New Research about Sirtuins Responsible for the Anti-aging Activity

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Introduction

If you are worried about getting old and frail, you are not alone. Most people are afraid of getting old. Fear of old age is not new. No one likes the idea of being bedridden and sick in their old age. We have accepted it as a part of life but also continue to detest it.

However, there is someone who believes that aging that early is not inevitable. Dr David Sinclair, a profess at Harvard University, believes aging to be a disease like any other and thinks that it can be treated. Dr Sinclair teaches genetics at Harvard and is considered a leader in the field of anti-aging. He has been researching the field of anti-aging for many decades. He has written many papers and books on the topic of anti-aging but his most notable works include two books titled Just in Time: The Discovery of Sirtuin and How It Will Change Everything and Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don’t Have To. In these books, Sinclair presents his theory about aging and explains why we can not only stop aging but also even reverse it. The basis of Sinclair’s anti-aging theory lies in the cellular substances and genes that are associated with aging.

Figure 1 – Lifespan. A David Sinclair Book

Before David Sinclair’s recent research on anti-aging and the discovery of sirtuins, the field of anti-aging largely relied on calorie restriction. Restricting calories increases the lifespan of many organisms such as yeast, rodents, fish, and spiders. Dr David Sinclair was a huge proponent of calorie restriction for its anti-aging properties. However, at best, the benefits were limited and temporary. The process also requires you to lower your meal portions so that the body goes into energy conservation mode.

In humans, the anti-aging effects of calorie restriction remain largely unproved. We also don’t quite understand how calorie restriction is supposed to work. According to David Sinclair, calorie restriction works by telling the body to conserve its resources and use them to repair things better instead of multiplying the usual cells. Calorie restriction is supposed to activate sirtuins genes that, in turn, slow down aging. However, the longevity effects of calorie restriction are not proven. This brings us to the current approach to anti-aging.

David Sinclair’s Anti-Aging Theory

The recent approach to anti-aging aims to take the fight to the aging instead of focusing on slowing it down. In Lifespan, David Sinclair presents his ‘Information Theory of Aging’. He says, “I have come to see aging as a disease— the most common disease—one that not only can but should be aggressively treated”. He goes on to state that we are “bringing an end to aging as we know it”. Effective aging is deeper than treating the various diseases that come at old age. It is about sustaining the processes in the body that keep our body young and healthy. David Sinclair believes that increasing the lifespan is not enough and that we should improve the healthspan of our body as well. This entails providing our body with everything it needs to sustain our youth and health.

Sinclair believes that instead of just attempting to slow aging down, we can actually reverse it in humans. While these may seem like tall claims with no substance, he does not make these claims lightly. All his claims are backed by revolutionary This David Sinclair book goes to great lengths to explain why aging is not just something we should accept as our fate. Furthermore, recent research in Sirtuins shows promising results for the field of anti-aging.

Research has discovered the role of genes called Sirtuins in age-related ailments in the human body. Sirtuins are a group of seven genes that are instrumental in regulating aging-related processes. Turning on these gene leads to a wide range of benefits associated with anti-aging. Most importantly, they “protect the chromosomes, they protect stem cells from being lost, they protect cells from senescing.” Calorie restriction is supposed to slow down aging by activating sirtuin genes as well. However, this can be done more effectively and without having to restrict your diet with the help of modern substances.

In the last few years, scientists have discovered that a substance known as Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) is effective in turning Sirtuins on. NAD is found in all living cells. As we age, NAD levels in our cells decline progressively. This decline can lead to various aging-related problems. In Lifespan, this has been explained in detail with the help of several research studies done in the field. This David Sinclair book also highlights the fact that declining levels of NAD with age leads to lower Sirtuins activity. That, in turn, results in issues such as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other diseases associated with aging. We can slow down and reverse aging-related processes by providing our cells with an increased supply of NAD to make up for the losses of NAD, as we age. In order to replenish the lowering NAD levels in our body, its precursors such as Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) are needed. NMN is a precursor to NAD and an increased supply of NMN to the cells can help restore the level of NAD available to the body. While other precursors like Nicotinamide Riboside have the potential to do the same things as NMN, David Sinclair has stated that he prefers NMN over NR.

David Sinclair’s Choice of Supplements

David Sinclair has stated, on many occasions, that he thinks NMN to be beneficial because of its anti-aging properties. He takes 1 gram (1000 mg) of NMN and 0.5 gram (500 mg) of Resveratrol daily during breakfast. He also takes TMG to replenish the methyl group used by NAD. Since David Sinclair is one of the world’s leading experts on anti-aging supplements, it is safe to assume that whatever he is taking is also not only safe for consumption but also likely to be effective.

The question that arises here is why David Sinclair is believed to be a leading expert in anti-aging. After all, why should we care about the supplements David Sinclair takes and his reasons for doing so? The answer to this question lies in the decades’ worth of anti-aging research done by Sinclair. He has 35 patents to his name while his research papers have been cited over 77 thousand times in other research papers and academic books. The fact that he has done years of extensive research on the subject makes him an authority on which substances are likely to slow down aging. While the research on anti-aging supplements is far from conclusive, enough studies have given us a good place to start.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is NMN safe for consumption?

While the research on NMN and NAD is still fairly new, so far, the research on NMN has shown that it is completely safe for consumption.

2. What are the possible side effects of using NMN?

No side effects have been reported in researches studying NMN consumption. Some minor side effects such as leg cramps, flushing, dizziness, and headaches have been experienced by people taking large doses but they can be managed by changing the amount of dosage.

3. What is a proper dose for this NMN supplement?

While the correct dosage for NMN w/ Resveratrol LIPO Gel depends upon your specific goals and how far along into achieving them, among other factors, studies have shown that you can take up to 1000 mg of NMN per day.

4. Should I take NMN or NR?

While the decision of choosing the right supplement rests entirely on you, you should know that NR gets converted into NMN which, in turn, gets converted into NAD. Some losses will occur while NR gets converted into NMN. Thus, you might require a higher dose of NR to get the same results, you can get from a smaller dose of NMN. Lastly, we know that David Sinclair, the leading expert on anti-aging, takes NMN himself. This might tell you a lot about which supplement is more effective.

 

 

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