Vitamin Combination May Help Delay Aging
Lee Swanson Research Update
Mice fed a supplement containing 30 dietary ingredients did not experience a 50% loss in daily movement like non-supplemented animals, according to findings published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine.
The benefits were linked to increases in the activity of mitochondria, the power plants of the cells, as well as by reducing levels of free radicals produced by the mitochondria, said researchers from McMaster University.
"For aging humans, maintaining zestful living into later years may provide greater social and economic benefits than simply extending years of likely decrepitude," Rollo said. "This study obtained a truly remarkable extension of physical function in old mice, far greater than the respectable extension of longevity that we previously documented. This holds great promise for extending the quality of life of humans," he added.
Rollo and his co-workers used bradykinesis, or declining physical movement, as a biomarker of aging and mortality risk. Mice were divided into two groups: One was fed a normal diet, while the other was supplemented with a cocktail of dietary supplement ingredients.
"Dosages were derived from recommended human doses adjusted for body size and the 10-fold higher metabolic rate of mice," explained the researchers.
Results showed maintenance of youthful levels of locomotor activity into old age in the supplemented animals, whereas old non-supplemented mice showed a 50% loss in daily movement, said the researchers. This was accompanied by a loss of mitochondria activity, and declines in brain signaling chemicals relevant to locomotion, such as striatal neuropeptide Y. This chemical is associated with a range of functions, including maintaining energy balance, as well as effects in memory and learning. No such declines were observed in supplemented animals, the researches said.
"Although identifying the role of specific ingredients and interactions remains outstanding, results provide proof of principle that complex dietary cocktails can powerfully ameliorate biomarkers of aging and modulate mechanisms considered ultimate goals for aging interventions," Rollo and his co-workers stated.
The supplement was composed of vitamins B-1, B-3, B-6, B-12, C, D, E, folic acid, beta-carotene, CoQ10, rutin, bioflavonoids, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, green tea extract, ginger root extract, garlic, L-Glutathione, magnesium, selenium, potassium, manganese, chromium picolinate, acetyl L-carnitine, melatonin, alpha-lipoic acid, N-acetyl cysteine, acetylsalicylic acid, cod liver oil and flax seed oil.
Experimental Biology and Medicine 235:66-76, 2010
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April 2010