Awakened Alchemy

One of the best studied anti-aging treatments is a calorie restricted diet, which has been shown to increase NAD+ levels. NMN is a powerful calorie restriction mimetic, meaning that it is a compound that is capable of inducing similar cellular changes to those normally seen as a result of a calorie restrictive diet and slowing the aging process. 

In rodent studies, NMN has been shown to mitigate age-associated physiological decline without any toxicity or deleterious effects. NMN supplementation suppressed age-associated weight gain, enhanced energy metabolism, promoted physical activity, improved insulin sensitivity and plasma lipid profile, ameliorated eye function and other pathophysiologies.  

In a 2013 study by Dr. David Sinclair, professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School, it was found that after only 6 days of NMN administration, 22 month old mice (equivalent to approximately 95 years old in human years) had the muscle capacity, endurance and metabolism of 6 month old mice! In a later study, Dr. Sinclair tested 60 days of NMN administration and found a nearly 100% increase in endurance and 500% increase in NAD+ levels.

You may be familiar with another popular NAD+ precursor called Nicotinamide Riboside (NR/Niagen) and be wondering why is NMN superior?

1. NR is highly unstable in the body and rapidly deteriorates into Nicotinamide/Niacin (regular Vitamin B3), which does not create NAD+ via the salvage pathway, only the rate-limited de novo pathway. NMN is highly stable in the body. 

2. Unlike NR, which in one study reduced endurance and physical performance by 35%, NMN was shown to increase physical performance, as measured by treadmill run time, by 60% and double exercise endurance.

3. In 2 separate studies, NMN was found to improve heart function, NR did not improve heart function.

4. Alzheimer’s disease is widely believed to be driven by the production and deposition of the Beta-amyloid peptide. NMN decreases Beta-amyloid peptide buildup, while NR does not.

An additional benefit of NMN supplementation is that it helps to protect the body from radiation exposure, including from security and medical scanners. NASA is currently conducting human tests to see if NMN could protect astronauts from cosmic radiation in space. 

Read More:

Harvard Medical School: Rewinding the Clock

Time Magazine: Scientists Can Reverse DNA Aging in Mice

Time Magazine: This Compound Can Reverse Aging in Mice. Will It Work in People?

Long-Term NMN Mitigates Age-Associated Physiological Decline in Mice

NAD+ Precursor Nicotinamide Riboside (Niagen/NR) Decreases Exercise Performance in Rats by 35%

NAD+ Precursor Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) Increases Physical Performance in Rats by 60%

L-Ergothioneine has been found to be as potent an antioxidant as glutathione, but, unlike glutathione and most other antioxidants, its unique tautomeric molecular structures allows it to remain highly stable in the face of oxidative stress, enabling it to continuously scavenge free radicals and cycle between its oxidized (i.e. after scavenging a free radical) and reduced sulfur (i.e. after shedding the scavenged free radical) states non-enzymatically. The half-life of dietary L-Ergothioneine in mammalian tissues is approximately 1 month vs. glutathione and other antioxidants, which are often rapidly and totally depleted in the face of oxidative stress.

L-Ergothioneine accumulates throughout the body, but preferentially accumulates in organs and cells that are predisposed to high levels of oxidative stress and inflammation, such as the liver, kidneys and bone marrow. L-Ergothioneine also has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and exhibits neuroprotective properties. 

L-Ergothioneine has been shown to possess numerous antioxidant and cytoprotective effects, including free radical scavenger activity, anti-inflammatory activity, UV radiation-induced damage protective activity, neuroprotective properties and the ability to chelate metal ions such as iron and copper (thereby decreasing the ability of these metal ions to stimulate oxidative damage). 

As the body ages, it loses its ability to fight the effects of free radicals that promote disease, nerve damage, inflammation, and poor health and therefore antioxidant supplementation becomes extremely important.

Read More:

L-Ergothioneine Protects Mitochondria from Oxidative Damage; Is as Potent as Glutathione

Orally Administered Ergothioneine Reduces Oxidative Damage and Inflammation in Humans

Ergothioneine Physiological Function and Role in Disease

Ordinarily, as much as 90% of orally ingested glutathione is broken down by stomach acid. S-Acetyl Glutathione is a unique form of glutathione with an acetyl group attached to the sulfur atom of cysteine. This acetyl group protects the glutathione molecule and it is not broken down by stomach acid. Once absorbed the acetyl group is removed by non-specific enzymes inside your cells leaving the glutathione molecule intact. S-Acetyl Glutathione is both highly bioavailable and able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Orally administered S-Acetyl Glutathione compares favorably with IV administered glutathione and has been found to increase intracellular glutathione and improve many biomarkers of oxidative stress.

Read More:

Glutathione: Overview of its protective roles, measurement, and biosynthesis

Bioavailability of Orally Administered S-acetyl-glutathione

As the body ages, its ability to produce Ubiquinol/CoQ10 declines and dietary sources of Ubiquinol/CoQ10 become increasingly important. This decline in production begins in the late-20s and early-30s and results in declining health and longevity. 

CoQ10 is a large, fat-soluble molecule and has low absorbability, therefore the reduced and biologically active, Ubiquinol, form of CoQ10, offers the significantly improved absorption.  Ubiquinol is a powerful antioxidant, a membrane stabilizer and a vital co-factor in the production of ATP by the mitochondria. It is arguably the single most important nutrient for mitochondrial health.

Ubiquinol supplementation slows the aging process, increases cellular energy metabolism, improves mitochondrial health and function, improves heart and brain health and reduces oxidative damage.

Read More:

Ubiquinol Can Reverse the Signs of Aging

Double-Blind Trial of the Bioavailability of Ubiquinol vs. Standard CoQ10

Standard ALA supplements are actually the much cheaper S-ALA form of ALA, which is not biologically active. Standard forms of both ALA/S-ALA and R-ALA supplements are not stable at room temperature and will polymerize into molecular chains that are not absorbable by the body in a matter of days.  THRIVE uses thermally-stabilized R-ALA, which is both biologically active and can be stored at room temperature without polymerization occurring.

Read More:

R-ALA: Unique ‘Mitochondrial Antioxidant’ Fights Premature Aging

Combination of ALA and Acetyl-L-Carnitine Reduces Oxidative Stress, Improves Mitochondrial Function and Beneficial to Heart Health

Combination of ALA and Acetyl-L-Carnitine Makes Old rats Youthful and May Help Rejuvenate Aging Humans

Combination of ALA and Acetyl-L-Carnitine Significantly Improves Metabolic Function and Decreases Oxidative Stress in Rats

Read More:

Combination of ALA and Acetyl-L-Carnitine Reduces Oxidative Stress, Improves Mitochondrial Function and Beneficial to Heart Health

Combination of ALA and Acetyl-L-Carnitine Makes Old rats Youthful and May Help Rejuvenate Aging Humans

Combination of ALA and Acetyl-L-Carnitine Significantly Improves Metabolic Function and Decreases Oxidative Stress in Rats