the differentiation random, or was it directed in some way?

West: The initial work, of course, was random. The cells were either just allowed to haphazardly differentiate in the dish, or they were injected into mice which had an impaired immune system. Since the mice could not reject the human tissue inside them, the human cells grew into what is called a teratoma, which is a conglomeration of different kinds of cells and tissues.

LEF: We recently met a scientist who said he was able to transform skin cells into neurons. Our impression was that they weren't embryonic skin cells.

West: They were probably adult stem cells such as mesenchymal stem cells.

LEF: So to summarize what you've said, basically you can take a totipotent cell and instead of letting it commit itself to form of an individual, you can take that cell and, at least in principle, direct it to become any type of cell. As you said, you can make brain cells to treat Parkinson's disease or perhaps skin cells to treat facial aging, that sort of thing.

West: I think that is an accurate statement. A good example was reported just in the last couple of weeks or so. There was a paper where mouse embryonic stem cells were differentiated into beta islet cells. That is one of the more difficult examples. In normal embryological development, you are pretty far along before you get the gut, and then the gut evaginates into a pancreas, and then out of that pancreatic tissue a beta cell finally forms.

LEF: Yes, that is impressive.

West: It would be much easier to get, you know, a cardiac myocyte, which differentiates very early in embryogenesis, or neurons, or skin cells, but nevertheless they were able to develop embryonic stem cells into beta cells, isolate the beta cells in relatively pure form, and put them into a mouse and cure diabetes (11,12).

LEF: That's fabulous!

West: Yes, and I think the demonstration that you could go and do such a difficult project is good evidence that there are going to be many, many applications of this technology.

LEF: Are you doing any work in the area of directing the differentiation of cells in your company?

West: Yes, though the majority of the work at Advanced Cell Technology has been focused on taking the cells back in time. It is relatively easy to take a cell at the beginning of life, one of these totipotent stem cells, and steer its development through the differentiated lineages, like the branches of the tree, because that's the normal path of development. What's almost miraculous is that you can take a differentiated cell and take it back to a totipotent state, because that's taking differentiation in reverse. It's a bit like if I were to tell you that I had taken a baseball bat and hit a ceramic vase and broken it into a million pieces on the floor, and then that I could, through a magic wand, have that go in reverse and have all of the pieces of the vase fly together and fuse back into a vase and then go back up on the table top, like reversing a video tape. That would be near miraculous. And to have development go in reverse, which it never does in nature, through cloning is pretty amazing, and that's why the scientific community was so amazed that you could actually clone an animal from a body cell. But what I think is the second level of amazement is the fact that not only does the development go in reverse, but the animal is actually made young again in the process, and I think that's what impressed us even more.

Anti Aging Medicine

2009-06-09T09:34:00.002-07:00

Have you no limits, no bounds, no responsibility to fairly report the truth? The article "Troubling Record For Anti-Aging Doctors" by Benedict Carey published May 8th is so rife with misinformed spin as to fail the modest criteria of the National Enquirer for factual reporting. A4M's membership of over 8600 physicians and scientists from 55 countries has no more disciplinary actions against them than does the membership of the American Heart Association or American Medical Association. The article implied that there are 50 members of the A4M in California. In fact, there are 748 members, 603 of them actively practicing. To arbitrarily select a non-representative group of doctors from one geographical area and then compare them against the country at large and suggest that this somehow is a representative sample of the A4M, an all volunteer non-profit 501(c) 3 public society of medical professionals -- of whom, to my knowledge, Edmund Chein alone is in any conflict with the medical boards -- is bogus statistics designed to mislead and defame. Worse still, these issues were pointed out to your writer who chose to delete them. Beyond this simple deception with numbers your reporter failed to address the fact that 75% of all disciplinary actions by boards have nothing to do with malpractice or incompetence, but are rather administrative issues dealing with record keeping or even issues as trivial as not paying license fees on time. The overwhelming majority of A4M members practicing the clinical science of anti-aging medicine are already board certified by a traditional medical board such as internal medicine, endocrinology, family practice, emergency medicine, OB-GYN, and are members in good standing of their boards, the AMA, and their state licensing boards.

Your reporter's deliberate effort to deface and defame a noble young profession who is offering new hope and new technologies to overcome mankind's oldest and most debilitating disease -- old age -- is morally contemptuous, brutish and not in the service of humanity. A4M in its short tenure of but 7 years has done more to advance the cause of advanced diagnosis and prevention of disease as well as the important new concept that aging is a treatable condition, than has the NIA and AARP combined over the past 30 years. Far from being a questionable science, anti-aging medicine is 100% rooted in the best-published work from mainstream medical science. I know of not one person who has died from these therapies, yet I do know of thousands who have been helped and whose lives are healthier, more productive and complete thanks to the conservative and proven techniques of anti-aging medicine. I urge you to correct this unconscionable report and to set the record straight with the truth about this legitimate and worthy medical specialty; your integrity and the quality of lives of your readers hang in the balance.

Medical Anti Aging

2009-06-09T09:34:00.001-07:00

Not so long ago, the term medical anti aging knowledge was a bit of a misnomer. The medical community regarded aging as an evitable part of human life, and didn't devote much time to figuring out how to slow it down or alter its effects. Those with money could have plastic surgery, but that was about all. Today however, scientific research is revealing many of the processes that cause physical aging as the years pass, and with that understanding comes the opportunity to tinker with and try to ameliorate the aging process.

The timing is perfect: the baby boomers, a huge cohort of affluent educated North Americans and Europeans are moving into their senior years and they want medical anti aging resources. The baby boomers have grown up in good health, with readily available medical care and the belief that every disease can be cured. They believe that medical treatment can keep them feeling young and vigorous as well, while they enjoy retirement. They may be right.

Many professionals with medical training are now involved in researching possible approaches to anti aging medicine. We're learning that many common diseases of old age can be avoided by eating, or not eating, certain foods, keeping our bodies fit, and protecting ourselves from environmental threats. We're identifying genes that predispose people to certain diseases, which allows us to identify and possibly treat those at risk. WeÕre discovering many new drugs in chemistry and nature that help to fight diseases already in progress. And we're discovering that some foods have potent healthful properties that we never imagined were there. Surgical interventions are still available as well, and they are better than ever.

When it comes to medical anti aging products and services however, we still have to be careful. While scientific knowledge has expanded exponentially, there are still lots of vendors making claims that are not backed up by the evidence. These entrepreneurs are poised to make a profit from a vulnerable public - while some simply relieve you of your money without providing any benefit, others may actually be harmful. Before you pay for any new or unconventional medical anti aging treatment, discuss your plans with a medical professional whom you trust, or contact one of the consumer advocate/anti-fraud organizations that can help you verify that you are getting what you pay for.

Whatever you choose, keep your eye on the latest in medical breakthroughs - there are lots of products and services already available that really do help you look and feel younger, and maintain better health. It's a safe bet there will be many more to choose from in the near future, as anti aging medicine gets more and more advanced.

Anti aging foods

2009-06-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

Let's learn about anti aging foods...Have you heard that the key to staying young is eating right? Perhaps you've also heard that there are certain foods that have special properties, unique components that make them literally antiaging food. There is a lot of misinformation out there about aging and how to prevent it, but the advice we are receiving about eating well is something we would all do well to pay attention to.

Antiaging food seems too good to be true: could it really be that easy? As scientific research reveals more and more about how the human body works, what foods promote a healthy body, and what foods cause physical stress, it is becoming evident that many of the life threatening diseases experienced by aging people are the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and a poor diet. Viewed from this perspective, any foods that form part of a healthy diet might be considered anti aging foods, but it's also true that some foods in particular seem to have unusual properties.

The largest group of these anti aging foods are the ones that contain antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that clear away free radicals, damaging particles that damage body cells and accelerate aging. Free radicals are always being produced in our bodies, so antioxidants are constantly needed to remove the free radicals before they have a change to do damage. Many foods, particularly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain antioxidants, while a few are astonishingly high in these beneficial antiaging food molecules. Three of the best are blueberries, red kidney beans, and cranberries.

All of this current information on anti aging foods can be used together to design a diet that is both healthy for the body in general and helpful for avoiding the typical signs of aging. Such a diet would avoid consuming pesticides and other toxins as much as possible (organic foods are best for this), as well as foods that are high in fat, salt, and sugar. Grains should be whole grains because the body converts the sugar in these carbohydrate sources at a slow and steady pace (to learn more about this, read about the glycemic index). Antiaging food stars are the whole vegetables and fruits. Proteins should come primarily from beans, nuts, and seafood, with a minimum of dairy, poultry and red meat products. Healthy fats include olive oil and, to a lesser extent, other vegetable oils - avoid trans fats and saturated fats as much as possible.

Though, for many people, adopting a diet of anti aging foods may seem like a drastic and difficult task, most people quickly discover a feeling of increased wellbeing, and gradually come to enjoy eating these wholesome healthful foods. And they are able to enjoy good health longer into their senior years. Antiaging foods are definitely worth a try. Supplementation can also ensure that you get the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients you need, as sometimes even the most well-balanced diet is lacking in some essentials.