Life Extension Foundation has a history of 30 years. This article will focus on the progress and revolutionary findings published in by the institution in the 1980s. There have been several recent discoveries together with a book of 1500 pages published in 2003 entitled “Disease Prevention and Treatment”.
Several publications on Vitamin, DHEA and CoQ10 were unveiled in the 80s. This demonstrates LEF early impeccable commitment towards longevity.
A. 1980
The first recommendation suggested by the foundation was to consume a high level of antioxidant vitamins. There have been thousands of studies published thereafter in various journals. This is to demonstrate the protective attributes which antioxidants have against diseases. However, it has been found that a low level of antioxidant consumption has an insignificant result, to preventing diseases. High levels of vitamins are thus required to assure positive outcomes countering ageing disorders.
B. 1981
The hormone DHEA was suggested to slow aging in 1981. Since, then facts have proven that DHEA plays a key role in the immune system. It allows it to function properly and stay young. It does also have beneficial outcomes on our skin and nervous system. DHEA is nowadays one of the most prescribed anti-aging drugs in America.
In the same year, B-complex vitamins were shown to have relation with low homocystein blood levels. A high level of homocysteine is known to have an association with stroke and heart disease. So to keep the level ofhomocysteine levels low supplements such as folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12, and trimethylglycine (TMG) are needed.
C. 1983
It was suggested by the foundation that a low-dose of aspirin actually decreased the risk of vascular diseases. For instance, in America most cardiologists prescribe a light dose of aspirin for patients to protect them against heart attack.
The foundation also created awareness of the side-effects of iron supplements and its relation to cancer. It was later proven that iron supplement increases the overall risk of suffering from cancer by almost 40 percent according to an article published in “the new England Journal of Medicine in 1988”.
The Japanese Cardiac drug entitled coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) was first recognized as globally effective drug to slow aging by the foundation in 1983. A high intake of CoQ10 allows people who have previously suffered from heart failure to live a normal life. It has also been found that a high-dose of CoQ10 prevent Parkinson’s disease to progress. Another study showed that CoQ10 (ubiquinol) slowed aging at least for mice by 40 percent.
D. 1985
It was also recommended that the proliferation of AIDs could be hampered through Vitamin supplement. FDA did however not believe that nutrients had any relation with HIV progression. However, in April 1995, it was shown that vitamin supplements and nutrient supplements boost the immune system and thereby avoid a rapid progression of AIDS.
Carotenoid, known more commonly as Lycopene was recommended as dietary supplement with the aim to assure proper health of cells.
Another drug recommended was cimetidine (Tagamet) as a cancer therapy. There have been various findings proving that it can avoid the risk of cancer by around 79 percent.
E. 1986
Deprenyl was advised in 1986 by the foundation, it has since then been approved by the FDA that a high dose of it can avoid progression of Parkinson’s disease. However, a small dose is recommended when used for anti-aging.
F. 1988
Phosphatidylserine was introduced by the foundation in 1988 which was geared to slow brain aging by improving memory. In 1997, phosphatidylserine was the key topic during a lecture on how to slow aging which involved 1, 500 physicians.
The life extension foundation has in its first 10 years published revolutionary findings. For 1980s, recommending Vitamins, CoQ10 and DHEA was a foresight idea.
Source: LEF
Sun, Mar 21, 2010
Anti Aging, Gerontology, Longevity