Men's Health Women's Health Senior's Health Antioxidants Sports Nutrition Diet & Weight Loss Vitamins & Minerals Herbs Specialty Supplements Targeted Supplements Spa Products Anti-Aging Basics Body Systems Body Structure Book Store Pet Health My Recommendation My Favorite Articles Our Most Popular Specials Bargain Basement Brands Free Samples

MSM

The End of Aging: Breakthrough science may keep us all from growing old A review of the November 2003 Reader's Digest article

More information on Alpha Lipoic Acid

• L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid Reduce Ageing and Boost Energy NEW

The November 2003 issue of Reader's Digest Magazine contains an excellent article titled " The End of Aging - Breakthrough science may keep us all from growing old" by Amy Ellis Nutt from the Star-Ledger. 

In this article, Amy interviews Dr. Bruce Ames, a biochemist and Professor at the University of California at Berkeley. The article explores the research that Dr Ames has done over many years. 

Essentially, Dr Ames believes that while the production of energy in the mitochondria in your cells is highly efficient, that minor element of inefficiency which releases free radicals is the cause of aging.  As people get older, the free radicals reduce the effectiveness of the mitochondria in its energy production, thus releasing even more free radicals.  

Dr Ames found that Acetyl L-Carnitine helps the cells produce more energy, but they still generate free radicals.  However, the antioxidant Alpha Lipoic Acid reduces free radicals.

Dr. Ames' comment in the article on the effectiveness of the Acetyl L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid combination was "With these two supplements, these old rats got up and did the Macarena.  The brain looked better; they were full of energy.  It was the equivalent of making an 80-year-old person look and act middle-aged."

As a result of his research, Dr Ames founded a company called Juvenon that formulated and patented a nutritional supplement.  This supplement includes 200 milligrams of alpha lipoic acid and 500 milligrams of acetyl-L-carnitine to be taken twice per day by most people.  However, he says in the article that the two nutrients can be purchased at any health food store. 

Here is a comparison of Acetyl L-Carnitine + Alpha Lipoic Acid compared to Juvenon™

back to top

Acetyl L-Carnitine

Acetyl-L-Carnitine is the acetyl derivative of L-Carnitine. Supplemental Acetyl-L-Carnitine can cross the blood-brain barrier and acts as a source of acetyl groups for synthesis of acetylcholine. Acetyl-L-Carnitine has therefore found a niche in “brain food” products.

The primary role of L-Carnitine within the body is to shuttle long chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, the ‘furnace of the cell’. Within the ‘furnace’, the fatty acids are broken down or burned and energy is produced. Thus, L-Carnitine is essential for the production of energy from fat!

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha-Lipoic Acid is both a coenzyme necessary for the metabolism of energy from food and a powerful scavenger of free radicals. 

Why is alpha-lipoic acid called the “universal antioxidant?”  First, alpha-lipoic acid is both water and fat (lipid) soluble.  Alpha-lipoic acid is also biologically active in either medium.  Therefore, alpha-lipoic acid can provide protection both in the lipid environment of the cell membrane and in the aqueous environment in the interior of the cell. 

Second, alpha-lipoic acid appears to enhance the activity of a network of antioxidants including: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and glutathione (a selenium-containing antioxidant found in nearly every cell).