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March 8 - March 15, 2024
only about 15 to 30 percent106 or less107 of our lifespan appears determined by our genes, which means how we live our lives may determine the bulk of our destiny.
Amping AMPK. AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) is an enzyme that acts as a sensor for plants and animals, similar to a fuel gauge in a car. It revs up when it detects a depletion of the universal fuel, just as a light may blink on your dashboard when you’re almost out of gas. AMPK flips the switch in your body from storing fat to burning it to restore energy balance. That’s why AMPK is known not only as the master energy sensor118 in our body but also the fat controller.119
This is one of the reasons AMPK is increasingly recognized as a pro-longevity factor.122 AMPK induces autophagy, which cleans house, sweeps away accumulated waste, and effectively institutes a sort of cellular reset.123
Dysfunctional mitochondria are thought to actively contribute to the aging process,143
Black cumin is another plant traditionally used in Middle Eastern cuisines that can boost AMPK.
Typical doses used in studies are just 1 or 2 g of black cumin a day, which is about a quarter teaspoon.189 Using such small amounts allows researchers to conduct randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials by putting the whole-food spice into capsules rather than extracting out just a few components. The spice also lowers markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein,190 and has favorable effects on inflammatory conditions, such as asthma,191 rheumatoid arthritis,192 and a common cause of hypothyroidism called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.193 Black cumin also appears to help get rid
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AMPK-boosting zinger is hibiscus,196 which delivers the tart cranberry-like flavor and bright red color of Red Zinger tea. Also known as roselle or jamaica, hibiscus tea has been enjoyed around the world for millennia as both a delicious hot or cold drink and an ancient medicinal remedy.197 In How Not to Die, I covered its blood pressure benefits, working as well as,198 or even beating out, some antihypertensive medications in head-to-head clinical trials.
water.211 When we consume vinegar, the acetic acid is absorbed and metabolized, giving us a natural boost in AMPK at the dose you might typically get dressing a salad.212
Vinegar has also been shown to improve artery function218 and to have other AMPK-activation benefits, such as decreasing blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.219
The discovery of AMPK is considered to be one of the most important breakthroughs in biomedicine in the last few decades.231 Because this enzyme is involved in the functioning of the majority of aging-associated regulators, including autophagy, which I discuss next, the importance of AMPK in anti-aging interventions is hard to overestimate.232 The drug metformin activates AMPK but carries adverse side effects and may not benefit healthy individuals. AMPK is an energy sensor, so it’s activated when we eat less or move more. Some food components, like saturated fat, can suppress AMPK, whereas
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“At a minimum, patients should be encouraged to use daily sunscreen, a topical retinoid every night, and a topical antioxidant daily.”6296 But which antioxidant? Only one has been clearly shown to work.
Skin biopsy studies show that the topical application of a 5 percent solution of L-ascorbic acid (also known as ascorbic acid, the type of vitamin C found in food) significantly increases the expression of collagen in human skin compared to placebo, suggesting “functional activity of the dermal [skin] cells is not maximal in postmenopausal women and can be increased.”6300 A split-face study involving the application
