Ingredients found in Grapes could be the Key to Living Longer
Thursday, November 27th, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Richard Craig/ New Orleans, Louisiana
Scientists have discovered two ingredients found naturally in some food and wines and doctors say in a supplement formula, these ingredients may increase mitochondria and turn on longevity genes. So, is it a Medicine Man Potion or a Real Alternative for Mankind to increase life expectancy?
This clinically proven discovery has created a stir in the research world. Could substances found in red grapes, peanuts, dark chocolate, red wine and blueberries hold a key to living longer, feeling better, looking younger fighting cancer, reduce insulin for Diabetes patients, lower cholesterol and being thinner? Several anti aging scientists and doctors are leaning towards the possibilities this discovery will bring about.
“We find that resveratrol is the best molecule we know of to increase healthy lifespan and the mice end up being resistant to diseases of aging like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and can even run twice as far on a treadmill,” says Dr. David Sinclair, a biologist and pathologist at Harvard Medical School.
“People are actually feeling more energetic, being able to walk farther, often times especially older people can extend their walks, which is really great sense of well being, sleeping better, less aches and pains,” says Dr. Jamie McManus, a clinical research director at the Shaklee Company.
This research biologist and family physician are representing the makers of Vivix; a cellular anti-aging tonic that they say in one teaspoon has the same amount of resveratrol equal to 100 glasses of red wine. Adding a powerful antioxidant called polyphenol in the form of an extract from the muscadine grape. Vivix is a high concentration you couldn’t receive from eating normal amounts of food and together they say have been clinically proven in the lab working to slowing down and rebuilding the four mechanisms of aging in our cells.
And they say there is an additional effect.
“The mice lost weight and they looked much better, you could really tell the difference between the mouse that was taking resveratrol and the control animal,” adds Dr. Sinclair.
Other experts say, yes, there does seem to be promising results with resveratrol for anti-aging, but they don’t think we are there yet because science lacks the studies on humans.
“I think it’s promising but I think we have a long way to go, It does have these principles that get rid of the oxidative damage from eating the unhealthy foods or from just everyday toxins in the air, so it’s probably going to make you feel better, then maybe make you want to exercise more. I mean that’s a reason to try the grape seed,” says Melinda Sothern, a professor of Public Health at LSU Health Sciences Center.
“If you’re taking safe doses and everything seems to be okay. Is that a problem if that’s going to help you exercise and do more physical activity? I don’t view that as a negative.” says Dr. Kim Edward LeBlanc, chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center.
“Remember these words that Mackie said it: ‘I think it’s going to have a profound effect on mitochondrial function,’” stated Fitness expert Mackie Shilstone of East Jefferson General Hospital.
The mitochondria that Mr.Shilstone is speaking of about are the small power packs of each cell. When we are young we have lots of them, as we age we begin to lose them, they become weak and inactive, making us lose energy, lowering our immune system and become susceptible to getting ill.
“Now if you improve mitochondrial function, you make the muscle more effective, that being the heart muscle, that being the biceps, the triceps during your exercise you will be actually more efficient. In theory, I think this will improve stamina and I think will improve strength,” adds Shilstone.
“This particular molecule seems to be able to turn off and on, sort of change the activity of different genes in our body that regulate things like obesity. It really looks to regulate how the little energy storehouses in our cells work. So not only does it have an effect on obesity but it does seem to have an effect on aging and it seems to have an effect on some cancers as well,” says Dr. Henri Roca in the Department of Family and Integrative Medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center.
But without conclusive human studies doctors don’t know how much can help or how much would not only hurt you, but interact in a bad way with the medications you are taking.
Still the scientists behind Vivix stand by their product.
“What we see is resveratrol just like exercise is really effective at boosting the number and activity of these mitochondria within cells. The good news is that resveratrol has been in human clinical trials already and the results there been positive that we’re seeing the same metabolic physiological effects that we saw in the mice translating into people,” says Dr. Sinclair.
Resveratrol has also been shown to reduce inflammation which in some studies has been associated with obesity.
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