Selenium
There has never been a study to test the effects on lifespan of the trace mineral selenium, but an early study, which examined the toxicity of selenium (and other minerals) found, by accident, that it extended the lifespan of laboratory mice. There have been dozens of studies showing that dietary selenium can help to prevent a wide variety of cancers, and that it may be useful in the treatment of cancer. Anyone taking selenium on a daily basis for antiaging purpose should be careful to keep their doses low to avoid the possibility of toxic side effects.
Procaine (GH3 And KH3)
The two most popular antiaging drugs in the world are Gerovital-H3 from Romania (GH3) and KH3 from Germany. The active ingredient in both these drugs is procaine, which is also the active ingredient in the numbing dental drug Novocaine. The benefits of procaine were initially touted by Romanian physician Ana Aslan, who claimed that her GH3 formula could be used in the treatment of virtually all the diseases of aging. Subsequent studies in Europe and the U.S. with both GH3 and KH3 showed that these drugs are effective antidepressants, and that they may be useful in treating arthritis. A large animal study conducted by Aslan showed that GH3 extended the lifespan of laboratory mice by 20%. A subsequent, much smaller study, using higher doses of GH3, did not show prolongation of lifespan.
DMAE
In three experiments, the drug DMAE, sold in the U.S. and Europe under the names Deaner and Lucidril extended the lifespan of mice up to 49.5% when given in the animals' drinking water. In the early 1980s, Riker Laboratories, the manufacturer of DMAE decided to withdraw the drug from the market because of poor sales for its FDA-approved use (hyperactivity in children). Since then, a similar version, commonly sold under the name DMAE has become available as a dietary supplement. The combination of DMAE and the herb gingko has become popular as a cognitive-enhancing therapy or "smart drug".
Centrophenoxine
Centrophenoxine extended the mean lifespan of laboratory animals, in one study, perhaps through its active component, dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE). It has also been shown to be effective in treating neurologic impairment due to aging, and in reducing the age-associated accumulation of pigmentation in neurons, muscle cells and skin cells. Studies in humans have shown that Centrophenoxine can improve both learning and memory, and, as a result, it is commonly used as a "smart drug".
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Aminoguanidine
Glycosylation is the pathological binding of glucose to an amino acid that results in the formation of a non-functioning structure in the body. Diabetics suffer from an accelerated rate of glycosylation, and many of the premature degenerative diseases common in Type I and Type II diabetes is attributed to the glycosylation process.
As organisms age, glycosylation becomes a major factor in the development of aging-relating diseases. Some gerontologists believe that glycosylation is the most significant biologic event responsible for the degenerative diseases of arterial system, the eye and the brain. Those seeking to add healthy years to their lives have a significant interest in interfering with the glycosylation process.
Oxidative damage plays a role in the glycosylation process, which helps to explain why antioxidant supplements have shown benefit in preventing diseases associated with diabetes. It requires a lot more than antioxidants, however, to adequately block age-related glycosylation.
While a number of antiglycating agents are in the development stage, aminoguanidine has been available to Life Extension members for many years.
When reports of toxicity were reported in a FDA-sanctioned human clinical study conducted two years ago, The Life Extension Foundation sought to ascertain what dose of aminoguanidine was causing toxic reactions. The company conducting the studies, and the FDA, refused to provide this information.
After two years of painstaking investigation, The Foundation has learned that when 300 mg of aminoguanidine where administered three times a day (900 mg/day) to diabetic patients, toxicity was noted. When the dose was lowered to 200 mg three times a day (600 mg/day), the signs of toxicity vanished. These results confirm The Foundation's previous recommendations, based on extrapolations from the published literature, that healthy adults may consider taking 300 mg of aminoguanidine a day (or every other day), while diabetics could consider a maximum dose of 600 mg a day. Semi-monthly CBC-chemistry blood tests should be considered in order to protect against any unknown liver or kidney toxicities.
As more European suppliers have begun offering aminoguanidine, the cost has declined sharply, making this an inexpensive addition to one's life extension regimen.
Hydergine
Hydergine is another "smart drug", which has been shown to improve learning and memory in both young and old men and women. In clinical trials, Hydergine has been shown to improve blood supply to the brain, increase the amount of oxygen available to the brain, enhance metabolism in brain cells, prevent free radical damage in brain cells, increase ATP levels in the brain, and enhance the use of energy-generating glucose in the brain. Hydergine is available as a prescription drug in the United States, but is available at higher doses in Europe.
Piracetam
Piracetam is the foremost of the so-called nootropic "smart drugs". It is a derivative of the amino acid GABA that increases the sensitivity of receptors involved in learning and memory in brain neurons. Studies in both animals and humans have shown that Piracetam can improve memory, increase attention and concentration, and improve spatial learning. Piracetam is, perhaps, the most potent of the "smart drugs", and is used commonly to increase intelligence, information processing ability and creativity. Piracetam has been shown to harmonize and synchronize the spheres of the brain by modulating electrical activity within the brain.
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Vinpocetin
Vinpocetin is another of a new class of "smart drugs", whose effects are similar to that of Hydergine. Among the clinical benefits of taking vinpocetin, which have been demonstrated in humans, are therapeutic benefits for dizziness, headache, poor hearing, poor eyesight, insomnia, mood instability, vertigo, irritability and nervousness. Vinpocetin improves blood circulation to the brain, which improves cognitive function and protects against stroke. It is not available in the U.S., but can be obtained from offshore companies offering unapproved drugs to Americans for their own personal use.
Chromium Picolinate
This patented form of the trace mineral chromium has been shown to lower blood glucose (sugar) and is considered a potential antiglycosylation agent. In one study, supplementation with chromium picolinate reportedly extended the lifespan of laboratory rats. After 41 months, 80% of rats receiving chromium were still alive, while all the control rats had died. There was also a reduction in AGES (Advanced Glycation End products) in the animals receiving chromium. In human studies, chromium picolinate has been found to decrease body fat and enhance lean body mass, while lowering blood cholesterol levels. Other studies with chromium picolinate have not produced the same kind of results.
Dilantin (Phenytoin) And Phenformin
In 1980, Russian scientists reported that the drugs Dilantin (phenytoin) and Phenformin had extended animal lifespan by 25% and 23% respectively in a strain of mice prone to autoimmune disease. Dilantin is an FDA-approved drug commonly prescribed to normalize electrical activity in epilepsy patients. Studies around the world have shown that Dilantin is useful for a wide variety of conditions including depression, headache, and neurologic disorders. Phenformin is a prescription antidiabetic drug, which lowers blood sugar in patients suffering from this disease, which suggests that it might have antiglycosylation effects. Both drugs have serious side effects, which makes them relatively poor candidates for long-term use.
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Picamilon
The hottest new "smart drug" is the Russian therapy Picamilon, which has been shown to be better than Hydergine and Vinpocetin in improving blood flow to the cerebral vessels in the brain, as well as reduced oxygen flow (ischemia) to the brain. Picamilon is sold as a pharmaceutical in Russia, but is really a vitamin-like compound, consisting of a niacin analog (N-Nicotinoyl) bonded to GABA. This combination creates a molecule that readily penetrates the blood- brain barrier to enhance cerebral and peripheral circulation, and improve cognitive function.
Pyritinol
Recent evidence suggests that a European medication called Pyritinol may be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease. When compared Hydergine and placebo, Pyritinol produced continuous improvement in cognitive function, which was more pronounced than in the Hydergine group. Pyritinol is used in Europe for the treatment of a wide variety of neurologic disorders. The Pyritinol molecule is structurally similar to Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), but functions in a different way within the body. Pyritinol is not available in the U.S.
Pregnenolone
Pregnenolone is known as the "mother hormone" because it is the precursor of a number of of hormones including DHEA, Testosterone and estrogen. Studies have demonstrated that the neurosteroid Pregnenolone has a potent stimulatory effect on memory, and that it can be taken to improve several types of cognitive function. Because there have been no studies on the effects of Pregnenolone on aging and lifespan, these are being investigated in The Lifespan Project.
Testosterone
The hormonal stimulus for sex drive in both men and women is Testosterone, which declines with advancing age in both sexes. Testosterone also plays an important role in maintaining muscle mass and strength and bone density. The hormone is often administered to aging men and women as a topical cream, but also is available in oral and injectable forms.
Estrogen and Progesterone
The "female" steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone play important roles in maintaining bone density and strength, sexual function, mental function and, in women, in countering the effects of the menopause. Recent studies indicate that estrogen may be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease, and that estrogen supplementation may protect women from Alzheimer's and other neurologic diseases. Both estrogen and progesterone are available in a variety of forms -- natural or synthetic, oral or topical. There is considerable interest in the use of plant-derived phytoestrogens, which have weak (but safe) estrogenic activity as a possible replacement for drug forms of estrogen. One product, Natural Estrogen, has been specially designed for this purpose.
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