Notes from the American Aging Association Meeting of June, 2010 and the Linus Pauling Institute Spring newsletter
American Aging Association Meeting of June, 2010- INFLAMMATION SUMMARY
70% of death is caused by infection/inflammation; 16-30% by traumatic sepsis; 1-10% by age alone. Human life expectancy has increased 2.5yrs each decade since 1850. 50% of 21st century births will live past 100. Life expectancy at age 70 rose from 6 to 17 years between 1970-1992.
Risk of obesity is as bad as smoking; by 2030, 1 in 8 will be over 65; by 2013, 20% will be obese
1) With normal life curve people die often when relatively young, some live to near maximum lifespan
2) With antioxidants and exercise, health span extended greatly, most live to near maximum lifespan
3) With caloric restriction, maximum lifespan is substantially increased, 30-50%
NIH is testing caloric restriction mimetics. Useful – aspirin and resveratrol; possible – green tea, curcumin; new and promising – manoheptulose
Major cause of chronic diseaeses like cancer and dementia is inflammation, that increases in everyone with age, causing shrinkage of thymus where naive cells for immune response are produced. Vitamin C keeps thymus nearly twice as large with age. Blueberries (BB) reduce brain inflammation. BB, green tea, vitamin D, and exercise increase neurogenesis.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS: *Longer telomeres reduce chronic disease. Relaxation, Vitamin D, C, E, and multivitamins maintain telomere length. *Melatonin restores immune function gene expression, reduces tumor incidence 60%- 3 mg 5 times weekly at bed time. *Testosterone decreases with age, but it is very beneficial and substantially decreases inflammation.
[link to UNEDITED notes – highly recommended for lots more information – CoQ, etc.]
Notes from the Linus Pauling Institute Newsletter [subscribe at lpi@oregonstate.edu]
Director Balz Frei reveals his supplement regimen: Multivitamin/mineral supplement, 500 mg vit. C, 2,000 IU vit. D, 1,200 mg fish oil, 400 mg lipoic acid, 1,000 mg acetyl-carnitine [see Juvenon]. He gets vitamin E from the multivitamin and fish oil, calcium from multi and other sources including yogurt.
Lengthy article endorses importance of 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily – it reduces heart disease, muscle weakness, inflammation, and poor immune function. 70% of Americans have low vitamin D levels.
One recent study found risk of morbidity, organi failure, and length of stay in intensive carre units was substantially reduced by supplemental vitamin C and E prior to surgery. The combination of vitamin C and exercise has been shown to delay brain aging.
There is a wonderful article explaining our understanding of the immune response. There are two systems – the innate and the acquired ones. Vitamins C and E are especially important for helping to maintain a functional immune system. Also sufficient B vitamins, A, D, and zinc and iron.
Another important article explains epigenetics, which is the way DNA is labelled with acetyl and phosphate groups to control gene expression – turning genes on or off for a short time, or a lifetime. For instance, that is how broccoli reduces cancer risk, turning off cancer genes. And it is why folate is especially essential since it allows proper methylation.
So eat your fruits, vegetables, and supplements, and have a great summer.
*To review the disclaimer. *To ask Nutrition Investigator (Roc) a question.
Thoreau’s three truths: “that this earth is a garden of delights; that the world crowds round the individual, leaving him no vista, and shuts out the beauty of the earth; and that the wholesome wants of man are few.”
