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Advancements in slowing the aging process have come a long way. A recently launched supplement designed to slow and even reverse the aging process aims to increase the number of healthy years we enjoy towards the end of our lives.
The launch comes at a time of great excitement in longevity medicine. By choosing to sell its product as a supplement rather than a drug, Florida-based Life technologies firm Ponce De Leon Health (PDLH) has beaten many companies out of the gate.
PDLH launched Rejuvant in July as a dietary supplement. Mr. Weldon claims it is the only scientifically validated anti-aging supplement on the market. It’s currently only offered online.
Ponce De Leon Health’s brand, Rejuvant™, launched Life Tabs™, which contains Ca-alpha- ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG), which studies suggest can extend the lifespan of mammals.
Two formulations were developed: one for men that contains vitamin A, and one for women that includes vitamin D3. Based on the numerous studies combining various compounds, these were the most effective in extending healthy years and lifespan.
According to PDLH, these combinations are potent extenders of healthspan – the years spent free of severe disease – in mice, while also lengthening lifespan. The reported improvements are, in theory, the equivalent of about five human years of a healthy life.
The Study
The supplement was developed by feeding mice combinations of compounds identified as longevity extenders in previous animal studies.
Researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in California assessed the mice for hallmarks of aging such as frailty, hair loss, tremors and difficulty walking.
The study showed the group that received the Rejuvant’s proprietary blend was much more energetic, viral and healthy. They found that combining Ca-AKG with vitamins improved healthspan by 41% and boosted lifespan by 12% on average. [1]
CaAKG and vitamins A and D3 are considered “generally recognized as safe” for human consumption by the US Food and Drug Administration.
It’s no surprise that its recognized as safe since our bodies naturally produce AKG. However, AKG production begins to slow down at age 40 and starts to drop at 45 significantly.
It’s very difficult to get AKG from foods, so supplementation is the only other method.
PDLH says its experimental results are under review for publication in a journal. Details aren’t available for wider scrutiny yet, but the firm says its mouse experiments found significant epigenetic changes in the animals in what’s referred to as DNA methylation.
This involves changes to methyl groups on DNA that help regulate the activity of certain genes. PDLH says it saw methylation patterns in older mice that resembled those usually seen in younger ones.
It also says it has evidence that AKG targets senescent cells: worn-out cells that have become a prime target in the renewed quest for anti-aging treatments.
Senescence cells also referred to as zombie cells, pump out toxic inflammatory signals to other cells that contribute to increased aging, which creates other zombie cells.
Trials Planned
Mr. Weldon is one of several PDLH executives taking the supplement. He says that, after a few months, he has seen a dramatic improvement in the levels of certain chemicals in his blood, including C-reactive protein, a sign of inflammation.
But he warns that this is anecdotal evidence. Several executives and employees have taken the DNAging test, which Rejuvant sells with LifeTabs, which tests your biological age (your cellular age to your chronological age).
Cellular age can be lower or higher than your actual age, depending on several internal and external factors. PDLH executives took the test before starting Rejuvant and 3-6 months afterward to see what affects it had on their cellular age.
Mr. Weldon reports most have reported a lower biological age after starting Rejuvant. One executive dropped 11 years while another dropped 7 years – both within 4 months of starting Rejuvant.
He says he decided to sell the pill as a supplement after realizing that, at 63, he would be unlikely to see the product make it to market as a fully validated anti-aging drug.
PDLH is preparing to begin a 100-person trial, primarily to confirm Rejuvant’s safety and as well as testing for reversing biological aging. This will also look for epigenetic changes.
You can learn more at Rejuvant.com
Source of study:
- https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/779157v1
