Promising Anti-Aging And Longevity Molecules

Posted on Jan 11, 2022, 4 p.m.

This article is a repost which originally appeared on WORLD HEALTH.NET

Edited for content

Regenerative, anti-aging, and longevity researchers have been working to find molecules that can help to improve and/or extend both human health and lifespan. This article gathers information on some of the most promising molecules to extend human healthspan and possibly lifespan. There are also a few honorable mentions at the end of the article. 

This list is heavily influenced by the Interventions Testing Program (ITP). This program selects a variety of different molecules each year to see which ones will extend mice’s lifespan. They use mice that are genetically heterogeneous, all this means is that the mice are genetically diverse and therefore minimize the possibility that characteristics of a single type of mice would affect the results. They also run these experiments at three separate labs, this is to figure out if the results are true and reproducible. 

The first molecule is called glycine. When the Interventions Testing Program trialed glycine it led to a four to six percent increase in lifespan for both males and females. Now bear with me because we need to unpack this. Glycine along with another molecule called NAC (N-acetylcysteine) are building blocks for a powerful antioxidant called glutathione. In humans, the glutathione antioxidant system is maintained until around 45 years of age and then it declines rapidly. But in a 2021 human trial glycine and NAC supplementation for 24 weeks corrected the glutathione deficiency. By using glycine and NAC we can restore the glutathione balance, and now we’ve got human data showing a positive benefit for health. 

A 2021 human trial of a group of molecules called the combined metabolic activators (CMAs)  that do consist of glutathione precursors, use cuts the recovery time from COVID-19 by a whopping three days when compared to placebo. In that trial to support glutathione, they did use NAC but instead of using glycine, they used another molecule called serine. Serine is just converted into glycine by the body. Overall though for the first molecule, it’s actually a combination of precursors to rebuild glutathione. The combination of glycine or serine and NAC.

Next up is nicotinamide riboside. As part of the combined metabolic activators, it also included nicotinamide riboside to help rebuild a molecule called NAD. This is important because new research has come out showing that after the age of around 60 years old our metabolism appears to tank and NAD is central to our metabolism. By rebuilding our NAD stores, we’re hopefully helping to support our metabolism and therefore improve our resiliency against diseases. 

When the Interventions Testing Program trialed nicotinamide riboside it did not extend lifespan. But much of the excitement around nicotinamide riboside is not to do with its potential of lifespan extension, instead, it’s because we can support our metabolism with it, which can make us more resilient against metabolic attacks. For example, sunlight, alcohol, and time zone disruption, all these things attack our metabolism, and by taking the nicotinamide riboside we may be more resilient against these attacks and that’s possibly why we can see an improvement in the recovery time of COVID-19 patients. 

The third molecule is 17-alpha estradiol which is a non-feminizing type of estrogen. When the Interventions Testing Program trialed it, it extended male mice’s lifespan by 19%. To stress again this is a non-feminizing type of estrogen, this is important because estrogenic actions have been increasingly recognized to have potential health and anti-aging benefits. It’s not just males that seem to get a benefit from this molecule, in female mice, there’s a 20% reduction in body weight. We are very excited to read more human data about this molecule.

Moving on to the fourth molecule on the list we’ve got SGLT2i inhibitors. This is a class of medication that is routinely prescribed to type 2 diabetic patients. When the Interventions Testing Program trialed it, it extended male mice lifespan by 14%. In humans, a 2019 systematic review was published in The Lancet journal looking specifically at heart disease outcomes involving over 34 000 patients, and what we could see in this study is that SGLT2i inhibitors reduced heart attacks by 11% and reduced the progression of kidney disease by 45%. 

This medication works by encouraging the kidneys to pee out sugar, instead of that sugar remaining in the bloodstream, it’s eliminated out of the system. This is important because it blunts the peak blood sugar levels which may be a factor in the lifespan extension effects that we see from the Interventions Testing Program. The potential for this molecule is because as we age our kidney function declines even from our mid-20s, and we’ve got human data showing that for non-diabetic kidney disease patients this type of medication does delay the progression of kidney disease. So I do wonder whether this class of medication would be used to the wider population to slow down kidney disease and therefore extend healthspan.

The fifth molecule that there is excitement about is rapamycin. Rapamycin is the golden egg from the Interventions Testing Program. Over and over again when they trial this molecule it extends both female and male lifespan, and that is why I’ve chosen to study this molecule. In a clinical trial, I want to figure out if using rapamycin once a week combined with exercise gives even greater muscle performance benefits compared to just exercise alone.

There are also three other molecules that almost made the top five list. The first one is fisetin. Essentially as we age some of our cells stop dividing and they become senescent. Fisetin does hold the potential to clear away those old cells, and that’s important because those old cells don’t just remain dormant they also release all sorts of factors that can damage our body. The Interventions Testing Program as part of their 2018 group of molecules will be trialing fisetin, and the Mayo Clinic have turned their attention to running human fisetin trials.

The second honorable mention is alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), this molecule generated quite the hype in 2020 where a mice trial showed a 16.6% improvement in lifespan. We are all eagerly awaiting more human data to come out on this molecule to see whether it will improve human health.

The final honorable mention is hyaluronic acid. The quantity of hyaluronic acid gradually declines as we age, and hyaluronic acid is a major component of the connective tissue of the body including our blood vessels, skin, and organs. In a 2021 human 12-week double-blind placebo-controlled study we can see that hyaluronic acid significantly improved skin elasticity. If hyaluronic acid can improve skin health (wrinkles and dry skin) maybe it can improve blood vessel health and other parts of the body. Additionally, hyaluronic acid may also be the underlying reason as to why the naked mole rat has such exceptional longevity.

There we have an evidence-based list of top promising anti-aging and longevity molecules. But it is worth mentioning that this article is only partial, there are many others being studied looking for that elusive “fountain of youth” to help improve the human condition. 

As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before making any changes to your wellness routine.

Content may be edited for style and length.

Materials provided by:

This article was adapted from a presentation by Dr. Brad Stanfield

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Penis Fillers: The Hard Truth About If Size Really Matters

Penis Fillers: The Hard Truth About If Size Really Matters

By Pie Mulumba

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Longevity

In a world that seems to be obsessed with size, there’s a strong emphasis on having certain body parts be as big as possible, from breast implants to butt injections. That said, the need for a bigger size has resulted in the huge growth of the penis enlargement industry.

The average penis size is 5.2 inches (13.2cm) long and 4.6 inches (11.6cm) round. Now, while the debate on whether size matters rages on, it appears that some men have already made up their minds. Believing that it does indeed matter, these men, who feel under-endowed, have taken matters into their own hands by looking at pills, creams, and even vacuum pumps. However, it doesn’t end there. Enter, penis fillers.

Wait, did you just say penis fillers?

Yes, penis fillers. A non-surgical procedure, that can cost around $5000, whereby a liquid – usually hyaluronic acid – is injected into the soft tissue under the skin of the penis shaft. The purpose of the procedure is meant to increase a man’s flaccid girth, usually by one or two centimeters in circumference and the effects are intended to last for around 18 months.

Additionally, some clinics use fat injections to increase girth. The fat is harvested from another part of the patient’s body, usually the lower abdomen. Unlike hyaluronic acid, fat injections are permanent.

Are there any risks?

Mr. Asif Muneer, from the British Association of Urological Surgeons, revealed to the BBC that he would discourage his patients from partaking in any form of penis enlargement surgeries,

“All these augmentation procedures are mainly to increase your flaccid girth, and it will have no benefit on your erect length – so functionally it’s not going to improve matters” he explains, “If anything, it might lead to complications that will impair their sexual function later on.”

Additional side effects may also include painful bruising, swelling, infections, unevenness scarring. There may even be a heightened risk of erectile dysfunction due to blood vessel blockage. What’s more, there is also the risk of the filler ending up in the foreskin. This would then mean that the patient would require circumcision. 

So, what exactly would possess a man to have hyaluronic acid or fat harvested from his body injected into his penis shaft?

The rise of penis enhancements

When it comes to the impact that social media has on body image, a lot of the attention is focused on the woman’s perspective. However, the rise of social media and the influencers culture can also affect how men view themselves.

For instance, research published in the journal New Media and Society found that men who reported looking at male fitness posts on social media revealed that they regularly compared their appearance to others more often, and there was also an increased desire to have muscles.

Men and their best friends

It may not be premature to admit that the rise of penis enhancements goes beyond sexual satisfaction. With the constant innuendos about large sizes being more desirable, as well as men equating a large size to masculinity and sexual competence, some men may begin to have low self-esteem if they feel that their sizes aren’t up to standard. In fact, a study published in the journal Psychology of Men & Masculinity found that even men with average-size penises wish they were bigger.

Additionally, a recent study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy that asked for the male participants to self-report their penis length found that many of the men embellished their responses. In fact, only 26.9% of the sexually experienced men self-reported penis lengths of less than 6 inches. On the other hand, 30.8% self-reported lengths of 7 inches or more. What’s more, the study also suggested that men with a high level of social desirability were more likely than others to self-report having a large penis.

So with all of that said, there’s only one question left to ask;

Okay, but what do women want?

Kindness.

According to a study from Clue, that surveyed at 64 000 women, kindness is the most important thing women look for in a partner – not the size of a shaft. Speaking of which, the survey also revealed that the majority of straight women would prefer a male partner to have an average-sized penis, rather than a massive penis. That’s right – women care less about penis size than men. 

In fact, women are more worried about it being too big as opposed to too small. This is because a bigger than average penis may cause some pain and discomfort during sexual intercourse. This then reduces the chances of more sex in the future. What’s more, there is also the consensus that men with big penises will solely rely on their size. As such, they will not be as engaging or conscious of their partner’s needs. This, of course, can result in a woman being very dissatisfied with her sex life.

To men, a big penis may sound like a lovely idea in theory, but there’s really nothing to it. Rather, put your physical and mental health before anything else. After all, it’s not the size of the boat that matters, but rather the motion of the ocean.

References

Fatt, S. J., Fardouly, J., & Rapee, R. M. (2019). #malefitspo: Links between viewing fitspiration posts, muscular-ideal internalisation, appearance comparisons, body satisfaction, and exercise motivation in men. New Media & Society, 21(6), 1311–1325. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818821064

King, B., Duncan, L., Clinkenbeard, K., Rutland, M., et al.(2019) Social Desirability and Young Men’s Self-Reports of Penis Size, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 45:5, 452-455, DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2018.1533905

Johnston, L., McLellan, T., & McKinlay, A. (2014). (Perceived) size really does matter: Male dissatisfaction with penis size. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 15(2), 225–228. doi: 10.1037/a0033264