Age reversal may seem like the stuff of fantasy, but Dr. David Sinclair, Co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Laboratories for the Molecular Biology of Aging and a Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School is working hard to make it a reality.
Dr. Sinclair has already identified a chemical that may reverse the process of aging. At some point in the near future, increasing the levels of that chemical in humans could change the way we live and age.
The team of researchers have reported finding a molecule that reactivates faltering blood flow in aging mice. Reduced blood flow plays a major role in the process of aging since it deprives organs and tissues, including the brain, of the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to function optimally.
In an interview for Time Sinclair said, “Loss of blood flow seems to be one of the early things that leads to diseases of aging,”
“As organs like the brain and muscles lose their [blood] perfusion, they no longer function effectively.”
In March 2017 Science published Sinclair’s lab research showing how NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) which is then made into another compound that promotes the formation of tiny blood vessels in cells that line the muscle, as well as other organs, called NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) can reverse mice muscle aging and improve DNA growth, which usually splits and regrows imperfectly as part of the aging process. The results have indicated that it is possible to repair DNA damage from aging and radiation in mice.
“NAD is a chemical found in every living organism and is essential for life. Recently, scientists have discovered that our bodies also use NAD to turn on our defenses against aging. When we exercise or diet, NAD levels go up and we become healthier. The problem is that as we age, our body makes less and less NAD. We need to find ways to boost it up again.”, Sinclair said told Slate.
NMN provides benefits in improving blood flow that physical exercise does by promoting a family of sirtuin molecules, says Sinclair.
“Here we have the potential of having a pill give the benefits of basically running for 10 miles a day without having to do that,”
“That can be especially important for older people who are physically unable to exercise as much as they should. “It’s not just about trying to replace exercise when you are middle-aged, but giving you the benefits of exercise when you are too old to be able to do it.”
Dr. Sinclair, who is taking his own molecule to reduce the process of aging, says his biological age has dropped by 24 years after using the pill.
His father was 79-years-old when he had been water rafting and backpacking a year-and-a-half after starting using the molecule, Sinclair said.
Sinclair also added that his sister-in-law regained her fertility, despite having started to transition into menopause in her 40s, thanks to the treatment.
Human trials for the miracle treatment should already be underway since June 2017. And while studies exploring its efficiency are not scheduled to appear for a few more years, you can keep an eye on David Sinclair’s Twitter page to keep yourself up to date.
If you would like to know more about the topic, check out Joe Rogan’s in-depth interview with Dr. Sinclair.
Can you imagine living a healthy and productive life a hundred years from now? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.
