Anti-aging products and supplements are formulated to delay the aging process or provide better coping capability with the inevitable effects of growing old. Most people turn to these available options when the reach retirement age, but recent studies have shown that they are best taken during middle age or somewhere around the late forties.
Scientists and researchers do not totally understand the aging process and don't have all the reasons as to why we lose some of our functions as we age. But the recent study, together with previous researches, has pointed to the mitochondria, or the cell powerhouse, as an important factor in aging.
Mitochondria are organelles found in all human cells except in RBC or red blood cells. There are anywhere between 20 to 2500 mitochondria per cell and they are responsible for producing more than 90 percent of ATP energy produced by the body. ATP or adenosine triphosphate is a special molecule that carries energy in all living things. It functions as the chemical energy source of the body, working like a battery which stores energy when it is not being used, but having the ability to quickly release the same when the body needs it.
The production of ATP declines naturally with age while the body's need for it increases as we age. So supplementing the body with ATP increases physical energy levels, perks up endurance and develops muscle strength to increase mobility among the elderly.
Free radicals are the primary culprits in the destruction of mitochondria, so much of the research done against aging is geared toward mitigating the effects of free radicals. This particular study conducted on laboratory rats showed notable improvements in the middle-aged group after feeding them with anti-aging supplements. A group of much older rats were fed the same supplements but showed no signs of marked improvements in their functions.
The middle-aged rat group was made up of 21-month old rodents while the older group comprised of 29-month old rats - the equivalent of 50- 65 year olds and 66-80 year olds among humans, respectively. Grip strength was used as the point of reference, and for 6 weeks this was measured among members of both groups. A rat's grip strength is akin to physical performance among humans.
At the end of the treatment period, grip strength improved by 12 percent among the middle-aged rats while none was observed in the older group. Mitochondrial functions also improved by 66 percent in the middle-aged cluster. But while strength and mitochondrial functions did not improve in the older rats, the study revealed that they had lesser free radical damage than older rats in a separate control group not receiving any anti-aging supplementation.
Results of this particular study imply that anti-aging supplements work best when administered prior to that period when major age-related declines in functions begin to set in. The study also hypothesizes that while anti-aging supplements can help reduce free radical damage, mitochondrial functions may not be restored when they are received at a later age. This particular study was funded and supervised by the National Institute of Aging.
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