Anti-Aging, a Multifaceted Approach:
Achieving a youthful appearance and vitality encompasses a multifaceted approach that goes beyond skincare products. Anti-aging strategies often involve a combination of healthy lifestyle choices, including regular exercise, balanced nutrition, stress management, and quality sleep. Additionally, skincare routines with moisturizing and sun protection maintain skin health. Targeted treatments reduce signs of aging. Moreover, emerging research suggests potential benefits of dietary supplements containing antioxidants, vitamins, and peptides. Topical treatments also support skin elasticity. By adopting a holistic approach to anti-aging, individuals can optimize their overall well-being and promote a more youthful complexion.
Based on the above, it is in our best interest to take preventative steps during the aging process. This ensures healthy aging, promoting long and happy lives. Below is a comprehensive guide we’ve assembled, covering various aspects of aging. It highlights the potential benefits of a smart natural nootropic supplement regimen.
What Causes Oxidative Stress?
One of the most common causes aging is from increased amounts of oxidative stress. As we age, the decrease in enzymes like glutathione and the rise in reactive oxygen species contribute to this phenomenon. Particularly sensitive to oxidation are the mitochondria, the energy production centers of cells, which can become affected. If mitochondrion become damaged, then that has a large downstream impact on many biological functions; especially within the brain. Red wine and resveratrol have gained significant attention in anti-aging and longevity circles, given this knowledge. This is because resveratrol on paper is an excellent and comprehensive oxidative support supplement. To enhance oxidative support, we recommend highly efficacious supplements due to the lackluster bioavailability of resveratrol.
- Polygala tenuifolia: Benefits ofĀ polygala tenuifolia are very extensive (we will come back to it later in this article) but most important to note in this section is that the benefits of polygala tenuifolia include its potential ability to increase superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Polygala tenuifolia may increase superoxide dismutase, crucial for breaking down superoxide into hydrogen peroxide or free oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is also an oxidant but to a lesser extent than superoxide. Polygala tenuifolia boosts catalase levels, aiding in the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and hydroxyl radicals.
What is Mitochondrial Function and How Can We Improve it?
Once we have oxidation under control, we can now focus on improving mitochondrial function rather than preserving it. Active and healthy mitochondria correlate with better aging outcomes, research has found. One major regulator of mitochondrial function and cellular energy is creatine. Emerging research indicates that creatine supplementation, often overlooked, exhibits potent anti-aging effects.
What Does Creatine Do?
AĀ creatine monohydrate supplement may have the ability to support healthy mitochondrial function whilst also preserving muscle mass and strength. Creatine also has the potential to increase overall vitality due to increasing both mitochondrial function and muscle function.
Combining ubiquinol, the reduced form of coQ10, with a shilajit extract like Primavie, enhances mitochondrial function significantly. Shilajit extract contains compounds such as fulvic acid and dibenzo-alpha pyrones which also increase ATP production. Shilajit is good for enhancing the effects of ubiquinol, and ubiquinol may reverse aging by itself, thus the combination significantly helps in reducing the negative effects of aging. We could go into a lot more depth about shilajit since it is a very interesting natural extract, but we already did that in thisĀ blog post so we will spare you the details here!
Inflammation and the Cholinergic System
Turmeric and Curcumin for Inflammation Regulation:
Turmeric and its active compound curcumin are gaining attention for their anti-inflammatory properties, particularly in formulations like Longvida curcumin, which targets inflammation in the brain effectively.
Enhancing Cholinergic Signaling:
Augmenting cholinergic signaling, especially in brain regions with high Ī±7nACh receptor density, can amplify turmeric’s anti-inflammatory effects. Huperzine A, a selective tetrameric AChE inhibitor, boosts acetylcholine levels, activating Ī±7nACh receptors and regulating inflammation in key brain areas.
Fish Oil Supplements for Inflammation:
Fish oil supplements regulate inflammation and support brain membrane health. To enhance their effects, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) offers promising synergies, potentially providing comprehensive inflammation regulation throughout the body and brain.
Synergistic Combination with Smart PS:
Combining PEA, huperzine A, and fish oil with Smart PS, a phosphatidylserine complex, may optimize brain health by increasing cell membrane synthesis and downregulating acetylcholine esterase, thus synergistically regulating inflammation.
Up the Brain
The brain’s metabolic activity produces numerous waste products that must be effectively managed. One of the ways our brains deals with containing, neutralizing and eliminating damaging metabolic waste, is by sleeping. However, aging often leads to deteriorating sleep quality, possibly due to reduced melatonin production. This is a quick and easy fix, simply take 300mcg of aĀ melatonin supplement once per night which may improve overall sleep quality.
Cleaning Up the Brain
The brain’s high metabolic activity produces numerous waste products that require efficient management. One of the ways our brains deals with containing, neutralizing and eliminating damaging metabolic waste, is by sleeping. However, sleep tends to become worse and worse as we age and one reason for this could be decreased melatonin production. This is a quick and easy fix, simply take 300mcg of aĀ melatonin supplement once per night which may improve overall sleep quality.
To be more specific, it appears that our brain clears the most metabolic waste during slow wave sleep (SWS), thus by increasing slow wave sleep we could potentially clear more metabolic waste products from the brain during sleep which should lead to more restorative processes taking place in the brain as we sleep. It has been found that rosmarinic acid, which is found in both of our lemon balm extracts, speeds up the time it takes to fall asleep and once asleep, enhances slow wave sleep. Theoretically this could mean that lemon balm extract leads to more restorative sleep and, in conjunction with a melatonin supplement, could make sleep come on more readily. A clinically-trialed lemon balm extract called Cyracos has a very high amount of rosmarinic acid. This would likely be the best lemon balm extract for promoting slow wave sleep.
Regulating Nitric Oxide with Agmatine Sulfate
Nitric oxide is a gaseous neurotransmitter, that is an important regulator of blood flow and brain health. Nitric oxide is produced by three different synthase enzymes, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). The only synthase that can be beneficial when it is more active is eNOS, which prevents some of the damage produced by iNOS and nNOS by producing vasodilation. As we age it appears that specifically the activity of iNOS and nNOS gets upregulated which could be caused by decreasing levels ofĀ agmatine.
Agmatine, inhibits both iNOS and nNOS whilst preserving eNOS activity. Based on this, the best way to regulate NOS function as we age, is likely by using an agmatine supplement to replenish declining agmatine levels. Agmatine effects are not just limited to preventing excess nitric oxide levels, as it has been shown that an agmatine supplement can help preserve and optimize memory.
Polygala tenuifolia and Healthy Aging
As was mentioned earlier, we would be coming back to polygala tenuifolia as it appears to be very useful at promoting healthy aging as one of the main benefits of polygala tenuifolia is increased neuroplasticity. In addition to that, it may also increase cholinergic function which is highly important in maintaining and enhancing cognitive function.It is unsurprising that in traditional Chinese practices, polygala tenuifolia is highly regarded for its ability to improve cognitive function as it has many mechanisms by which it may do this.
What are Telomeres and Why Are They Important?
Finally, the last part of the equation: telomeres. This is where we really start to get into the actual idea of life extension, so we thought it was appropriate to end things here and keep it brief, since our aim is more focused on improving the aging process rather than extending life span. That being said, there does seem to be some solid evidence behind telomere lengthening leading to extended lifespan. Telomere length testing has become widely available at reasonable costs recently, so a lot of people are focusing their efforts on optimizing their telomere length as they now have access to a concrete way of testing how their telomere length is changing.
Often forgotten about, anĀ L-carnosine supplement may have significant anti-aging effects via modulating telomeres. Carnosine benefits telomeres in two ways. Carnosine both protects telomeres from potential damage while also promoting the lengthening of telomeres. Due to this, carnosine is good for supplementation as a potential life extender. In addition to the ability of an L-carnosine supplement to increase life span, carnosine benefits skin health too which is also an important aspect of aging.
List of the best anti-aging supplements covered in this blog:
- Polygala tenuifolia
- Creatine Monohydrate
- Fish oil supplements
- Shilajit extract
- CoQ10 / Ubiquinol
- Lemon Balm extract
- Agmatine Sulfate
- L-Carnosine
- Curcumin extracts
- Huperzine A
- Phosphatide Complex
Also read our blog on Powerful Tips to Biohack Brain Health & Performance
