We all accept that getting older is inevitable, and now leading clinicians have revealed the exact age when different body parts start to decline, most alarming being the brain and lungs.
French doctors have found that the quality of men's' sperm starts to deteriorate by 35, so that by the time a man is 45, a third of pregnancies end up in miscarriage.
Here, with the help of leading clinicians, Angela Epstein tells the Daily Mail the ages when different parts of the body start to lose their battle with time.
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BRAIN - Starts ageing at 20
As we get older, the number of nerve cells or neurons in the brain, decrease. We start with around 100 billion, but in our 20s this number starts to decline. By 40, we could be losing up to 10,000 per day, affecting memory, co-ordination and brain function.
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FERTILITY - Starts ageing at 35
Female fertility begins to decline after 35, as the number and quality of eggs in the ovaries start to fall. The lining of the womb may become thinner, making it less likely for a fertilised egg to take, and also creating an environment hostile to sperm.
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HAIR - Starts ageing at 30
Male hair loss usually begins in the 30s. Hair is made in tiny pouches just under the skin's surface, known as follicles. A hair normally grows from each follicle for about three years, is then shed, and a new hair grows. Most people will have some grey hair by the age of 35. When we are young, our hair is colored by the pigments produced by cells in the hair follicle known as melanocytes.
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GUT - Starts ageing at 55.
A healthy gut has a good balance between harmful and 'friendly' bacteria. But levels of friendly bacteria in the gut drop significantly after 55, particularly in the large intestine. As a result, we suffer from poor digestion and an increased risk of gut disease. Constipation is more likely as we age, as the flow of digestive juices from the stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine slows down.
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BREASTS - Start ageing at 35
By their mid-30s, women's breasts start losing tissue and fat, reducing size and fullness. Sagging starts properly at 40 and the areola (the area surrounding the nipple) can shrink considerably.
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BLADDER - Starts ageing at 65
Loss of bladder control is more likely when you hit 65. Women are more vulnerable to bladder problems as, after the menopause, eclining estrogen levels make tissues in the urethra -- the tube through which urine passes -- thinner and weaker, reducing bladder support.
Bladder capacity in an older adult is generally half that of a younger person -- about two cups in a 30-year-old and one cup in a 70-year-old.
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LUNGS - Start ageing at 20
Lung capacity slowly starts to decrease from the age of 20. By the age of 40, some people are already experiencing breathlessness.
This is partly because the muscles and the rib cage which control breathing stiffen up.
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VOICE - Starts ageing at 65
Our voices become quieter and hoarser with age. The soft tissues in the voice box (larynx) weaken, affecting the pitch, loudness and quality of the voice. A woman's voice may become huskier and lower in pitch, whereas a man's might become thinner and higher.
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EYES - Start ageing at 40
Glasses are the norm for many over-40s as failing eyesight kicks in -- usually long-sightedness, affecting our ability to see objects up close.
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HEART - Starts ageing at 40
The heart pumps blood less effectively around the body as we get older. This is because blood vessels become less elastic, while arteries can harden or become blocked because of fatty deposits forming on the coronary arteries -- caused by eating too much saturated fat.
The blood supply to the heart is then reduced, resulting in painful angina. Men over 45 and women over 55 are at greater risk of a heart attack.
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LIVER - Starts ageing at 70
This is the only organ in the body which seems to defy the aging process.
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KIDNEYS - Starts ageing at 50
With kidneys, the number of filtering units (nephrons) that remove waste from the bloodstream starts to reduce in middle age.
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PROSTATE - Starts ageing at 50
The prostate often becomes enlarged with age, leading to problems such as increased need to urinate. This is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia and affects half of men over 50, but rarely those under 40. It occurs when the prostate absorbs large amounts of the male sex hormone testosterone, which increases the growth of cells in the prostate. A normal prostate is the size of a walnut, but the condition can increase this to the size of a tangerine.
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BONES - Start ageing at 35
'Throughout our life, old bones are broken down by cells called osteoclasts and replaced by bone-building cells called osteoblasts -- a process called 礎one turnover'. Children's bone growth is rapid - the skeleton takes just two years to renew itself completely. In adults, this can take 10 years. Until our mid-20s, bone density is still increasing. But at 35, bone loss begins as part of the natural ageing process.
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TEETH - Start ageing at 40
As we age, we produce less saliva, which washes away bacteria, so teeth and gums are more vulnerable to decay. Receding gums - when tissue is lost from gums around the teeth - is common in adults over 40.
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MUSCLES - Start ageing at 30
Muscle is constantly being built up and broken down, a process which is well balanced in young adults. However, by the time we're 30, breakdown is greater than buildup, explains Professor Robert Moots. Once adults reach 40, they start to lose between 0.5 and 2 per cent of their muscle each year. Regular exercise can help prevent this.
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HEARING - Starts ageing mid-50s
More than half of people over 60 lose hearing because of their age, according to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.
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SKIN - Starts ageing mid-20s
The skin starts to age naturally in your mid-20s.
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TASTE AND SMELL - Start ageing at 60
We start out in life with about 10,000 taste buds scattered on the tongue. This number can halve later in life. After we turn 60, taste and smell gradually decline, partly as a result of the normal ageing process.
Can We Prevent Aging?
People are living longer. In 1970, the average life expectancy at birth in the United States was 70.8 years; in 2008, it was 78.0 years; and by 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau projects life expectancy will reach 79.5 years.
Views on aging are also changing. Disease and disability were once considered an inevitable part of growing older, but that is no longer true. While aging does put us at greater risk for health issues, many older adults can be healthy and active well into their advancing years.
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the Federal Government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), investigates ways to support healthy aging and prevent or delay the onset of age-related disease and decline. We have already gained important insights, and what we learn from ongoing and future studies may not only help to increase longevity, but may also promote what is known as “active life expectancy”—the time in late life free of disability. We already know, for example, that healthy eating and exercise and physical activity help promote healthy aging. Are there other interventions that can help? NIA-supported and other studies are taking a look at the possible benefits and risks of a number of approaches, including antioxidants, calorie restriction, and hormone supplements. This tip sheet provides an overview of what we know about these interventions and the research needed to learn more. Until we have a better understanding, it is a good idea to be skeptical of claims that any supplements can solve your age-related problems.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants protect the body from the harmful effects of by-products known as free radicals, made normally when the body changes oxygen and food into energy. The discovery of antioxidants raised hopes that people could slow aging simply by adding them to the diet. So far, studies of antioxidant-laden foods and supplements in humans have yielded little support for this conclusion. Further research, including large-scale epidemiological studies, might clarify whether dietary antioxidants can help people live longer, healthier lives. For now, although the effectiveness of dietary antioxidant supplementation remains controversial, there is positive evidence for the health benefits of fruits and vegetables.
Calorie Restriction, Intermittent Fasting, Resveratrol, and Rapamycin
Scientists are discovering that what you eat, how frequently, and how much may have an effect on quality and years of life. Of particular interest has been calorie restriction, a diet that is lower by a specific percent of calories than the normal diet but includes all needed nutrients. Research in some animals has shown calorie restriction of up to 40 percent fewer calories than normal to have an impressive positive effect on disease, markers of aging, and, perhaps, life span.
Even though calorie restriction appears to work in a variety of species, its effects on longevity are far from universal. It has been found to extend the life of protozoa (very small, one-celled organisms), yeast, fruit flies, some strains of mice, and rats, as well as other species. However, several animal models, including wild mice, show no lifespan extension by calorie restriction. In some strains of mice, calorie restriction even appears to shorten lifespan. Studies in nonhuman primates have also had conflicting results.
Calorie restriction studies with humans and other primates, such as monkeys, are ongoing. Some studies in nonhuman primates have shown that calorie restriction reduces the incidence of certain diseases such as cancer. Other studies in primates have not yet reached final conclusions.
Findings of the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) pilot study in humans showed that overweight adults who cut their calorie consumption by 20 to 30 percent lowered their fasting insulin levels and core body temperature. Both of these changes correlate with increased longevity in animal models. The lower calorie intake also reduced their risk for major causes of mortality such as heart disease and diabetes. CALERIE is currently evaluating a 2-year, 25 percent reduction in caloric intake for feasibility, safety, and effects on factors influencing longevity and health.
Scientists do not yet know if long-term calorie restriction is safe, beneficial, or practical for humans. However, the study of calorie restriction offers new insights into the aging process and biological mechanisms that could influence healthy aging. This research may also provide clues about how to prevent or delay diseases that become more prevalent with age and inform the development of treatments for such diseases.
Some studies focus on identifying chemicals that somehow mimic calorie restriction’s benefits. Resveratrol, a compound found naturally in foods like grapes and nuts, is of interest. In one study, scientists compared two groups of overweight mice on a high-fat diet. One group was given a high dose of resveratrol together with the high-fat diet. The overweight mice receiving resveratrol were healthier and lived longer than the overweight mice that did not get resveratrol. In a follow-up study, researchers found that, when started at middle age, resveratrol slowed age-related deterioration and functional decline of mice on a standard diet, but did not increase longevity. A recent study in humans reported that resveratrol may have some similar health benefits to those in animals; however, it is still too early to make any definitive conclusions about how resveratrol affects human health and aging. More research is needed before scientists know if there is a proper and safe dose of resveratrol or if it has any clinical applicability in people.
Rapamycin is also being investigated. This compound is used to help suppress the immune system in transplant patients so that the body does not reject the new organ. Rapamycin has been found to extend median and maximum lifespan of mice, even when fed to the animals beginning at early-old age. This finding suggests that an intervention started later in life may still increase longevity. Researchers are now looking for rapamycin’s effects on health span of animal models. Since rapamycin treatment in people is associated with serious toxicities, its potential for human long-term use is uncertain. Researchers do not know if rapamycin has any effect on human aging or if any potential benefit would outweigh risks. But, this discovery in mice has led to an exciting new research direction.
Scientists are also looking at the effect of intermittent fasting or reduced meal frequency. In animals, like mice, reduced meal frequency appears to have a protective effect on the brain and may also help with heart function and regulation of sugar content in the blood. However, here, too, the influence of intermittent fasting on human health and longevity is currently unclear.
While research into these types of approaches continues, it is important to remember there is already plenty of research supporting the value of a healthy, balanced diet and physical activity to help delay or prevent age-related health problems.
Hormones
Hormones are chemical messengers that set in motion different processes to keep our bodies working properly. For example, they are involved in regulating our metabolism, immune function, sexual reproduction, and growth. Hormones are made by specialized groups of cells within the body’s glands. The glands—such as the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, and testes—release hormones into the body as needed to stimulate, regulate, and control the function of other tissues and organs involved in biological processes. Most hormones are typically found in very low concentrations in the bloodstream. But a hormone’s concentration will fluctuate depending on the body’s activity or time of day.
We cannot survive without hormones. As children, hormones help us grow up. In our teenage years, they drive puberty. As we get older, some hormone levels naturally decline. But what does that mean? Scientists do not know exactly.
In order to learn more, NIA is investigating how the administration of hormones to older people affects frailty and function. Many of these studies focus on hormones that naturally decline with age, including:
How Hormones Work
A hormone acts upon a cell much like a key unlocking a door. After being released by a gland, a hormone molecule travels through the blood until it finds a cell with the right fit. The hormone latches onto a cell via the cell’s receptor. When this happens a signal is sent into the cell. These signals may instruct the cell to multiply, make proteins or enzymes, or perform other vital tasks. Some hormones can even cause a cell to release other hormones.
A hormone may fit with many types of cells but may not affect all cells in the same way. For example, one hormone may stimulate one cell to perform a task, but it might also turn off a different cell. Additionally, how a cell responds to a hormone may change throughout life.
Hormone Therapy
Levels of some hormones change naturally over the lifespan. Some hormones increase with age, like parathyroid hormone that helps regulate the amount of calcium in the blood and bone. Some tend to decrease over time, such as testosterone in men and estrogen in women. When the body fails to make enough of a hormone because of a disease or disorder, a doctor may prescribe hormone supplements. These come in many forms such as pills, shots, topicals (gels, creams, and sprays applied to the skin), and medicated skin patches.
You may have read magazine articles or seen television programs suggesting that treatment with hormones can make people feel young again or can slow or prevent aging. That’s because finding a “fountain of youth” is a captivating story. The truth is that, to date, no research has shown that hormone therapies add years to life or prevent age-related frailty. And, while some drugs have real health benefits for people with clinical hormone deficiencies due to a disease or disorder, they also can cause harmful side effects. That’s why people who have a diagnosed hormone deficiency should still only take hormones prescribed by a doctor and under a doctor’s supervision.
In some cases, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may have approved a hormone (or hormone therapy) for one purpose, but it is prescribed by physicians for another. This off-label use may occur when physicians believe that research, such as clinical studies, demonstrates a drug’s usefulness for another condition. However, consumers should be aware that off-label use of any drug may not have been tested and verified to the same degree as the original use of the drug.
Some Dangers of Hormone Therapy and “Anti-Aging” Supplements
Higher concentrations of hormones in your body are not necessarily better. And, a decrease in hormone concentration with age is not necessarily a bad thing. The body maintains a delicate balance between how much hormone it produces and how much it needs to function properly. Natural hormone production fluctuates throughout the day. That means that the amount of hormone in your blood when you wake up may be different 2, 12, or 20 hours later.
If you take hormone supplements, especially without medical supervision, you can adversely affect this tightly controlled, regulated system. Replacement or supplemental hormones cannot replicate your body’s natural variation. Because hormonal balance is so intricate, too much of a hormone in your system may actually cause the opposite of the intended effect. For example, taking a hormone supplement can cause your own hormone regulation to stop working. Or, your body may process the supplements differently than the naturally produced hormone, causing an alternate, undesired effect. It is also possible that a supplement could amplify negative side effects of the hormone naturally produced by the body. At this point, scientists do not know all the consequences.
Some hormone-like products are sold over the counter without a prescription. Using them can be dangerous. Products that are marketed as dietary supplements are not approved or regulated by the FDA. That is, companies making dietary supplements do not need to provide any proof that their products are safe and effective before selling them. There is no guarantee that the “recommended” dosage is safe, that the same amount of active ingredients is in every bottle, or that the substance is what the company claims. What you bought over the counter may not have been thoroughly studied, and potential negative side effects may not be understood or defined. In addition, these over-the-counter products may interfere with your other medications. NIA does not recommend taking any supplement touted as an “anti-aging” remedy because there is no proof of effectiveness and the health risks of short- and long-term use are largely unknown.
Human Growth Hormone
Growth hormone is important for normal growth and development, as well as for maintaining tissues and organs. It is made by the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure located at the base of the brain.
Research supports supplemental use of human growth hormone (hGH) injections in certain circumstances. For instance, hGH injections can help children who do not produce enough growth hormone. Sometimes hGH injections may be prescribed for young adults whose obesity is the result of having had their pituitary gland surgically removed. These uses are different from taking hGH as an “anti-aging” strategy. As with other hormones, growth hormone levels often decline with age, but this decrease is not necessarily bad. At least one epidemiological study suggests that people who have high levels of naturally produced growth hormone are more apt to die at younger ages than those with lower levels of the hormone. Researchers have also studied animals with genetic disorders that suppress growth hormone production and secretion. They found that reduced growth hormone secretion actually promotes longevity in the tested species.
Although there is no conclusive evidence that hGH can prevent aging or halt age-related physical decline, some clinics market hGH for that purpose, and some people spend a great deal of money on such supplements. Shots can cost more than $15,000 a year. These shots are only available by prescription and should be administered by a doctor. But, because of the unknown risks—and the evidence suggests that side effects strongly overcome any possible benefits—it is hard to find a doctor who will prescribe hGH shots. Over-the-counter dietary supplements, known as human growth hormone releasers, are currently being marketed as low-cost alternatives to hGH shots. But claims of their anti-aging effects, like all those regarding hGH, are unsubstantiated.
Research is starting to paint a fuller picture of the effects of hGH, but there is still much to learn. For instance, study findings indicate that injections of hGH can increase muscle mass; however, it seems to have little impact on muscle strength or function. Questions about potential side effects, such as diabetes, joint pain, and fluid buildup leading to high blood pressure or heart failure, remain unanswered, too. A report that children who were treated with pituitary growth hormone have an increased risk of cancer created a heightened concern about the dangers of hGH injections. Whether or not older people treated with hGH for extended periods have an increased risk of cancer is unknown. To date, only small, short-term studies have looked specifically at hGH as an “anti-aging” therapy for older people. Additional research is necessary to assess the potential risks and benefits of hGH.
Testosterone
Testosterone is a vital sex hormone that plays an important role in puberty. In men, testosterone not only regulates sex drive (libido), it also helps regulate bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells and sperm. Testosterone isn’t exclusively a male hormone—women produce small amounts as well.
As men age, they often produce somewhat less testosterone, especially compared to years of peak testosterone production during adolescence and early adulthood. Normal testosterone production ranges widely, and it is unclear what amount of decline or how low a level of testosterone will cause adverse effects.
In recent years, the popular press has increasingly reported about “male menopause,” a condition supposedly caused by diminishing testosterone levels in aging men. There is very little scientific evidence that this condition, also known as andropause or viropause, exists. The likelihood that an aging man will experience a major shutdown of testosterone production similar to a woman’s menopause is very remote. In fact, many of the changes that take place in older men often are incorrectly attributed to decreasing testosterone levels. For instance, some men experiencing erectile difficulty (impotence) may be tempted to blame it on lowered testosterone, but many cases of erectile problems are due to circulatory problems.
For men whose bodies make very little or no testosterone, testosterone replacement may offer benefits. FDA-approved testosterone drugs come in different forms, including patches, injections, and topical gels. Men whose testes (the reproductive glands that make testosterone and sperm) have been damaged or whose pituitary glands have been harmed or destroyed by trauma, infections, or tumors may also be prescribed testosterone. Treatment with testosterone drugs can help men with exceptionally low testosterone levels maintain strong muscles and bones and increase their sex drive. It is unclear if men who are at the lower end of the normal range for testosterone production would benefit from treatment.
More research is needed to learn what effects testosterone drug therapy may have in healthy older men without these extreme deficiencies. NIA is investigating the role of testosterone therapy in delaying or preventing frailty and helping with other age-related health issues. Results from preliminary studies involving small groups of men are inconclusive. Specifically, it remains unclear to what degree testosterone supplements can help men maintain strong muscles and sturdy bones, sustain robust sexual activity, or sharpen memory.
There are also concerns about the long-term, harmful effects that testosterone drugs might have on the aging body. Most epidemiological studies suggest that higher natural levels of testosterone are not associated with a higher incidence of prostate cancer—the second leading cause of cancer death among men. However, scientists do not know if taking testosterone drugs increases men’s risk for developing prostate cancer or promoting the growth of an existing tumor. There is also uncertainty about effects of testosterone treatment on the cardiovascular system in older men, especially men with mobility limitations and other diseases. Future studies will address this issue to ensure that older men receiving testosterone treatment are not exposed to unnecessary risks.
The bottom line: there is no scientific proof that testosterone treatment in healthy men will help them age better. Until more scientifically rigorous studies are conducted, it is not known if the possible benefits of testosterone therapy outweigh any of its potential risks. NIA continues to conduct research to gather more evidence about the effects of testosterone treatment in aging men.
Hormones in Women
Estrogen and progesterone are two hormones that play an important part in women’s menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Estrogen also helps maintain bone strength and may reduce the risk of heart disease and memory problems before menopause. Both estrogen and progesterone are produced naturally by the ovaries. However, after menopause, the ovaries make much less of these hormones. For more than 60 years, millions of women have used estrogen to relieve their menopausal symptoms, especially hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Some women may also be prescribed estrogen to prevent or treat osteoporosis—loss of bone strength—that often happens after menopause. The use of estrogen (by a woman whose uterus has been removed) or estrogen with progesterone or a progestin, a synthetic form of progesterone (by a woman with a uterus), to treat the symptoms of menopause is called menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), formerly known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
There is a rich research base investigating estrogen. Many large, reliable long-term studies of estrogen and its effects on the body have been conducted. Yet, much remains unknown. In fact, the history of estrogen research demonstrates why it is important to examine both the benefits and risks of any hormone therapy before it becomes widely used. Here’s what scientists know:
You may also have heard about another approach to hormone therapy for women—“bioidentical hormones.” These are hormones derived from plants, such as soy or yams, that have identical chemical structures to hormones produced by the human body. The term “bioidentical hormones” is now also being applied to the use of compounded hormones. Large clinical trials of these compounded hormones have not been done, and many bioidentical hormones that are available without a prescription are not regulated or approved for safety and efficacy by the FDA. FDA-regulated bioidentical hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, are available by prescription for women considering MHT.
For middle-age and older women, the decision to take hormones is far more complex and difficult than ever before. Questions about MHT remain. Would using a different estrogen and/or progestin or different dose change the risks? Would the results be different if the hormones were given as a patch or cream, rather than a pill? Would taking progestin less often be as effective and safe? Does starting MHT around the time of menopause, compared to years later, change the risks? Can we predict which women will benefit or be harmed by using MHT? As these and other questions are addressed by research, women should continue to review the pros and cons of MHT with their doctors. They should assess the benefits as well as personal risks to make an informed decision about whether or not this therapy is right for them. NIA has additional free information on menopausal hormone therapy in the tip sheet Hormones and Menopause.
DHEA
Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is made from cholesterol by the adrenal glands, which sit on top of each kidney. It is converted by the body into two other important hormones: testosterone and estrogen.
For most people, DHEA production peaks in the mid-20’s and then gradually declines with age. The effects of this decline, including its role in the aging process, are unclear. Even so, some proponents claim that over-the-counter DHEA supplements can improve energy and strength and boost immunity. Claims are also made that supplements increase muscle and decrease fat. To date, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that DHEA supplements have any of these benefits.
The conversion of naturally produced DHEA into estrogen and testosterone is highly individualized. There is no way to predict who will make more or less of these hormones. Having an excess of testosterone or estrogen in your body could be risky.
Scientists do not yet know the effects of long-term (defined as over 1 year) use of DHEA supplements. Early indications are that these supplements, even when taken briefly, may have detrimental effects on the body, including liver damage. But the picture is not clear. Two short-term studies showed that taking DHEA supplements has no harmful effects on blood, prostate, or liver function. However, these studies were too small to lead to broader conclusions about the safety or efficacy of DHEA supplementation.
Researchers are working to find more definite answers about DHEA’s effects on aging, muscles, and the immune system. In the meantime, if you are thinking about taking DHEA supplements, be aware that the effects are not fully known and might turn out to cause more harm than good.
Many Questions, Seeking AnswersNIA supports research that seeks to learn more about aging and the risks and benefits of potential interventions such as antioxidants, calorie restriction, hormone therapies, and supplements. These studies take time. A great deal of basic animal and clinical research remains to be done. And, because research is an incremental process, results can move knowledge forward, but it can also take scientists back to basics. Although one goal of NIA research is to determine whether these interventions improve the health of older people, have no effect, or are harmful, don’t be surprised if the results of these studies open the door to more questions.
Until more is known about antioxidants, resveratrol, and hormone supplements, consumers should view these types of supplements with a good deal of caution and doubt. Despite what advertisements on television, the internet, and magazines may claim, there are no specific therapies proven to prevent aging. Some harmful side effects already have been discovered; additional research may uncover others.
People with genuine deficiencies in specific hormones should consult their doctors about appropriate treatments. Talk with your doctor if you are interested in any form of hormone therapy or “anti-aging” approaches beyond a healthy diet and physical activity. Meanwhile, people who choose to take any hormone supplement without a doctor’s supervision should be aware that these supplements appear to have few clear-cut benefits for healthy individuals and no proven influence on the aging process.
For More Information
For more information on health and aging, contact:
National Institute on Aging
Information Center
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057
1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)
1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)
www.nia.nih.gov
www.nia.nih.gov/espanol
To order free publications (in English or Spanish) or sign up for regular email alerts, go towww.nia.nih.gov/health.
Visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. This website has health and wellness information for older adults. Special features make it simple to use. For example, you can click on a button to make the type larger.
Publication Date: February 2012
Page Last Updated: January 22, 2015
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Biology of Aging
The anti-aging molecule melatonin
In spite of the political denigratory campaign against the anti-aging properties of melatonin, it is beyond any doubt that exogenouse administration of melatonin to aging rodents postpones their aging and/ or prolongs their life (Figure 1). Unfortunately, for mysterious or tactical reasons, those experiments have not been properly replicated, while the deceptive behaviour against the anti-aging properties of melatonin continues. Of course, melatonin serves to indicate that the pineal gland is directly involved in the aging process. Pineal grafting experiments disclose a dramatic new approach for strategies to postpone aging. Also, these fundamental experiments have not been replicated, although they may soon, several years after their initial publication! The pineal grafting experiments also serve to indicate that the pineal gland, via its links to the entire neuroendocrine system, controls the "programme of aging" and that in-fact an aging pineal can accelerate aging even in a normal young animal carrying his own young pineal (Figure 2). These striking observations help to understand that other key mechanisms and/or molecules must be operative for the anti-aging and the aging-accelerating properties of pineal grafting. Whether or not the anti-aging and the pro-aging capacities of the young and old pineal gland depend on a unique mechanism, it is reasonably clear that pineal peptides play a basic role.
That melatonin could significantly postpone aging thanks to its anti-oxidative and hydroxyradical-scaveniging properties, (like those of vitamin E or glutathione), is not supported either by logic or by any serious in-vivo confirmation. It does not seem to me that the many receptor-mediated effects of melatonin and the myriad of affinity binding mechanisms can explain its anti-aging properties. The anti-stress, immuno protecting effects of melatonin show a rather slow "buffer" mechanism. This reinforces our hypothesis that melatonin does not by itself exerts the activities observed but ratherprotects the pineal gland from aging. But nocturnal melatonin supplements will not protect from aging when the age of the animals is too advanced! This has now been proven in another kind of placebo-controlled clinical trial, in which perimenopausal women aged 42 to 62 years, have been treated with melatonin. After six months the evidence emerges that younger women are more susceptible than older women to the anti-aging properties of melatonin. This fact strongly supports the view that the beneficial and pineal-protecting effects of melatonin are more pronounced at a time when the pineal is still relatively young. This unexpected finding indicates that melatonin can exert a more pronounced anti-aging effect if the administration starts rather early in life, in so-far as it protects the pineal from aging! This observation is fundamental for the preventive use of melatonin in anti-aging interventions and strengthens the suggestion that the mechanism of action of melatonin cannot be attributed to a "hormonal" effect on specific receptors, but rather to a relatively simple night saturation of melatonin content in the pineal gland, and consequent abrogation of night endogenous melatonin production (which is a rather energy consuming and complex two-phase enzymatic process).
If this suggestion is true, it must be possible to drastically reduce or abrogate aging-dependent endocrine and metabolic dysfunctions by the administration of exogenous melatonin in the early, post-pubertal life of mammals, (man included), as hinted by the emerging results in perimenopausal women.
Melatonin delays and reverses menopause in women
(Abstract from "Experimental Gerontology", 36, 297-310, 2001)
Night levels of melatonin in mammals and man decline progressively in the course of aging. Also, the function of the thyroid gland and of sex glands (ovaries and testes) decline steadily, while on the contrary in the hypophysis the production of gonadotropins (luteotropic hormone, LH and follicle stimulating hormone, FSH) constantly increase. Those hormones regulate the production of estrogens and progesterone in the ovaries and the menstrual cycle and testosterone in the testes. The increase of LH and FSH is a clear-cut aging signal for sexual and reproductive functions, both in males and in females (i.e. menopause and andropause).
Previous studies with laboratory animals had shown that evening administration of melatonin in senescent animals, as well as transplantation of a young pineal into old animals produces a true reversal of sexual decay. This has been shown by measuring (in that part of the brain that controls sexual organs and functions- the hippocampus), receptors which regulate the synthesis of LH and FSH (gonadotropins) in the hypophysis (Figure 3). This remarkable evidence induced us to evaluate the effects of melatonin in women from pre-menopausal and peri-menopausal age (from 42 to 52 years of age) until menopause (from 52 to 62 years of age). The question was: is pineal melatonin, whose blood levels decline in the course of aging in the sexual-reproductive tract of women, responsible for, or directly connected with the onset of menopause? Are we able to modify or eventually delay menopase by evening administration of melatonin?
Measurement of melatonin in saliva before the initiation of the study allowed us to select women with nocturnal low basal levels of melatonin, as well as women with medium night levels of melatonin and finally women with high night levels of melatonin. This served to verify if the possible effects of melatonin administration, depend only on a condition of individual endogenous melatonin deficiency.
Women were strictly divided into homogeneous groups (melatonin or placebo) according to age and also to their endogenous levels of nocturnal melatonin in the saliva. Before initiation, blood samples were taken for measurement of hormones and all women answered questions in a questionnaire, concerning mood, sleep, and all psychic problems and neurovegetative symptoms typical of women' climacteric. Half of the selected women started taking 3mg of highly pure melatonin while the other half took placebo, this was conducted with the classic double-blind method (neither the physician nor the patient know if the patient takes the active substance or not). After three and six months from the initiation of the treatment, hormonal measurements were repeated and all women answered again all the questions.
The results obtained after three and six months, (a period of time ethically acceptable for the administration of placebo), have shown that:
All women, in particular those who had shown individual low night levels of melatonin in their saliva, had a very remarkable improvement of latent and unsuspected conditions of low thyroid function (hypothyroidism). In-fact, we observed a significant increase of the active thyroid hormone triiodothyronin (T3) in all women independently from their night levels of melatonin and to a minor extent of its precursor thyroxin (T4) only in women with medium and low endogenous levels of melatonin (Table 4). The effect of melatonin does not depend on pituitary TSH (thyrotropin stimulating hormone) but on the direct effect of melatonin on the thyroid gland (conversion of T4 into T3, the active hormone).
In the course of six months, evening administration of 3mg melatonin produced a clear-cut decrement in blood of the pituitary hormone LH (which increases progressively in the course of aging). This was most noticeable in the younger women (43 to 49 years of age). Therefore, the recovery of pituitary function to a more juvenile pattern of regulation is more pronounced and rapid in younger women (Figure 4a and 4b). This equaled to an arrest and even a reversal of brain aging and restoration of reproductive functions in the women taking evening melatonin.
As a confirmation of a restoration of thyroid and sexual functions consequent to the evening use of melatonin, seven women, at 2 and more years after onset of menopause (complete interruption of the menstrual cycle), have now reacquired a normal and physiological menstrual cyclicity.
Finally, 96% of women who had taken melatonin, declared a total disappearance of morning depression, which is typical in perimenopausal and menopausel women.
Our results demonstrate that a clear-cut, cause-effect relationship exists between the function of the pineal gland and night secretion of melatonin on one side, and aging of sexual functions on the other side. The decline of synthesis and release of pineal melatonin during aging, signals to us a central hypotlamaic alteration of the control of the juvenile hormonal cyclicity and the progressive quenching of fertility in women. Our results show that nocturnal administration of melatonin produces a recovery of thyroid function (synthesis of T3 and T4) and pituitary (hypophysis) sensitivity to ovary regulation (decrease of LH and FSH) in the direction of a remarkable recovery of more juvenile sexual-reproductive functions. The effect of evening administration of melatonin is more pronounced in younger women and in women with lower melatonin levels in saliva (before initiation of oral melatonin treatment).
Women (and men), wake up!
Who is afraid of melatonin? Since the publication in New York in August 1995 of the American bestseller Melatonin Miracle (Simon and Schuster, 1995, authors W. Pierpaoli and W. Regelson with Carol Colman) (Figure 5) which is now translated into 17 different languages, an oppressive air of suspicion and conspirational silence descended in old Europe upon the word "melatonin." This is only broken from time to time by isolated flashes of light, which in-turn are immediately clouded by untimely and clumsy interventions of the "insiders" of the press and television. In-fact, the simple and clear scientific reality of the matter should not to be classed with day-to-day "disposable products." It took millions of years for Mother Nature to elaborate its logical strategy, which we are now really starting to perceive and interpret. Few people read and try to learn and understand before opening their mouth, particularly newsmen and reporters. They must produce an inexhaustible supply of exciting news daily, while Mother Nature, fortunately for us, does not measure time or regard fashions. As my mother, a woman of central Italy, used to say : "They open their mouth and give out breath!" (She was referring to politicians and their mental and personal deficiencies).
The basic question is : "Why do we age?" The answer is so simple to the point, that it sounds provocative and strange, and for many of my colleagues outrageous, as did the straightforward observation of Galileo to the Fathers of the Catholic Church in the Vatican: "And yet (the earth) it moves!" We age in a way similar to that in which we grow! But then, what is melatonin needed for? It inhibits aging. Why? Simply because it prevents aging of the remarkable "switchyard" in the pineal gland (which truly is not a typical gland!). Nocturnal administration of melatonin prevents the pineal from deteriorating, from decaying into a heap of scrap, and thus from becoming unsuitable to deliver the precise signals which regulate the natural rhythms of day and night. These precise messages keep us constantly synchronized through the hormonal system with the environment in which we live. If and when we stray from this natural pathway, we develop diseases and age more rapidly. The so-called reality of the world in which we live escapes our sensorial and psychological consciousness, simply because we are an integral part of it! We navigate in a dimension whose nature and boundaries we ignore. Our only reference marks are the rhythms scanned by day, night and the seasons. It would be like asking a fish to describe air, or a bird to say what life in the water looks like.
But is melatonin a true hormone? No! Can it induce damage? No! Melatonin is produced and secreted by different tissues and organs, but during night-time only by the pineal gland. Even at huge dosages and for very long periods, melatonin is totally harmless. Well documented data for this exists, but it is never mentioned ! However, a few milligrams (3mg) of melatonin suffices to put the pineal at "night rest" and thus to protect the pineal, our hormonal switchboard center, from aging! If the pineal does not age, we cannot possibly age, or at least the aging process will never again be as we have seen and experienced it until now.
Why do I address women?
I wish to speak to women because they are more adaptable and flexible and thus rightly live longer. They read more and are able to ponder what they hear and read. They are the vehicles of family, peace and serenity, the true basis of our daily life. They have endured the dominance of men for millennia and can thus better help destroy a world of ignorance, lies and egoism. For this reason, two years ago we started a long, expensive, wearisome and unannounced investigation under the guidance of Dr. Giulio Bellipanni and his co-worker Pierluigi Bianchi at the Menopause Center of the Madonna delle Grazie Clinic in Velletri, near Rome. Using accepted strict scientific criteria we aimed at answering the most obvious and urgent question concerning the aging of women : What is menopause? Can it be prevented, delayed or modified? If melatonin is able to decelerate or even to stop aging, what more suitable model is there than menopause? We now have the answer, and it is extremely convincing.
Our findings have been elaborated and have recently been published. Nocturnal melatonin alone can deeply modify the hormonal and psychosomatic conditions in the perimenopausal years, which can extend from 40 to 60 years of age. Here we only mention what is published in an official scientific journal, to inform all women about it in order to alleviate the countless problems they face daily in family and society. Menopause is simply the end of the hormonal "fertility program" of women, but this program is perfectly amenable to modification. It is not true that "the ovaries are depleted!" They simply atrophy according to their "genetic program." But the expression of that program is purely hormonal, and we can restore the juvenile hormonal control of the ovaries. Certainly the juvenility and health of women are linked to the maintenance of a juvenile hormonal status, which can be supported with nocturnal melatonin administration. In perimenopausal women, melatonin in the most striking fashion, reconstitutes the juvenile hormonal conditions and produces a rapid regression of all the neurovegetative and psychic alterations of menopause, in particular the states of nervousness, anxiety and depression. In addition, we can now address the issue of an impressive combination of melatonin with zinc. Zinc is a basic mineral in the body and essential for the function of over 200 enzymes that are fundamental for the respiration of all cells in the body. The combination of melatonin and zinc dramatically accelerates the effects of melatonin and boosts a depressed immunity. This is all documented. The answer to our queries is clear, simple and strictly scientific. Nocturnal administration of melatonin can resynchronize the entire hormonal system and, by protecting the pineal from aging, can maintain the juvenility of the pineal and its capacity to synthesize other very remarkable molecules. We found another of these molecules 12 years ago, but it must be studied in more detail before being used. At the present time only melatonin is available, which according to our studies is better if taken with zinc. This is all published in excellent scientific journals. Nothing I have stated is casual or extemporized!
Enough of trivial reservations regarding jet-lag and sleep, together with threats of "hormonal side-effects" : Melatonin is, as I said recently in a BBC interview in London, a "gift of God" and can harm only those who do not take it! People (especially women), are now able to appreciate what hormonal and metabolic aging means and thus also prevent it. Others, let them wait to have "youth genes" inserted! At present, 3 milligrams of melatonin and zinc is sufficient for me and all those dear to me before switching off the light and sinking into refreshing sleep Who is right? We shall see in a few years!
[Ed- As can be gleened from Dr. Pierpaoli's excellent and provocative article- he is passionate about Melatonin and his work (and rightly so). Dr. Pierpaoli also become annoyed at the low quality of melatonin on the market and has since devised his own formula. This version is "more" than just melatonin and contains "other" natural substances that work synergistically. We were all staggered at IAS to find that it is far more potent than any other form of melatonin we've used! The new form is called TI-MElatonin ® and details of it are outlined below].
TI-MElatonin ®: Biological effects and scientific information
TI-MElatonin ® expresses the best imaginable melatonin preparation available on the world-market and is now available as a food additive and dietary supplement to anybody wanting to take advantage of the extraordinary scientific observations of Dr. Walter Pierpaoli and his co-workers.
The basic experimental findings of 35 years of research, resulted in the discovery of the undeniable existence of a programmed "Aging Clock" in the pineal gland complex of the brain.
We have investigated the possible mechanisms and also the molecules which presumably cooperate and synergize with melatonin in the regulation and re-synchronization of the fundamental immunological and hormonal functions, (which are normally lost or deranged in the course of aging). In recent studies and long-term experiments with old rodents it has been observed that zinc can completely correct aging-dependent immunodepression and several other hormonal and metabolic alterations typical of aging. It has been found that the low zinc levels in aging animals can be restored to normal values with nocturnal administration of melatonin or transplantation of the pineal gland from young animals into older animals6-9. Zinc is an essential component of more than 200 enzymes and one of the most relevant trace elements in the body8,9. It is therefore clear that additional zinc must be supplemented daily to the body of an aging organism with a low zinc balance, in-order that melatonin can better exert its anti-aging activities on the entire neuroendocrine and immune systems! This important and novel scientific observation of the powerful anti-aging and immonoenhancing activity of the combination of zinc and melatonin has now resulted into the development of TI-MElatonin ®.
Furthermore, selenium is a fundamental trace element of the body and possesses powerful anti-cancer effects. But modern agriculture and alimentary habits have dramatically decreased the daily input of selenium from the diet. Selenium is essential for the enzymatic reaction responsible for the synthesis of glutathione, a powerful physiological molecule which constantly protects the body from oxidative damage. A lack of selenium will thus result in a loss of the detoxification capacity of the body, immunodepression and onset of degenerative diseases and cancer10. This is the reason why TI-MElatonin ® combines, (in a unique synergistic combination), the three fundamental anti-aging molecules of melatonin, zinc and selenium. Whilst melatonin plays the master role for reactivation and restoration of its natural night peak to juvenile levels, (this resulting into normalization of all measurable immunological and endocrine functions in the course of aging), the positive age-postponing, metabolic and immunological effects of TI-MElatonin ® can be measured easily by anybody with a normal periodic check-up! These restoring metabolic changes will become progressively more visible and remarkable over the course of years, after initiation of the treatment with TI-MElatonin ®.
Further studies are now in progress and they will allow us to progressively add more elements suitable to further improve and accelerate the rejuvenizing effects of nocturnal melatonin. But the "programme of aging" can be slowed down now to a more acceptable rate with regular nocturnal use of TI-MElatonin ®.
TI-MElatonin ®: Composition of active components in each tablet
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), 3mg, synthetic, certified purity: (99.9 % (HPLC), Zinc-orotate x 2H2O, 50mg corresponding to 8.7mg zinc. Selenium, 50mcg, from sodium selenite pentahydrate. TI-MElatonin ® is produced in Switzerland in compliance with the severe international rules of Good Manufacturing Practise (GMP) and under licence of Swiss Health Authorities.
Contraindications and general suggestions
TI-MElatonin ® should not be given to healthy children, pregnant women and lactating mothers unless specifically prescribed by a physician. There is no evidence that TI-MElatonin ® could adversely influence the effects and activity of estrogens. On the contrary, melatonin increases the density of estrogen receptors in sensitive target tissues (mammary gland, womb, ovaries, etc.) and greatly improves their actions. There are no contraindications for dietary supplements containing melatonin, zinc and selenium. No ascertained, life-threatening, acute or moderate, short- or long-term side-effects have been scientifically demonstrated or reported.
Melatonin must be taken late in the evening at bedtime in order to mimic and restore the physiological night peak, which normally declines progressively during the course of aging. As mentioned in the literature reported above, the progressive abrogation of melatonin night-cyclicity during aging is considered to be a basic signal expressing the extinction of the most fundamental regulatory system in the body. This brain "clock" is genetically and evolutionary linked to the sun, the planetary system and the obvious dependence of our health from daily and nocturnal, rhythmic cyclicity. Every person expresses their own genetically inherited nocturnal peak of melatonin, with very large individual variability. However, in the majority of the population, the night elevation of melatonin declines and most of us become "flat" after 80 years of age. This is a basic aging message from the "clock"11.
The dosage of melatonin is still rather empyrical and based on animal and human studies. The blood night level generated by 3mg by far exceeds the normal night levels of healthy young persons. However, melatonin is rapidly metabolized and excreted by the kidneys with no consequences.
Use of beta-blockers in the evening may abrogate the night peak of melatonin. If they must be taken, it may be necessary to take them in the morning or to increase the dosage of melatonin. Circadian, night melatonin seems to produce a resynchronization of the entire neuroendocrine system and will certainly improve metabolic and hormonal functions, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, thyroid, gonadal and adrenal functions. These effects can be easily evaluated with a routine check-up. Melatonin will counteract the negative side-effects of corticosteroids and of di-stressful agents, thus protecting the immune system. Melatonin does not induce sleep but facilitates its onset and produces a sleep pattern which is typical of children or young persons. It greatly improves the quality of sleep and its restoring physical and psychological effects, with a clear improvement of morning mood and body muscle strength.
Melatonin is not a drug and it is not itself a cure for any disease! Melatonin is ubiquitous in nature, cells, plants, animals, tissues and any living organism. Milk, vegetables, cereals, rice, meat, etc., contain variable amounts of melatonin. Synthetic melatonin could be theoretically replaced by alimentary melatonin in the daily food, but its replacement would be problematic and difficult to achieve for everybody.
Melatonin produced by the pineal gland seems to be responsible for the night peak, while melatonin produced by the gut and the retina does not seem to affect the nocturnal levels. It is thus evident that the night peak of melatonin initiates a sequence of positive effects with a cascade of events which maintain the body systems synchronized with the physiological cyclicity of hormones and cells. This night "signal" is essential for the maintenance of immunity and the "surveillance" against the onset of tumors. Therefore melatonin is a fundamental element for prevention of aging-related diseases, including cancer, autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases. Melatonin cannot be considered a classical "hormone," although it is so-named. It does not possess any of the qualities of the classical hormones like growth hormone, cortisol, estrogens, thyroid hormones etc. It is rather a chemical mediator whose mechanism is still unknown. It modulates and controls the synthesis and secretion of all hormones within a circadian and seasonal periodicity and variability. It has been given at a huge dosage of grams daily for prolonged periods, and to 1500 women at the daily dosage of 300mg for years with no observed late side-effects and consequences. The administration of melatonin to restore the physiological adaptation of the body to circadian and seasonal periodicity is only the beginning of a new medicine based on the concept that nobody can escape the established laws of Nature within the solar-planetary system, in which man developed as a mammalian species. We must be able to restore and correct the derangements of this adaptation system and maintain it in its original juvenile conditions. These metabolic conditions can be perfectly measured and maintained under balance, not with a cumbersome and complex hormonal supplementation (e.g. testosterone, growth hormone, pregnenolone, etc.), but with a correction of the central regulatory system located in the "pineal complex" (pineal gland and the many anatomical and functional connections in the brain and the neuroendocrine-immune systems).
TI-MElatonin ® is perfectly suitable to re-synchronize all neuroendocrine functions. TI-MElatonin ® contains basic elements which will synergize in order to obtain more rapid effects and to compensate the loss of fundamental minerals, due to a wrong diet or to aging. The beneficial effects of melatonin in the normalization of zinc levels have been scientifically proven and constitute a basic tool for maintenance of hormonal and immune functions and to restore these functions during aging.
Common agents which antagonize synthesis and secretion of melatonin
Alcohol, corticosteroids, beta-blockers (especially in the evening), caffeine, nicotine and many chemical substances with pharmacological activity can antagonize the synthesis and secretion of Melatonin. But melatonin does not itself antagonize the activity of any drug and can be used in combination with any medical drug and pharmaceutical speciality. Nocturnal melatonin will in-fact improve the effectiveness and activity of drugs as a consequence of its synchronizing properties on the entire neuroendocrine and immune systems.
TI-MElatonin ®: Suggested daily dosages as a dietary supplement
Between 40 and 50 years of age: 1.5mg to 3mg at bedtime (peremptorily at the same hour, with half an hour tolerance). After 50 years until 75 years of age: 3mg at bedtime- as above. From 75 years of age: 3-6mg at bedtime- as above.
Although not mandatory, it is indicated to take TI-MElatonin ® for 5 months in summer (May-June-July-August-September) and for 5 months in winter (November-December-January-February-March). TI-MElatonin ® can be safely taken without intervals after 50 years of age, in the presence of chronic, degenerative diseases and cancer, or as a protective agent under stressful conditions (night-work, exposition to poisons and noxious agents, time-zone travel etc.).
It is strongly recommended to take TI-MElatonin ® for periods of weeks before and after surgical interventions to ameliorate general conditions (mood, immunity, etc.) and to accelerate immunological reconstitution, wound healing, tissue regeneration and recovery from anesthesia toxicity after the operation.
For jet-lag we suggest taking 3mg of TI-MElatonin ® for four to five days at 10-11 PM, local time, on arrival at the place of destination and to repeat the same procedure after returning to the original place of departure.
Key-words (42)
Aging, andropause, anti-oxidant, autoimmunity, biorhythms, brain ischemia, cancer, cholesterol, cholitis, coronary and cardiovascular diseases, depression, dietary supplement, eye diseases, fertility, heart infarction, hepatitis, humour, hypertension, immunity, insomnia, jetlag, libido, medical food, melatonin, menopause, multiple sclerosis, natural molecules, nervosity, osteoporosis, parkinson, pineal gland, prostata, selenium, senescence, sex power, sleep, stress, surgery, thyroid diseases, ti-melatonin, Walter Pierpaoli, zinc.
References
Authors
How to Stop Aging
You can learn How to Stop Aging and increase your longevity significantly by following the advice given in this tutorial. It has been shown in studies of twins that about a fourth of a given life span is determined by genetics. Therefore about 75% of the life span can be affected by factors that be controlled by making changes to avoid unhealthy habits and acquiring new habits that can improve one's health and make longevity possible.1
This tutorial first covers some of the negative lifestyle choices and how they can affect aging, such as smoking, overeating, obesity and sedentary lifestyles. In the second part, other choices are discussed that have a high probability to help people live longer and healthier, such as diets, supplements, moderate alcohol consumption, exercise and calorie restriction.
The third part of this page introduces longevity exercises, also known as qigong, which are used in China to promote health and longevity. These gentle exercises are noted for improving breathing and other functions of the body, relaxing the mind and increasing feelings of well-being. Many contemporary masters have lived well into their 100's. 2 3 4If you undertake the steps listed in this tutorial, it is highly probable that you can slow the aging process by improving your health and vitality and live a longer, more satisfying life. Two videos regarding qigong are featured on this page for more information.
Qi Gong Rejuvenation Exercises for Longevity
Grand Master Hong from the Kauai Qi Center in Hawaii teaches Rejuvenation qigong exercises that increase and improve the flow of energy (qi), improve balance, cure disease, improve functionality and reduce or eliminate pain. There are testimonials by four students about the healing benefits that they have experienced, including the elimination of diabetes medications, normalization of blood pressure, reduction of jointpain and increased mobility, improved postures and increased feelings of well-being. Grand Master Hong studied under three masters in China, one of whom is the 108 year old Master Wen. Two types of exercises that Hong teaches are Rejuvenation andShrinking Turtle Qigong.
Step 1: Factors That Shorten Life and Negatively Impact Health
There are several behaviors, for which there is ample scientific and statistical evidence, that increase the rate of aging and can reduce your life span, such as:
Step 2: Factors That Have Been Shown to Increase Health and Extend Life
There are many habits that can contribute to a long and healthy life. These habits include:
Step 3: Practicing Qigong for Longevity
This practice is perhaps the most important part for holding the aging process at bay.Qigong practices can reverse the effects of many diseases associated with aging and can thus extend your lifespan. And ou don't have to be a taoist to enjoy the benefits of these exercises. There are many different forms of qigong and you can find several different exercises that are called "longevity qigong." There are simple and more complex forms, but all are meditative practices that improve the connection between themind and body. Tai chi is a more complex and choreographed qigong that can be practiced as well. Below are some suggestions for the three basic practices within Taoist qigong for increase health and vitality:
Longevity and Anti-Aging Therapy of Qigong
This 10-minute excerpt from a PBS documentary illustrates many of the gentle exercises that qigong practitioners in [[China perform daily to help overcome disease and live longer. Medical qigong doctors are also shown performing healing sessions on patients. A group of cancer patients who have all outlived their expected lifespans after a cancer prognosis are shown performing walking exercises in a park. Scientific attempts to measure qi, or energy, developed by regular practice is covered in the later part of this video.
French doctors have found that the quality of men's' sperm starts to deteriorate by 35, so that by the time a man is 45, a third of pregnancies end up in miscarriage.
Here, with the help of leading clinicians, Angela Epstein tells the Daily Mail the ages when different parts of the body start to lose their battle with time.
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BRAIN - Starts ageing at 20
As we get older, the number of nerve cells or neurons in the brain, decrease. We start with around 100 billion, but in our 20s this number starts to decline. By 40, we could be losing up to 10,000 per day, affecting memory, co-ordination and brain function.
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FERTILITY - Starts ageing at 35
Female fertility begins to decline after 35, as the number and quality of eggs in the ovaries start to fall. The lining of the womb may become thinner, making it less likely for a fertilised egg to take, and also creating an environment hostile to sperm.
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HAIR - Starts ageing at 30
Male hair loss usually begins in the 30s. Hair is made in tiny pouches just under the skin's surface, known as follicles. A hair normally grows from each follicle for about three years, is then shed, and a new hair grows. Most people will have some grey hair by the age of 35. When we are young, our hair is colored by the pigments produced by cells in the hair follicle known as melanocytes.
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GUT - Starts ageing at 55.
A healthy gut has a good balance between harmful and 'friendly' bacteria. But levels of friendly bacteria in the gut drop significantly after 55, particularly in the large intestine. As a result, we suffer from poor digestion and an increased risk of gut disease. Constipation is more likely as we age, as the flow of digestive juices from the stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine slows down.
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BREASTS - Start ageing at 35
By their mid-30s, women's breasts start losing tissue and fat, reducing size and fullness. Sagging starts properly at 40 and the areola (the area surrounding the nipple) can shrink considerably.
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BLADDER - Starts ageing at 65
Loss of bladder control is more likely when you hit 65. Women are more vulnerable to bladder problems as, after the menopause, eclining estrogen levels make tissues in the urethra -- the tube through which urine passes -- thinner and weaker, reducing bladder support.
Bladder capacity in an older adult is generally half that of a younger person -- about two cups in a 30-year-old and one cup in a 70-year-old.
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LUNGS - Start ageing at 20
Lung capacity slowly starts to decrease from the age of 20. By the age of 40, some people are already experiencing breathlessness.
This is partly because the muscles and the rib cage which control breathing stiffen up.
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VOICE - Starts ageing at 65
Our voices become quieter and hoarser with age. The soft tissues in the voice box (larynx) weaken, affecting the pitch, loudness and quality of the voice. A woman's voice may become huskier and lower in pitch, whereas a man's might become thinner and higher.
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EYES - Start ageing at 40
Glasses are the norm for many over-40s as failing eyesight kicks in -- usually long-sightedness, affecting our ability to see objects up close.
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HEART - Starts ageing at 40
The heart pumps blood less effectively around the body as we get older. This is because blood vessels become less elastic, while arteries can harden or become blocked because of fatty deposits forming on the coronary arteries -- caused by eating too much saturated fat.
The blood supply to the heart is then reduced, resulting in painful angina. Men over 45 and women over 55 are at greater risk of a heart attack.
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LIVER - Starts ageing at 70
This is the only organ in the body which seems to defy the aging process.
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KIDNEYS - Starts ageing at 50
With kidneys, the number of filtering units (nephrons) that remove waste from the bloodstream starts to reduce in middle age.
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PROSTATE - Starts ageing at 50
The prostate often becomes enlarged with age, leading to problems such as increased need to urinate. This is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia and affects half of men over 50, but rarely those under 40. It occurs when the prostate absorbs large amounts of the male sex hormone testosterone, which increases the growth of cells in the prostate. A normal prostate is the size of a walnut, but the condition can increase this to the size of a tangerine.
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BONES - Start ageing at 35
'Throughout our life, old bones are broken down by cells called osteoclasts and replaced by bone-building cells called osteoblasts -- a process called 礎one turnover'. Children's bone growth is rapid - the skeleton takes just two years to renew itself completely. In adults, this can take 10 years. Until our mid-20s, bone density is still increasing. But at 35, bone loss begins as part of the natural ageing process.
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TEETH - Start ageing at 40
As we age, we produce less saliva, which washes away bacteria, so teeth and gums are more vulnerable to decay. Receding gums - when tissue is lost from gums around the teeth - is common in adults over 40.
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MUSCLES - Start ageing at 30
Muscle is constantly being built up and broken down, a process which is well balanced in young adults. However, by the time we're 30, breakdown is greater than buildup, explains Professor Robert Moots. Once adults reach 40, they start to lose between 0.5 and 2 per cent of their muscle each year. Regular exercise can help prevent this.
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HEARING - Starts ageing mid-50s
More than half of people over 60 lose hearing because of their age, according to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.
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SKIN - Starts ageing mid-20s
The skin starts to age naturally in your mid-20s.
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TASTE AND SMELL - Start ageing at 60
We start out in life with about 10,000 taste buds scattered on the tongue. This number can halve later in life. After we turn 60, taste and smell gradually decline, partly as a result of the normal ageing process.
Can We Prevent Aging?
- Antioxidants
- Calorie Restriction, Intermittent Fasting, Resveratrol, and Rapamycin
- Hormones
- Human Growth Hormone
- Testosterone
- Hormones in Women
- DHEA
- Many Questions, Seeking Answers
- For More Information
People are living longer. In 1970, the average life expectancy at birth in the United States was 70.8 years; in 2008, it was 78.0 years; and by 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau projects life expectancy will reach 79.5 years.
Views on aging are also changing. Disease and disability were once considered an inevitable part of growing older, but that is no longer true. While aging does put us at greater risk for health issues, many older adults can be healthy and active well into their advancing years.
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the Federal Government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), investigates ways to support healthy aging and prevent or delay the onset of age-related disease and decline. We have already gained important insights, and what we learn from ongoing and future studies may not only help to increase longevity, but may also promote what is known as “active life expectancy”—the time in late life free of disability. We already know, for example, that healthy eating and exercise and physical activity help promote healthy aging. Are there other interventions that can help? NIA-supported and other studies are taking a look at the possible benefits and risks of a number of approaches, including antioxidants, calorie restriction, and hormone supplements. This tip sheet provides an overview of what we know about these interventions and the research needed to learn more. Until we have a better understanding, it is a good idea to be skeptical of claims that any supplements can solve your age-related problems.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants protect the body from the harmful effects of by-products known as free radicals, made normally when the body changes oxygen and food into energy. The discovery of antioxidants raised hopes that people could slow aging simply by adding them to the diet. So far, studies of antioxidant-laden foods and supplements in humans have yielded little support for this conclusion. Further research, including large-scale epidemiological studies, might clarify whether dietary antioxidants can help people live longer, healthier lives. For now, although the effectiveness of dietary antioxidant supplementation remains controversial, there is positive evidence for the health benefits of fruits and vegetables.
Calorie Restriction, Intermittent Fasting, Resveratrol, and Rapamycin
Scientists are discovering that what you eat, how frequently, and how much may have an effect on quality and years of life. Of particular interest has been calorie restriction, a diet that is lower by a specific percent of calories than the normal diet but includes all needed nutrients. Research in some animals has shown calorie restriction of up to 40 percent fewer calories than normal to have an impressive positive effect on disease, markers of aging, and, perhaps, life span.
Even though calorie restriction appears to work in a variety of species, its effects on longevity are far from universal. It has been found to extend the life of protozoa (very small, one-celled organisms), yeast, fruit flies, some strains of mice, and rats, as well as other species. However, several animal models, including wild mice, show no lifespan extension by calorie restriction. In some strains of mice, calorie restriction even appears to shorten lifespan. Studies in nonhuman primates have also had conflicting results.
Calorie restriction studies with humans and other primates, such as monkeys, are ongoing. Some studies in nonhuman primates have shown that calorie restriction reduces the incidence of certain diseases such as cancer. Other studies in primates have not yet reached final conclusions.
Findings of the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) pilot study in humans showed that overweight adults who cut their calorie consumption by 20 to 30 percent lowered their fasting insulin levels and core body temperature. Both of these changes correlate with increased longevity in animal models. The lower calorie intake also reduced their risk for major causes of mortality such as heart disease and diabetes. CALERIE is currently evaluating a 2-year, 25 percent reduction in caloric intake for feasibility, safety, and effects on factors influencing longevity and health.
Scientists do not yet know if long-term calorie restriction is safe, beneficial, or practical for humans. However, the study of calorie restriction offers new insights into the aging process and biological mechanisms that could influence healthy aging. This research may also provide clues about how to prevent or delay diseases that become more prevalent with age and inform the development of treatments for such diseases.
Some studies focus on identifying chemicals that somehow mimic calorie restriction’s benefits. Resveratrol, a compound found naturally in foods like grapes and nuts, is of interest. In one study, scientists compared two groups of overweight mice on a high-fat diet. One group was given a high dose of resveratrol together with the high-fat diet. The overweight mice receiving resveratrol were healthier and lived longer than the overweight mice that did not get resveratrol. In a follow-up study, researchers found that, when started at middle age, resveratrol slowed age-related deterioration and functional decline of mice on a standard diet, but did not increase longevity. A recent study in humans reported that resveratrol may have some similar health benefits to those in animals; however, it is still too early to make any definitive conclusions about how resveratrol affects human health and aging. More research is needed before scientists know if there is a proper and safe dose of resveratrol or if it has any clinical applicability in people.
Rapamycin is also being investigated. This compound is used to help suppress the immune system in transplant patients so that the body does not reject the new organ. Rapamycin has been found to extend median and maximum lifespan of mice, even when fed to the animals beginning at early-old age. This finding suggests that an intervention started later in life may still increase longevity. Researchers are now looking for rapamycin’s effects on health span of animal models. Since rapamycin treatment in people is associated with serious toxicities, its potential for human long-term use is uncertain. Researchers do not know if rapamycin has any effect on human aging or if any potential benefit would outweigh risks. But, this discovery in mice has led to an exciting new research direction.
Scientists are also looking at the effect of intermittent fasting or reduced meal frequency. In animals, like mice, reduced meal frequency appears to have a protective effect on the brain and may also help with heart function and regulation of sugar content in the blood. However, here, too, the influence of intermittent fasting on human health and longevity is currently unclear.
While research into these types of approaches continues, it is important to remember there is already plenty of research supporting the value of a healthy, balanced diet and physical activity to help delay or prevent age-related health problems.
Hormones
Hormones are chemical messengers that set in motion different processes to keep our bodies working properly. For example, they are involved in regulating our metabolism, immune function, sexual reproduction, and growth. Hormones are made by specialized groups of cells within the body’s glands. The glands—such as the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, and testes—release hormones into the body as needed to stimulate, regulate, and control the function of other tissues and organs involved in biological processes. Most hormones are typically found in very low concentrations in the bloodstream. But a hormone’s concentration will fluctuate depending on the body’s activity or time of day.
We cannot survive without hormones. As children, hormones help us grow up. In our teenage years, they drive puberty. As we get older, some hormone levels naturally decline. But what does that mean? Scientists do not know exactly.
In order to learn more, NIA is investigating how the administration of hormones to older people affects frailty and function. Many of these studies focus on hormones that naturally decline with age, including:
- Human growth hormone
- Testosterone
- Estrogen and progesterone (as part of menopausal hormone therapy)
- Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
How Hormones Work
A hormone acts upon a cell much like a key unlocking a door. After being released by a gland, a hormone molecule travels through the blood until it finds a cell with the right fit. The hormone latches onto a cell via the cell’s receptor. When this happens a signal is sent into the cell. These signals may instruct the cell to multiply, make proteins or enzymes, or perform other vital tasks. Some hormones can even cause a cell to release other hormones.
A hormone may fit with many types of cells but may not affect all cells in the same way. For example, one hormone may stimulate one cell to perform a task, but it might also turn off a different cell. Additionally, how a cell responds to a hormone may change throughout life.
Hormone Therapy
Levels of some hormones change naturally over the lifespan. Some hormones increase with age, like parathyroid hormone that helps regulate the amount of calcium in the blood and bone. Some tend to decrease over time, such as testosterone in men and estrogen in women. When the body fails to make enough of a hormone because of a disease or disorder, a doctor may prescribe hormone supplements. These come in many forms such as pills, shots, topicals (gels, creams, and sprays applied to the skin), and medicated skin patches.
You may have read magazine articles or seen television programs suggesting that treatment with hormones can make people feel young again or can slow or prevent aging. That’s because finding a “fountain of youth” is a captivating story. The truth is that, to date, no research has shown that hormone therapies add years to life or prevent age-related frailty. And, while some drugs have real health benefits for people with clinical hormone deficiencies due to a disease or disorder, they also can cause harmful side effects. That’s why people who have a diagnosed hormone deficiency should still only take hormones prescribed by a doctor and under a doctor’s supervision.
In some cases, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may have approved a hormone (or hormone therapy) for one purpose, but it is prescribed by physicians for another. This off-label use may occur when physicians believe that research, such as clinical studies, demonstrates a drug’s usefulness for another condition. However, consumers should be aware that off-label use of any drug may not have been tested and verified to the same degree as the original use of the drug.
Some Dangers of Hormone Therapy and “Anti-Aging” Supplements
Higher concentrations of hormones in your body are not necessarily better. And, a decrease in hormone concentration with age is not necessarily a bad thing. The body maintains a delicate balance between how much hormone it produces and how much it needs to function properly. Natural hormone production fluctuates throughout the day. That means that the amount of hormone in your blood when you wake up may be different 2, 12, or 20 hours later.
If you take hormone supplements, especially without medical supervision, you can adversely affect this tightly controlled, regulated system. Replacement or supplemental hormones cannot replicate your body’s natural variation. Because hormonal balance is so intricate, too much of a hormone in your system may actually cause the opposite of the intended effect. For example, taking a hormone supplement can cause your own hormone regulation to stop working. Or, your body may process the supplements differently than the naturally produced hormone, causing an alternate, undesired effect. It is also possible that a supplement could amplify negative side effects of the hormone naturally produced by the body. At this point, scientists do not know all the consequences.
Some hormone-like products are sold over the counter without a prescription. Using them can be dangerous. Products that are marketed as dietary supplements are not approved or regulated by the FDA. That is, companies making dietary supplements do not need to provide any proof that their products are safe and effective before selling them. There is no guarantee that the “recommended” dosage is safe, that the same amount of active ingredients is in every bottle, or that the substance is what the company claims. What you bought over the counter may not have been thoroughly studied, and potential negative side effects may not be understood or defined. In addition, these over-the-counter products may interfere with your other medications. NIA does not recommend taking any supplement touted as an “anti-aging” remedy because there is no proof of effectiveness and the health risks of short- and long-term use are largely unknown.
Human Growth Hormone
Growth hormone is important for normal growth and development, as well as for maintaining tissues and organs. It is made by the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure located at the base of the brain.
Research supports supplemental use of human growth hormone (hGH) injections in certain circumstances. For instance, hGH injections can help children who do not produce enough growth hormone. Sometimes hGH injections may be prescribed for young adults whose obesity is the result of having had their pituitary gland surgically removed. These uses are different from taking hGH as an “anti-aging” strategy. As with other hormones, growth hormone levels often decline with age, but this decrease is not necessarily bad. At least one epidemiological study suggests that people who have high levels of naturally produced growth hormone are more apt to die at younger ages than those with lower levels of the hormone. Researchers have also studied animals with genetic disorders that suppress growth hormone production and secretion. They found that reduced growth hormone secretion actually promotes longevity in the tested species.
Although there is no conclusive evidence that hGH can prevent aging or halt age-related physical decline, some clinics market hGH for that purpose, and some people spend a great deal of money on such supplements. Shots can cost more than $15,000 a year. These shots are only available by prescription and should be administered by a doctor. But, because of the unknown risks—and the evidence suggests that side effects strongly overcome any possible benefits—it is hard to find a doctor who will prescribe hGH shots. Over-the-counter dietary supplements, known as human growth hormone releasers, are currently being marketed as low-cost alternatives to hGH shots. But claims of their anti-aging effects, like all those regarding hGH, are unsubstantiated.
Research is starting to paint a fuller picture of the effects of hGH, but there is still much to learn. For instance, study findings indicate that injections of hGH can increase muscle mass; however, it seems to have little impact on muscle strength or function. Questions about potential side effects, such as diabetes, joint pain, and fluid buildup leading to high blood pressure or heart failure, remain unanswered, too. A report that children who were treated with pituitary growth hormone have an increased risk of cancer created a heightened concern about the dangers of hGH injections. Whether or not older people treated with hGH for extended periods have an increased risk of cancer is unknown. To date, only small, short-term studies have looked specifically at hGH as an “anti-aging” therapy for older people. Additional research is necessary to assess the potential risks and benefits of hGH.
Testosterone
Testosterone is a vital sex hormone that plays an important role in puberty. In men, testosterone not only regulates sex drive (libido), it also helps regulate bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells and sperm. Testosterone isn’t exclusively a male hormone—women produce small amounts as well.
As men age, they often produce somewhat less testosterone, especially compared to years of peak testosterone production during adolescence and early adulthood. Normal testosterone production ranges widely, and it is unclear what amount of decline or how low a level of testosterone will cause adverse effects.
In recent years, the popular press has increasingly reported about “male menopause,” a condition supposedly caused by diminishing testosterone levels in aging men. There is very little scientific evidence that this condition, also known as andropause or viropause, exists. The likelihood that an aging man will experience a major shutdown of testosterone production similar to a woman’s menopause is very remote. In fact, many of the changes that take place in older men often are incorrectly attributed to decreasing testosterone levels. For instance, some men experiencing erectile difficulty (impotence) may be tempted to blame it on lowered testosterone, but many cases of erectile problems are due to circulatory problems.
For men whose bodies make very little or no testosterone, testosterone replacement may offer benefits. FDA-approved testosterone drugs come in different forms, including patches, injections, and topical gels. Men whose testes (the reproductive glands that make testosterone and sperm) have been damaged or whose pituitary glands have been harmed or destroyed by trauma, infections, or tumors may also be prescribed testosterone. Treatment with testosterone drugs can help men with exceptionally low testosterone levels maintain strong muscles and bones and increase their sex drive. It is unclear if men who are at the lower end of the normal range for testosterone production would benefit from treatment.
More research is needed to learn what effects testosterone drug therapy may have in healthy older men without these extreme deficiencies. NIA is investigating the role of testosterone therapy in delaying or preventing frailty and helping with other age-related health issues. Results from preliminary studies involving small groups of men are inconclusive. Specifically, it remains unclear to what degree testosterone supplements can help men maintain strong muscles and sturdy bones, sustain robust sexual activity, or sharpen memory.
There are also concerns about the long-term, harmful effects that testosterone drugs might have on the aging body. Most epidemiological studies suggest that higher natural levels of testosterone are not associated with a higher incidence of prostate cancer—the second leading cause of cancer death among men. However, scientists do not know if taking testosterone drugs increases men’s risk for developing prostate cancer or promoting the growth of an existing tumor. There is also uncertainty about effects of testosterone treatment on the cardiovascular system in older men, especially men with mobility limitations and other diseases. Future studies will address this issue to ensure that older men receiving testosterone treatment are not exposed to unnecessary risks.
The bottom line: there is no scientific proof that testosterone treatment in healthy men will help them age better. Until more scientifically rigorous studies are conducted, it is not known if the possible benefits of testosterone therapy outweigh any of its potential risks. NIA continues to conduct research to gather more evidence about the effects of testosterone treatment in aging men.
Hormones in Women
Estrogen and progesterone are two hormones that play an important part in women’s menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Estrogen also helps maintain bone strength and may reduce the risk of heart disease and memory problems before menopause. Both estrogen and progesterone are produced naturally by the ovaries. However, after menopause, the ovaries make much less of these hormones. For more than 60 years, millions of women have used estrogen to relieve their menopausal symptoms, especially hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Some women may also be prescribed estrogen to prevent or treat osteoporosis—loss of bone strength—that often happens after menopause. The use of estrogen (by a woman whose uterus has been removed) or estrogen with progesterone or a progestin, a synthetic form of progesterone (by a woman with a uterus), to treat the symptoms of menopause is called menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), formerly known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
There is a rich research base investigating estrogen. Many large, reliable long-term studies of estrogen and its effects on the body have been conducted. Yet, much remains unknown. In fact, the history of estrogen research demonstrates why it is important to examine both the benefits and risks of any hormone therapy before it becomes widely used. Here’s what scientists know:
- Endometrial problems—While estrogen helps some women with symptom management during and after menopause, it can raise the risk of certain problems. Estrogen may cause a thickening of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) and increase the risk of endometrial cancer. To lessen these risks, doctors now prescribe progesterone or a progestin, in combination with estrogen, to women with a uterus to protect the lining.
- Heart disease—The role of estrogen in heart disease is complex. Early studies suggested MHT could lower postmenopausal women’s risk for heart disease—the number one killer of women in the United States. But results from the NIH Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) suggest that using estrogen with or without a progestin after menopause does not protect women from heart disease and may even increase their risk.
- Dementia—Some observational studies have suggested that estrogen may protect against Alzheimer’s disease. However, testing in clinical trials in older, postmenopausal women has challenged that view. In 2003, researchers leading the WHI Memory Study (WHIMS), a substudy of the WHI, reported that women age 65 and older who took one kind of estrogen combined with progestin were at twice the risk for developing dementia compared to women who did not take any hormones. In 2004, WHIMS scientists reported that using the same kind of estrogen alone also increased the risk of developing dementia in women age 65 and older compared to women not taking any hormones. What possibly accounts for the different findings between the observational and clinical studies? One central issue may be timing. The women in the WHIMS trial started treatment a decade or more after menopause. In observational studies that reported estrogen’s positive effects on cognition, the majority of women began treatment soon after menopause. This has led researchers to wonder if it may be advantageous to begin treatment earlier, at a time closer to menopause. Additionally, it appears that progesterone and progestins (progesterone-like compounds) differ in their impact on brain health.
You may also have heard about another approach to hormone therapy for women—“bioidentical hormones.” These are hormones derived from plants, such as soy or yams, that have identical chemical structures to hormones produced by the human body. The term “bioidentical hormones” is now also being applied to the use of compounded hormones. Large clinical trials of these compounded hormones have not been done, and many bioidentical hormones that are available without a prescription are not regulated or approved for safety and efficacy by the FDA. FDA-regulated bioidentical hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, are available by prescription for women considering MHT.
For middle-age and older women, the decision to take hormones is far more complex and difficult than ever before. Questions about MHT remain. Would using a different estrogen and/or progestin or different dose change the risks? Would the results be different if the hormones were given as a patch or cream, rather than a pill? Would taking progestin less often be as effective and safe? Does starting MHT around the time of menopause, compared to years later, change the risks? Can we predict which women will benefit or be harmed by using MHT? As these and other questions are addressed by research, women should continue to review the pros and cons of MHT with their doctors. They should assess the benefits as well as personal risks to make an informed decision about whether or not this therapy is right for them. NIA has additional free information on menopausal hormone therapy in the tip sheet Hormones and Menopause.
DHEA
Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is made from cholesterol by the adrenal glands, which sit on top of each kidney. It is converted by the body into two other important hormones: testosterone and estrogen.
For most people, DHEA production peaks in the mid-20’s and then gradually declines with age. The effects of this decline, including its role in the aging process, are unclear. Even so, some proponents claim that over-the-counter DHEA supplements can improve energy and strength and boost immunity. Claims are also made that supplements increase muscle and decrease fat. To date, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that DHEA supplements have any of these benefits.
The conversion of naturally produced DHEA into estrogen and testosterone is highly individualized. There is no way to predict who will make more or less of these hormones. Having an excess of testosterone or estrogen in your body could be risky.
Scientists do not yet know the effects of long-term (defined as over 1 year) use of DHEA supplements. Early indications are that these supplements, even when taken briefly, may have detrimental effects on the body, including liver damage. But the picture is not clear. Two short-term studies showed that taking DHEA supplements has no harmful effects on blood, prostate, or liver function. However, these studies were too small to lead to broader conclusions about the safety or efficacy of DHEA supplementation.
Researchers are working to find more definite answers about DHEA’s effects on aging, muscles, and the immune system. In the meantime, if you are thinking about taking DHEA supplements, be aware that the effects are not fully known and might turn out to cause more harm than good.
Many Questions, Seeking AnswersNIA supports research that seeks to learn more about aging and the risks and benefits of potential interventions such as antioxidants, calorie restriction, hormone therapies, and supplements. These studies take time. A great deal of basic animal and clinical research remains to be done. And, because research is an incremental process, results can move knowledge forward, but it can also take scientists back to basics. Although one goal of NIA research is to determine whether these interventions improve the health of older people, have no effect, or are harmful, don’t be surprised if the results of these studies open the door to more questions.
Until more is known about antioxidants, resveratrol, and hormone supplements, consumers should view these types of supplements with a good deal of caution and doubt. Despite what advertisements on television, the internet, and magazines may claim, there are no specific therapies proven to prevent aging. Some harmful side effects already have been discovered; additional research may uncover others.
People with genuine deficiencies in specific hormones should consult their doctors about appropriate treatments. Talk with your doctor if you are interested in any form of hormone therapy or “anti-aging” approaches beyond a healthy diet and physical activity. Meanwhile, people who choose to take any hormone supplement without a doctor’s supervision should be aware that these supplements appear to have few clear-cut benefits for healthy individuals and no proven influence on the aging process.
For More Information
For more information on health and aging, contact:
National Institute on Aging
Information Center
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057
1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)
1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)
www.nia.nih.gov
www.nia.nih.gov/espanol
To order free publications (in English or Spanish) or sign up for regular email alerts, go towww.nia.nih.gov/health.
Visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. This website has health and wellness information for older adults. Special features make it simple to use. For example, you can click on a button to make the type larger.
Publication Date: February 2012
Page Last Updated: January 22, 2015
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Biology of Aging
The anti-aging molecule melatonin
In spite of the political denigratory campaign against the anti-aging properties of melatonin, it is beyond any doubt that exogenouse administration of melatonin to aging rodents postpones their aging and/ or prolongs their life (Figure 1). Unfortunately, for mysterious or tactical reasons, those experiments have not been properly replicated, while the deceptive behaviour against the anti-aging properties of melatonin continues. Of course, melatonin serves to indicate that the pineal gland is directly involved in the aging process. Pineal grafting experiments disclose a dramatic new approach for strategies to postpone aging. Also, these fundamental experiments have not been replicated, although they may soon, several years after their initial publication! The pineal grafting experiments also serve to indicate that the pineal gland, via its links to the entire neuroendocrine system, controls the "programme of aging" and that in-fact an aging pineal can accelerate aging even in a normal young animal carrying his own young pineal (Figure 2). These striking observations help to understand that other key mechanisms and/or molecules must be operative for the anti-aging and the aging-accelerating properties of pineal grafting. Whether or not the anti-aging and the pro-aging capacities of the young and old pineal gland depend on a unique mechanism, it is reasonably clear that pineal peptides play a basic role.
That melatonin could significantly postpone aging thanks to its anti-oxidative and hydroxyradical-scaveniging properties, (like those of vitamin E or glutathione), is not supported either by logic or by any serious in-vivo confirmation. It does not seem to me that the many receptor-mediated effects of melatonin and the myriad of affinity binding mechanisms can explain its anti-aging properties. The anti-stress, immuno protecting effects of melatonin show a rather slow "buffer" mechanism. This reinforces our hypothesis that melatonin does not by itself exerts the activities observed but ratherprotects the pineal gland from aging. But nocturnal melatonin supplements will not protect from aging when the age of the animals is too advanced! This has now been proven in another kind of placebo-controlled clinical trial, in which perimenopausal women aged 42 to 62 years, have been treated with melatonin. After six months the evidence emerges that younger women are more susceptible than older women to the anti-aging properties of melatonin. This fact strongly supports the view that the beneficial and pineal-protecting effects of melatonin are more pronounced at a time when the pineal is still relatively young. This unexpected finding indicates that melatonin can exert a more pronounced anti-aging effect if the administration starts rather early in life, in so-far as it protects the pineal from aging! This observation is fundamental for the preventive use of melatonin in anti-aging interventions and strengthens the suggestion that the mechanism of action of melatonin cannot be attributed to a "hormonal" effect on specific receptors, but rather to a relatively simple night saturation of melatonin content in the pineal gland, and consequent abrogation of night endogenous melatonin production (which is a rather energy consuming and complex two-phase enzymatic process).
If this suggestion is true, it must be possible to drastically reduce or abrogate aging-dependent endocrine and metabolic dysfunctions by the administration of exogenous melatonin in the early, post-pubertal life of mammals, (man included), as hinted by the emerging results in perimenopausal women.
Melatonin delays and reverses menopause in women
(Abstract from "Experimental Gerontology", 36, 297-310, 2001)
Night levels of melatonin in mammals and man decline progressively in the course of aging. Also, the function of the thyroid gland and of sex glands (ovaries and testes) decline steadily, while on the contrary in the hypophysis the production of gonadotropins (luteotropic hormone, LH and follicle stimulating hormone, FSH) constantly increase. Those hormones regulate the production of estrogens and progesterone in the ovaries and the menstrual cycle and testosterone in the testes. The increase of LH and FSH is a clear-cut aging signal for sexual and reproductive functions, both in males and in females (i.e. menopause and andropause).
Previous studies with laboratory animals had shown that evening administration of melatonin in senescent animals, as well as transplantation of a young pineal into old animals produces a true reversal of sexual decay. This has been shown by measuring (in that part of the brain that controls sexual organs and functions- the hippocampus), receptors which regulate the synthesis of LH and FSH (gonadotropins) in the hypophysis (Figure 3). This remarkable evidence induced us to evaluate the effects of melatonin in women from pre-menopausal and peri-menopausal age (from 42 to 52 years of age) until menopause (from 52 to 62 years of age). The question was: is pineal melatonin, whose blood levels decline in the course of aging in the sexual-reproductive tract of women, responsible for, or directly connected with the onset of menopause? Are we able to modify or eventually delay menopase by evening administration of melatonin?
Measurement of melatonin in saliva before the initiation of the study allowed us to select women with nocturnal low basal levels of melatonin, as well as women with medium night levels of melatonin and finally women with high night levels of melatonin. This served to verify if the possible effects of melatonin administration, depend only on a condition of individual endogenous melatonin deficiency.
Women were strictly divided into homogeneous groups (melatonin or placebo) according to age and also to their endogenous levels of nocturnal melatonin in the saliva. Before initiation, blood samples were taken for measurement of hormones and all women answered questions in a questionnaire, concerning mood, sleep, and all psychic problems and neurovegetative symptoms typical of women' climacteric. Half of the selected women started taking 3mg of highly pure melatonin while the other half took placebo, this was conducted with the classic double-blind method (neither the physician nor the patient know if the patient takes the active substance or not). After three and six months from the initiation of the treatment, hormonal measurements were repeated and all women answered again all the questions.
The results obtained after three and six months, (a period of time ethically acceptable for the administration of placebo), have shown that:
All women, in particular those who had shown individual low night levels of melatonin in their saliva, had a very remarkable improvement of latent and unsuspected conditions of low thyroid function (hypothyroidism). In-fact, we observed a significant increase of the active thyroid hormone triiodothyronin (T3) in all women independently from their night levels of melatonin and to a minor extent of its precursor thyroxin (T4) only in women with medium and low endogenous levels of melatonin (Table 4). The effect of melatonin does not depend on pituitary TSH (thyrotropin stimulating hormone) but on the direct effect of melatonin on the thyroid gland (conversion of T4 into T3, the active hormone).
In the course of six months, evening administration of 3mg melatonin produced a clear-cut decrement in blood of the pituitary hormone LH (which increases progressively in the course of aging). This was most noticeable in the younger women (43 to 49 years of age). Therefore, the recovery of pituitary function to a more juvenile pattern of regulation is more pronounced and rapid in younger women (Figure 4a and 4b). This equaled to an arrest and even a reversal of brain aging and restoration of reproductive functions in the women taking evening melatonin.
As a confirmation of a restoration of thyroid and sexual functions consequent to the evening use of melatonin, seven women, at 2 and more years after onset of menopause (complete interruption of the menstrual cycle), have now reacquired a normal and physiological menstrual cyclicity.
Finally, 96% of women who had taken melatonin, declared a total disappearance of morning depression, which is typical in perimenopausal and menopausel women.
Our results demonstrate that a clear-cut, cause-effect relationship exists between the function of the pineal gland and night secretion of melatonin on one side, and aging of sexual functions on the other side. The decline of synthesis and release of pineal melatonin during aging, signals to us a central hypotlamaic alteration of the control of the juvenile hormonal cyclicity and the progressive quenching of fertility in women. Our results show that nocturnal administration of melatonin produces a recovery of thyroid function (synthesis of T3 and T4) and pituitary (hypophysis) sensitivity to ovary regulation (decrease of LH and FSH) in the direction of a remarkable recovery of more juvenile sexual-reproductive functions. The effect of evening administration of melatonin is more pronounced in younger women and in women with lower melatonin levels in saliva (before initiation of oral melatonin treatment).
Women (and men), wake up!
Who is afraid of melatonin? Since the publication in New York in August 1995 of the American bestseller Melatonin Miracle (Simon and Schuster, 1995, authors W. Pierpaoli and W. Regelson with Carol Colman) (Figure 5) which is now translated into 17 different languages, an oppressive air of suspicion and conspirational silence descended in old Europe upon the word "melatonin." This is only broken from time to time by isolated flashes of light, which in-turn are immediately clouded by untimely and clumsy interventions of the "insiders" of the press and television. In-fact, the simple and clear scientific reality of the matter should not to be classed with day-to-day "disposable products." It took millions of years for Mother Nature to elaborate its logical strategy, which we are now really starting to perceive and interpret. Few people read and try to learn and understand before opening their mouth, particularly newsmen and reporters. They must produce an inexhaustible supply of exciting news daily, while Mother Nature, fortunately for us, does not measure time or regard fashions. As my mother, a woman of central Italy, used to say : "They open their mouth and give out breath!" (She was referring to politicians and their mental and personal deficiencies).
The basic question is : "Why do we age?" The answer is so simple to the point, that it sounds provocative and strange, and for many of my colleagues outrageous, as did the straightforward observation of Galileo to the Fathers of the Catholic Church in the Vatican: "And yet (the earth) it moves!" We age in a way similar to that in which we grow! But then, what is melatonin needed for? It inhibits aging. Why? Simply because it prevents aging of the remarkable "switchyard" in the pineal gland (which truly is not a typical gland!). Nocturnal administration of melatonin prevents the pineal from deteriorating, from decaying into a heap of scrap, and thus from becoming unsuitable to deliver the precise signals which regulate the natural rhythms of day and night. These precise messages keep us constantly synchronized through the hormonal system with the environment in which we live. If and when we stray from this natural pathway, we develop diseases and age more rapidly. The so-called reality of the world in which we live escapes our sensorial and psychological consciousness, simply because we are an integral part of it! We navigate in a dimension whose nature and boundaries we ignore. Our only reference marks are the rhythms scanned by day, night and the seasons. It would be like asking a fish to describe air, or a bird to say what life in the water looks like.
But is melatonin a true hormone? No! Can it induce damage? No! Melatonin is produced and secreted by different tissues and organs, but during night-time only by the pineal gland. Even at huge dosages and for very long periods, melatonin is totally harmless. Well documented data for this exists, but it is never mentioned ! However, a few milligrams (3mg) of melatonin suffices to put the pineal at "night rest" and thus to protect the pineal, our hormonal switchboard center, from aging! If the pineal does not age, we cannot possibly age, or at least the aging process will never again be as we have seen and experienced it until now.
Why do I address women?
I wish to speak to women because they are more adaptable and flexible and thus rightly live longer. They read more and are able to ponder what they hear and read. They are the vehicles of family, peace and serenity, the true basis of our daily life. They have endured the dominance of men for millennia and can thus better help destroy a world of ignorance, lies and egoism. For this reason, two years ago we started a long, expensive, wearisome and unannounced investigation under the guidance of Dr. Giulio Bellipanni and his co-worker Pierluigi Bianchi at the Menopause Center of the Madonna delle Grazie Clinic in Velletri, near Rome. Using accepted strict scientific criteria we aimed at answering the most obvious and urgent question concerning the aging of women : What is menopause? Can it be prevented, delayed or modified? If melatonin is able to decelerate or even to stop aging, what more suitable model is there than menopause? We now have the answer, and it is extremely convincing.
Our findings have been elaborated and have recently been published. Nocturnal melatonin alone can deeply modify the hormonal and psychosomatic conditions in the perimenopausal years, which can extend from 40 to 60 years of age. Here we only mention what is published in an official scientific journal, to inform all women about it in order to alleviate the countless problems they face daily in family and society. Menopause is simply the end of the hormonal "fertility program" of women, but this program is perfectly amenable to modification. It is not true that "the ovaries are depleted!" They simply atrophy according to their "genetic program." But the expression of that program is purely hormonal, and we can restore the juvenile hormonal control of the ovaries. Certainly the juvenility and health of women are linked to the maintenance of a juvenile hormonal status, which can be supported with nocturnal melatonin administration. In perimenopausal women, melatonin in the most striking fashion, reconstitutes the juvenile hormonal conditions and produces a rapid regression of all the neurovegetative and psychic alterations of menopause, in particular the states of nervousness, anxiety and depression. In addition, we can now address the issue of an impressive combination of melatonin with zinc. Zinc is a basic mineral in the body and essential for the function of over 200 enzymes that are fundamental for the respiration of all cells in the body. The combination of melatonin and zinc dramatically accelerates the effects of melatonin and boosts a depressed immunity. This is all documented. The answer to our queries is clear, simple and strictly scientific. Nocturnal administration of melatonin can resynchronize the entire hormonal system and, by protecting the pineal from aging, can maintain the juvenility of the pineal and its capacity to synthesize other very remarkable molecules. We found another of these molecules 12 years ago, but it must be studied in more detail before being used. At the present time only melatonin is available, which according to our studies is better if taken with zinc. This is all published in excellent scientific journals. Nothing I have stated is casual or extemporized!
Enough of trivial reservations regarding jet-lag and sleep, together with threats of "hormonal side-effects" : Melatonin is, as I said recently in a BBC interview in London, a "gift of God" and can harm only those who do not take it! People (especially women), are now able to appreciate what hormonal and metabolic aging means and thus also prevent it. Others, let them wait to have "youth genes" inserted! At present, 3 milligrams of melatonin and zinc is sufficient for me and all those dear to me before switching off the light and sinking into refreshing sleep Who is right? We shall see in a few years!
[Ed- As can be gleened from Dr. Pierpaoli's excellent and provocative article- he is passionate about Melatonin and his work (and rightly so). Dr. Pierpaoli also become annoyed at the low quality of melatonin on the market and has since devised his own formula. This version is "more" than just melatonin and contains "other" natural substances that work synergistically. We were all staggered at IAS to find that it is far more potent than any other form of melatonin we've used! The new form is called TI-MElatonin ® and details of it are outlined below].
TI-MElatonin ®: Biological effects and scientific information
TI-MElatonin ® expresses the best imaginable melatonin preparation available on the world-market and is now available as a food additive and dietary supplement to anybody wanting to take advantage of the extraordinary scientific observations of Dr. Walter Pierpaoli and his co-workers.
The basic experimental findings of 35 years of research, resulted in the discovery of the undeniable existence of a programmed "Aging Clock" in the pineal gland complex of the brain.
We have investigated the possible mechanisms and also the molecules which presumably cooperate and synergize with melatonin in the regulation and re-synchronization of the fundamental immunological and hormonal functions, (which are normally lost or deranged in the course of aging). In recent studies and long-term experiments with old rodents it has been observed that zinc can completely correct aging-dependent immunodepression and several other hormonal and metabolic alterations typical of aging. It has been found that the low zinc levels in aging animals can be restored to normal values with nocturnal administration of melatonin or transplantation of the pineal gland from young animals into older animals6-9. Zinc is an essential component of more than 200 enzymes and one of the most relevant trace elements in the body8,9. It is therefore clear that additional zinc must be supplemented daily to the body of an aging organism with a low zinc balance, in-order that melatonin can better exert its anti-aging activities on the entire neuroendocrine and immune systems! This important and novel scientific observation of the powerful anti-aging and immonoenhancing activity of the combination of zinc and melatonin has now resulted into the development of TI-MElatonin ®.
Furthermore, selenium is a fundamental trace element of the body and possesses powerful anti-cancer effects. But modern agriculture and alimentary habits have dramatically decreased the daily input of selenium from the diet. Selenium is essential for the enzymatic reaction responsible for the synthesis of glutathione, a powerful physiological molecule which constantly protects the body from oxidative damage. A lack of selenium will thus result in a loss of the detoxification capacity of the body, immunodepression and onset of degenerative diseases and cancer10. This is the reason why TI-MElatonin ® combines, (in a unique synergistic combination), the three fundamental anti-aging molecules of melatonin, zinc and selenium. Whilst melatonin plays the master role for reactivation and restoration of its natural night peak to juvenile levels, (this resulting into normalization of all measurable immunological and endocrine functions in the course of aging), the positive age-postponing, metabolic and immunological effects of TI-MElatonin ® can be measured easily by anybody with a normal periodic check-up! These restoring metabolic changes will become progressively more visible and remarkable over the course of years, after initiation of the treatment with TI-MElatonin ®.
Further studies are now in progress and they will allow us to progressively add more elements suitable to further improve and accelerate the rejuvenizing effects of nocturnal melatonin. But the "programme of aging" can be slowed down now to a more acceptable rate with regular nocturnal use of TI-MElatonin ®.
TI-MElatonin ®: Composition of active components in each tablet
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), 3mg, synthetic, certified purity: (99.9 % (HPLC), Zinc-orotate x 2H2O, 50mg corresponding to 8.7mg zinc. Selenium, 50mcg, from sodium selenite pentahydrate. TI-MElatonin ® is produced in Switzerland in compliance with the severe international rules of Good Manufacturing Practise (GMP) and under licence of Swiss Health Authorities.
Contraindications and general suggestions
TI-MElatonin ® should not be given to healthy children, pregnant women and lactating mothers unless specifically prescribed by a physician. There is no evidence that TI-MElatonin ® could adversely influence the effects and activity of estrogens. On the contrary, melatonin increases the density of estrogen receptors in sensitive target tissues (mammary gland, womb, ovaries, etc.) and greatly improves their actions. There are no contraindications for dietary supplements containing melatonin, zinc and selenium. No ascertained, life-threatening, acute or moderate, short- or long-term side-effects have been scientifically demonstrated or reported.
Melatonin must be taken late in the evening at bedtime in order to mimic and restore the physiological night peak, which normally declines progressively during the course of aging. As mentioned in the literature reported above, the progressive abrogation of melatonin night-cyclicity during aging is considered to be a basic signal expressing the extinction of the most fundamental regulatory system in the body. This brain "clock" is genetically and evolutionary linked to the sun, the planetary system and the obvious dependence of our health from daily and nocturnal, rhythmic cyclicity. Every person expresses their own genetically inherited nocturnal peak of melatonin, with very large individual variability. However, in the majority of the population, the night elevation of melatonin declines and most of us become "flat" after 80 years of age. This is a basic aging message from the "clock"11.
The dosage of melatonin is still rather empyrical and based on animal and human studies. The blood night level generated by 3mg by far exceeds the normal night levels of healthy young persons. However, melatonin is rapidly metabolized and excreted by the kidneys with no consequences.
Use of beta-blockers in the evening may abrogate the night peak of melatonin. If they must be taken, it may be necessary to take them in the morning or to increase the dosage of melatonin. Circadian, night melatonin seems to produce a resynchronization of the entire neuroendocrine system and will certainly improve metabolic and hormonal functions, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, thyroid, gonadal and adrenal functions. These effects can be easily evaluated with a routine check-up. Melatonin will counteract the negative side-effects of corticosteroids and of di-stressful agents, thus protecting the immune system. Melatonin does not induce sleep but facilitates its onset and produces a sleep pattern which is typical of children or young persons. It greatly improves the quality of sleep and its restoring physical and psychological effects, with a clear improvement of morning mood and body muscle strength.
Melatonin is not a drug and it is not itself a cure for any disease! Melatonin is ubiquitous in nature, cells, plants, animals, tissues and any living organism. Milk, vegetables, cereals, rice, meat, etc., contain variable amounts of melatonin. Synthetic melatonin could be theoretically replaced by alimentary melatonin in the daily food, but its replacement would be problematic and difficult to achieve for everybody.
Melatonin produced by the pineal gland seems to be responsible for the night peak, while melatonin produced by the gut and the retina does not seem to affect the nocturnal levels. It is thus evident that the night peak of melatonin initiates a sequence of positive effects with a cascade of events which maintain the body systems synchronized with the physiological cyclicity of hormones and cells. This night "signal" is essential for the maintenance of immunity and the "surveillance" against the onset of tumors. Therefore melatonin is a fundamental element for prevention of aging-related diseases, including cancer, autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases. Melatonin cannot be considered a classical "hormone," although it is so-named. It does not possess any of the qualities of the classical hormones like growth hormone, cortisol, estrogens, thyroid hormones etc. It is rather a chemical mediator whose mechanism is still unknown. It modulates and controls the synthesis and secretion of all hormones within a circadian and seasonal periodicity and variability. It has been given at a huge dosage of grams daily for prolonged periods, and to 1500 women at the daily dosage of 300mg for years with no observed late side-effects and consequences. The administration of melatonin to restore the physiological adaptation of the body to circadian and seasonal periodicity is only the beginning of a new medicine based on the concept that nobody can escape the established laws of Nature within the solar-planetary system, in which man developed as a mammalian species. We must be able to restore and correct the derangements of this adaptation system and maintain it in its original juvenile conditions. These metabolic conditions can be perfectly measured and maintained under balance, not with a cumbersome and complex hormonal supplementation (e.g. testosterone, growth hormone, pregnenolone, etc.), but with a correction of the central regulatory system located in the "pineal complex" (pineal gland and the many anatomical and functional connections in the brain and the neuroendocrine-immune systems).
TI-MElatonin ® is perfectly suitable to re-synchronize all neuroendocrine functions. TI-MElatonin ® contains basic elements which will synergize in order to obtain more rapid effects and to compensate the loss of fundamental minerals, due to a wrong diet or to aging. The beneficial effects of melatonin in the normalization of zinc levels have been scientifically proven and constitute a basic tool for maintenance of hormonal and immune functions and to restore these functions during aging.
Common agents which antagonize synthesis and secretion of melatonin
Alcohol, corticosteroids, beta-blockers (especially in the evening), caffeine, nicotine and many chemical substances with pharmacological activity can antagonize the synthesis and secretion of Melatonin. But melatonin does not itself antagonize the activity of any drug and can be used in combination with any medical drug and pharmaceutical speciality. Nocturnal melatonin will in-fact improve the effectiveness and activity of drugs as a consequence of its synchronizing properties on the entire neuroendocrine and immune systems.
TI-MElatonin ®: Suggested daily dosages as a dietary supplement
Between 40 and 50 years of age: 1.5mg to 3mg at bedtime (peremptorily at the same hour, with half an hour tolerance). After 50 years until 75 years of age: 3mg at bedtime- as above. From 75 years of age: 3-6mg at bedtime- as above.
Although not mandatory, it is indicated to take TI-MElatonin ® for 5 months in summer (May-June-July-August-September) and for 5 months in winter (November-December-January-February-March). TI-MElatonin ® can be safely taken without intervals after 50 years of age, in the presence of chronic, degenerative diseases and cancer, or as a protective agent under stressful conditions (night-work, exposition to poisons and noxious agents, time-zone travel etc.).
It is strongly recommended to take TI-MElatonin ® for periods of weeks before and after surgical interventions to ameliorate general conditions (mood, immunity, etc.) and to accelerate immunological reconstitution, wound healing, tissue regeneration and recovery from anesthesia toxicity after the operation.
For jet-lag we suggest taking 3mg of TI-MElatonin ® for four to five days at 10-11 PM, local time, on arrival at the place of destination and to repeat the same procedure after returning to the original place of departure.
Key-words (42)
Aging, andropause, anti-oxidant, autoimmunity, biorhythms, brain ischemia, cancer, cholesterol, cholitis, coronary and cardiovascular diseases, depression, dietary supplement, eye diseases, fertility, heart infarction, hepatitis, humour, hypertension, immunity, insomnia, jetlag, libido, medical food, melatonin, menopause, multiple sclerosis, natural molecules, nervosity, osteoporosis, parkinson, pineal gland, prostata, selenium, senescence, sex power, sleep, stress, surgery, thyroid diseases, ti-melatonin, Walter Pierpaoli, zinc.
References
- Pierpaoli, W. and Regelson, W. with Carol Colman, "Melatonin Miracle", Simon & Schuster, New York, 1995.
- Pierpaoli, W. The pineal gland: a circadian or a seasonal aging clock? Aging 3: 99-101, 1991.
- Pierpaoli, W. Dall'Ara, A, Pedrinis, E. and Regelson, W. The pineal control of aging. The effects of melatonin and pineal grafting on the survival of older mice. Second Stromboli Conference on Aging and Cancer, June 1990. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 621: 291-313, 1991.
- Pierpaoli, W., and Lesnikov, V.A. The pineal aging clock. Evidence, models, mechanisms, interventions. The Aging Clock. Third Stromboli Conference on Aging and Cancer, June 1993. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 719: 461-473, 1994.
- Pierpaoli, W. and Regelson, W. Pineal control of aging: effect of melatonin and pineal grafting on aging mice. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94: 787-791, 1994.
- Mocchegiani, E., Bulian, D., Santarelli, L., Tibaldi, A., Muzzioli, M., Pierpaoli, W. and Fabris, N. The immuno-reconstituting effect of melatonin or pineal grafting and its relation to zinc pool in aging mice. J. Neuroimmunol. 53: 189-201, 1994.
- Mocchegiani, E., Bulian, D., Santarelli, L., Tibaldi, A., Muzzioli, M., Lesnikov, V., Pierpaoli, W. and Fabris, N. The zinc pool is involved in the immunoreconstituting effect of melatonin in pinealectomized mice. J. Pharmac. & Exp. Therap. 277: 1200-1208, 1996.
- Mocchegiani, E., Bulian, D., Santarelli, L., Tibaldi, A., Pierpaoli, W. and Fabris, N. The zinc-melatonin interrelationship. A working hypothesis. The Aging Clock. Third Stromboli Conference on Aging and Cancer, June 1993. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 719: 298-307. 1994.
- Fabris, N. Neuroendocrine-immune aging: an integrative view on the role of zinc. The Aging Clock. Third Stromboli Conference on Aging and Cancer, June 1993. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 719: 353-368, 1994.
- Meister, A. and Anderson, M.E. Glutathione. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 52: 711-760, 1983.
- Pierpaoli, W. and Lesnikov, V.A. Theoretical considerations on the nature of the pineal "aging clock". Gerontology 43: 20-25, 1997.
- Bellipanni, G., Bianchi. P, Pierpaoli, W., Bulian, D. and Ilyia, E. Effects of melatonin in perimenopausal and menopausal women. A randomized and placebo controlled study.Exp. Gerontol. 36, 297-310, 2001.
- Pierpaoli W, The Biological Basis of Aging and Aging Reversal: Clinical Evidence, Second Monte Carlo Antiaging Conference ™, June 23-24, 2001.
- Bulian, D. and Pierpaoli, W. The pineal gland and cancer. I. Pinealectomy corrects congenital hormonal dysfunctions and prolongs life of cancer-prone C3H/He mice. J. Neuroimmunol. 108: 131-135, 2000.
- Pierpaoli, W. and Bulian, D. The pineal aging and death program. I. Grafting of old pineals in young mice accelerates their aging. J. Anti-Aging Med. 4: 31-37, 2001.
- Roth, G.E., Lesnikov, V., Lesnikova, M., href="../profiles.htm">Ingram D.K. and Lane, M. Dietary caloric restriction prevents the age-related decline in plasma melatonin levels of Rhesus monkeys. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 86: 3292-3295, 2001.
Authors
How to Stop Aging
You can learn How to Stop Aging and increase your longevity significantly by following the advice given in this tutorial. It has been shown in studies of twins that about a fourth of a given life span is determined by genetics. Therefore about 75% of the life span can be affected by factors that be controlled by making changes to avoid unhealthy habits and acquiring new habits that can improve one's health and make longevity possible.1
This tutorial first covers some of the negative lifestyle choices and how they can affect aging, such as smoking, overeating, obesity and sedentary lifestyles. In the second part, other choices are discussed that have a high probability to help people live longer and healthier, such as diets, supplements, moderate alcohol consumption, exercise and calorie restriction.
The third part of this page introduces longevity exercises, also known as qigong, which are used in China to promote health and longevity. These gentle exercises are noted for improving breathing and other functions of the body, relaxing the mind and increasing feelings of well-being. Many contemporary masters have lived well into their 100's. 2 3 4If you undertake the steps listed in this tutorial, it is highly probable that you can slow the aging process by improving your health and vitality and live a longer, more satisfying life. Two videos regarding qigong are featured on this page for more information.
Qi Gong Rejuvenation Exercises for Longevity
Grand Master Hong from the Kauai Qi Center in Hawaii teaches Rejuvenation qigong exercises that increase and improve the flow of energy (qi), improve balance, cure disease, improve functionality and reduce or eliminate pain. There are testimonials by four students about the healing benefits that they have experienced, including the elimination of diabetes medications, normalization of blood pressure, reduction of jointpain and increased mobility, improved postures and increased feelings of well-being. Grand Master Hong studied under three masters in China, one of whom is the 108 year old Master Wen. Two types of exercises that Hong teaches are Rejuvenation andShrinking Turtle Qigong.
Step 1: Factors That Shorten Life and Negatively Impact Health
There are several behaviors, for which there is ample scientific and statistical evidence, that increase the rate of aging and can reduce your life span, such as:
- Smoking - Tobacco causes heart/lung diseases and cancer. For every person that dies from smoking, another 20 will suffer from other serious diseases related to this habit. Smoking can also add 10-20 years of age to your appearance. 5
- Sedentary Lifestyle - You can actually create harm for yourself by not exercising. For specific recommendations regarding exercise, see step 2 of this tutorial. 6
- Overeating/Being overweight - Overeating increases calorie intake, but calorie restriction has been found to increase longevity. 7 Being overweight increases your risk for several types of diseases, including coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. To determine if you are overweight, you need to calculate your body mass index (BMI). The Center for Disease Control has a website for calculating your optimal BMI. 8
- Eating too many sweets - Research has shown that increased sugar consumption, which causes rises in insulin levels, is associated with increased incidence of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. 9
- Excessive alcohol consumption - Alcohol abuse can cause serious health problems including cirrhosis of the liver and premature death. Specific recommendations on limitations for drinking are given in the tips section.10
- Poor sleeping habits - In some cases people burn the candle on both ends and do not get adequate rest to restore their bodies. Studies of twins has shown that sleeping less than 7 hours or more than 8 hours is associated with higher mortality rates. 11
- Living in a polluted environment - Regulations that have cleaned up the air pollution in the United States are believed to be responsible for adding an estimated 5 months to longevity estimates, as estimated from a study of 51 cities that was published in 2009. 12 In other countries without environmental controls, reduction in lifespan by contaminated air is still a risk.
- Stress - If you carry long-term chronic stress, you are at an increased risk of having heart disease and hypertension which will decrease your longevity as well as the quality of your life. 13
Step 2: Factors That Have Been Shown to Increase Health and Extend Life
There are many habits that can contribute to a long and healthy life. These habits include:
- Eating a healthy diet - Eating healthy involves eating foods that are closer to their source, thereby avoiding simpler processed foods. A diet modeled after theMediterranean Diet promotes longevity. This diet features heavier consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, legumes and olive oil. Moderate consumption of alcohol, red meat and milk products is recommended. 14 7
- Reducing calorie intake - Many studies have shown that reducing calorie intake increases longevity. If you lose weight by exercising to burn calories that are excessive consumed, you don't get the health benefits of calorie reduction. 7
- Exercising daily - Exercises can be very simple. The United States National Institute on Aging has put together a guide that helps provide guidance as to the type of exercises that benefit your health and endurance. With exercise, it is possible to prevent or manage disorders such as heart diseases, osteoporosis, breast and [[colon cancer], and diabetes. 15 Exercise can also prevent cognitive decline associated with aging. 16
- Consuming moderate amounts of alcohol - Studies show that light to moderate alcohol consumption can increase longevity as compared to those who totally abstain from drinking. This holds true for red and white wine, distilled spirits, liquor and beer. This effect is associated with a slowing down of the health deterioration that is associated with aging. 17 18
- Taking supplements which combat aging- It is believed that taking supplements that assist in lessening age-related diseases will also extend life, such as antioxidants that can decrease the presence of reactive oxygen and anti-inflammatory substances. While there is evidence for the effects of individual components for the relief of various diseases, research on the use of a multi-component anti-aging supplement has only been done on mice in one study where a 28% increase in longevity was obtained. The supplement had the following components: Vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12, C, D, and E; acetyl L-carnitine; alpha lipoic acid; acetylsalicylic acid (ASA); beta carotene; bioflavonoids; chromium picolinate; cod liver oil; coenzyme Q10; dehydropiandrosterone (DHEA); flax seed oil; folic acid; garlic; ginger; ginko biloba;ginseng; green tea extract; L-glutathione; magnesium; melatonin; N-acetyl cysteine; potassium, rutin; selenium and chelated zinc. 19 The overall evidence for anti-aging supplements is very weak to non-existent for humans. Most of the studies that have been done have been done on animals. Many supplements do not survive the digestive processes intact, such as glucosamine-chondroitin supplements. There is evidence that, as we age, there are decreasing levels of several important hormones such as testosterone, growth hormone, melatonin and DHEA. This has driven some research in hormone replacement therapy, but there is no evidence for supplements in these categories for increasing longevity. 20
- Having the ability to withstand stress - Those who have a positive outlook often look at stress events as challenges that have solutions. A study of centenarians show that they exhibit very little anxiety under stressful conditions and they had a positive outlook. 21 22
Step 3: Practicing Qigong for Longevity
This practice is perhaps the most important part for holding the aging process at bay.Qigong practices can reverse the effects of many diseases associated with aging and can thus extend your lifespan. And ou don't have to be a taoist to enjoy the benefits of these exercises. There are many different forms of qigong and you can find several different exercises that are called "longevity qigong." There are simple and more complex forms, but all are meditative practices that improve the connection between themind and body. Tai chi is a more complex and choreographed qigong that can be practiced as well. Below are some suggestions for the three basic practices within Taoist qigong for increase health and vitality:
- Breath meditations - Breathing diaphragmatically is an essential part of Taoistqigong. By breathing in this manner, the internal organs are massaged, which helps digestion and the flow of blood and lymph internally. Toxins are more readily removed because of this increase internal circulation. In this method, the belly is allowed to relax and move outward with the in-breath as the diaphragm relaxes. The upper chest is allowed to relax downward and does not expand with the in-breath. With practice, the whole of the area below the rib cage expands front-to-back and side-side. The practice is not done in a forced manner, and over time, with gentle and consistent practice, this type of breathing can be perfected. Practice of at least 20 minutes one to two times a day is recommended. 23
- Standing Meditation - This practice has been called the "million-dollar secret" of qigong by Taoist Lineage Master Bruce Frantzis in the book "Opening the Energy Gates." The practice is also advocated by Lam Kam Chuen in his book, "The Way of Energy." It is also called "Zhan Zhuang." Instructional materials can be found for these practices in the aforementioned books. Another detailed instructional on Zhan Zhuang can be found on Squidoo, under the title "Standing Qigong." 24
- Moving Qigong Practices - It is best to find an instructor who can help you with all moving qigong practices. The alignments and postural corrections of a qualified instructor can speed up the learning process and provide an objective look at how you are progressing. Good beginner practices include the "Eight Brocades," as illustrated in a book by Lam Kam Chuen, and "Dragon-Tiger," which is taught by Bruce Frantzis. Both of these forms are easy to learn and have a depth to their practice which can take years to perfect and understand. Alternatively, you can learn short forms of tai chi, such as the Yang 24-posture or an even shorter 11-posture form if there is a qualified instructor available. The 24-posture Yang form is the most commonly practiced version of tai chi.
Longevity and Anti-Aging Therapy of Qigong
This 10-minute excerpt from a PBS documentary illustrates many of the gentle exercises that qigong practitioners in [[China perform daily to help overcome disease and live longer. Medical qigong doctors are also shown performing healing sessions on patients. A group of cancer patients who have all outlived their expected lifespans after a cancer prognosis are shown performing walking exercises in a park. Scientific attempts to measure qi, or energy, developed by regular practice is covered in the later part of this video.
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