There is near universal agreement amongst health researchers that low level but continuous (chronic) inflammation in cells and tissues is a key factor in ageing itself and almost all age-related illnesses (Ref.)
So much so that longevity researchers use the term 'inflamm-ageing'.
That inflammation can be caused by excess blood sugar, malfunctioning of the immune system, environmental toxins, poor quality fats in the diet and free radical damage.
An inflamed cell inhibits nutrients getting into the cell, toxins being removed from the cell and energy being produced.
Colin Rose is a Senior Associate Member of the Royal Society of Medicine, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is the Founder and Director of Research and Innovation of Uni-Vite Healthcare and author of a recent book: Delay Ageing: Healthy to 100, where he reveals how to slow ageing and, therefore, help prevent later-life illness.
On why he wrote this series of articles on how to live A Longer, Healthier Life, Colin says:
"The following chart â created by the American Association for the Advancement of Science â is sobering.
"Why the steep increase in all these health threats after the age of say 55? Previously we might have muttered â âJust getting older, what can you expect?â
"But a mountain of recent research has uncovered the processes that are driving all these age-related diseases and how to counteract them for a longer, healthier life.
"Thatâs what I explore in this series."
Acute (temporary) vs. Chronic (long-term) inflammation
If you are bitten by an insect, suffer a bacterial infection or receive a cut, your body activates your immune system, and sends out inflammatory cells (called cytokines). Skin becomes red and often swollen by the influx of these cytokines.
Thatâs temporary, beneficial, ACUTE inflammation.
Normally, the inflammatory cells attack the bacteria or heal the damaged tissue and gradually this visible inflammation subsides. But sometimes your immune system doesnât do its job fully, and internal, invisible inflammation persists. You have CHRONIC inflammation.
This harmful type of inflammation is a symptom of many chronic diseases, such as:
- > Arthritis
- > Alzheimerâs disease
- > Type 2 diabetes
- > IBS
- > Asthma
And it sets up an environment where cancer can more easily spread, where mitochondria are damaged, dementia risk increases and heart disease develops.
As mentioned, chronic inflammation is mostly undetectable â which makes it so dangerous. But occasionally it does manifest as fatigue, joint pain or skin rash â as in arthritis and psoriasis.
Some lifestyle factors also contribute to inflammation in the body. They include:
- > Drinking alcohol in excess â over 17 units a week
- > Having a high body mass index (BMI) of over 30 â unless you are exceptionally muscular
- > Lack of exercise
- > Frequent stress
Any process that reduces this chronic inflammation will have a positive effect on your health and will help slow ageing.
Link between free radical damage and inflammation
Free radicals are unstable and highly reactive molecules that are produced in the body as a by-product of metabolism.
Metabolism occurs when oxygen is âburnedâ with fat or glucose to produce energy. So free radical damage is also called âoxidative stress.â Some free radical production is natural and inevitable, but excess free radical production is the danger.
Free radicals are also created by exposure to toxins in the environment, ultraviolet light (sunlight) and even some viruses. Free radicals have a lifespan of only a fraction of a second, but during that time they can damage DNA, potentially leading to cancer.
Free radicals also damage cell membranes in the brain, the lining of arteries leading to heart disease, the lens of the eye leading to blindness, and proteins in the body. It is a ârogueâ protein called beta amyloid that characterises Alzheimerâs.
So free radicals cause damage to cells and cellular damage triggers an immune response â and inflammation.
This inflammation can fuel yet more free radicals in a vicious, inter-connected circle (Ref. Ref.).
Therefore, cellular inflammation and free radical damage to cells are both linked and centrally important in ageing (Ref.).
Which means that anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods and nutritional supplements are an important part of a successful ageing strategy.
Antioxidants in the foods we eat can neutralise free radicals, reducing the risk of oxidative damage. Examples of dietary antioxidants include vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene, colour compounds called anthocyanidins in berries, Omega 3, a nutrient called EGCG in green tea, and many more.
The body can also produce its own antioxidants which are more powerful than antioxidant supplements â and in another article in this series we saw that turning on the Nrf2 gene could increase the bodyâs natural antioxidant, glutathione.
An anti-inflammatory and therefore anti-ageing diet
There are âhot spotsâ in certain parts of the world where far more people than usual live happy and disease-free lives, well into old age. Places with healthy centenarians. They are often called âBlue Zonesâ, a term coined by the researcher Dan Buettner. The lifestyle and diet of these centenarians are the key.
So, itâs no coincidence that the Mediterranean Diet and the Japanese Diet (and especially the Okinawan) are diets that increase health span. They are very high in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients.
But we can do even better.
Because there is a food plan called the DASH Diet. It stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
Studies confirm that DASH significantly lowers high blood pressure and improves levels of cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure (Ref. Ref.)
There is also a food plan called the MIND Diet â a modification of the Mediterranean and DASH diet created by Rush University in the US. Â Studies published in The Journal of the Alzheimerâs Association (Ref.) show the MIND Diet can averagely reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimerâs by 54% and even a âmoderate adherenceâ produces a 35% reduction.
Our âDelay Ageingâ Food Plan combines all these â the Mediterranean, Japanese, MIND and DASH diets â into a âbest of the bestâ plan.
A study in 2022 (Ref.) showed that this type of combined plan can increase health span by over 8 years.
Maintaining and improving immune function
A healthy immune system is vital in preventing infection, clearing residual inflammation, removing senescent cells, and in clearing pre-cancerous mutated cells.
The pandemic has made T cells a rather well-known medical term. T cells, a type of white blood cell, mature in the thymus. (T for thymus and thus T for T cells).
T cells protect the body against cancerous cells and cells that have become infected by pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses.
The problem is that the thymus (located just behind the breastbone) shrinks significantly over time, becomes âfattyâ and less effective â a process called immuno-senescence.
This causes a decline in the production of new T cells and correlates with an increased risk of cancer. Even flu vaccines become less than 50% effective in people over 60 due to reduced T cells! (Ref.)
So counteracting a reduction in immune cell decline is yet another ageing factor to overcome.
How? Extensive research confirms that the elements of the Delay Ageing Food and Lifestyle Plan powerfully support the immune system (Ref.)
We also know that Vitamins A, C, D3 and E, together with zinc and selenium are vital immune support nutrients.
As many as 42% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D3 (Ref.) and the figure is similar in the UK.
The latest research indicates that vitamin D3 at a level of 800 IU (International Units) a day in the summer and 2,000 IU in the winter appears optimum. How Vitamin D cuts the risk of cancer - NutriShield. Vitamin D3 is a very inexpensive supplement and should be on everyoneâs supplement list.
The role of health supplements
Why a supplement?
This graph illustrates the importance of defensive action. If you take action at point A, you can help avoid the typical path of disease when âall-of-a-suddenâ at point B you are diagnosed with a life-altering illness.
It wasnât âall-of-a-suddenâ â it was steadily developing for years. So, nowhere is the concept of âprevention is better than cureâ more important than in health.
I believe the first priority is always to get your nutrients from food â hence the Delay Ageing Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Plan.
Nevertheless, there are nutrients that may be present in your diet, but are rarely at a high enough level to counterbalance the multiple forces behind ageing. Forces that inexorably increase over the years.
In addition, we know that people generally eat less as they get older and the ability to absorb nutrients from food does become less efficient over time â just as the demand for higher levels of preventative nutrition increases. (Ref.)
So, for all these reasons, I believe that nutrients that help slow ageing â and therefore increase healthy longevity and quality of life â should be increased in your diet via a health food supplement.
What should be in an ideal anti-ageing supplement?
Pulling together the conclusions from this five-part series these should include a range and optimum levels of nutrients that:
- > Act as anti-inflammatories â curcumin, green tea, bilberry, grapeseed
- > Are antioxidants â Omega 3, vitamins A, C, E, curcumin, green tea
- > Help repair DNA - resveratrol, curcumin, fisetin, vitamin C, B3 nicotinamide, beta carotene, lutein, lycopene.
- > Switch on beneficial genes (epigenetic modifiers) â folic acid, betaine, Omega 3, B12, curcumin, green tea, resveratrol, apigenin, lycopene, lutein, genistein
- > Support mitochondrial health and boost energy via NAD+ â nicotinamide, CoQ10, Omega 3, curcumin, soy isoflavones, grapeseed, green tea, glucosamine
- > Help clear senescent cells â fisetin, grapeseed, curcumin, EGCG in green tea, glucosamine
- > Support the immune system â vitamins A, C, D3 and E, zinc and selenium
This is not the definition of a simple one-a-day vitamin pill!
Because delaying ageing, and the threats that accompany it, is not a simple process. So a âmagic bulletâ approach with a single ingredient is never going to work.
It is the SYNERGY between multiple nutrients and lifestyle factors that makes the difference.
Which is why we developed the supplement NutriShield which contains these elements: NutriShield | Daily Nutritional Health Supplement from Uni-Vite Healthcare
Thanks for reading
I spend my time researching the new science of healthy, successful ageing. Â And how to extend health span rather than just lifespan.
I hope you got value from this part of the 5-part series. Links to the other 4 parts are:
Longer Healthier Life Part 1: Protect Energy-Promoting Mitochondria
Longer Healthier Life Part 2: The Right Nutrients Can Protect Your DNA
Longer Healthier Life Part 3: Clear Zombie Cells to Stay Healthy
Longer Healthier Life Part 4: Switching On Good Protective Genes
Longer Healthier Life Part 5: Defeating Inflammation and Boosting Your Immune System
And if you enjoyed it, please send the link of this article to any friend or family member who might benefit.
Colin Rose
NutriShield Premium Health Supplement
NutriShield Premium was originally designed by Dr Paul Clayton, former Chair of the Forum on Food and Health at the Royal Society of Medicine.
It contains 6 different capsules, combining a total of 43 powerful nutrients to support healthy ageing and has been updated and improved every year since 2002 based on the newest longevity research.
Delay Ageing book explains the ageing process and how you can postpone it
Medical researchers agree that if you slow ageing, you also delay the onset of age-related disease. And we know that itâs not just nutrition. Sleep, reducing stress and cardio and strength exercise are also essential to longevity and ageing well.
My book Delay Ageing: Healthy to 100, published in 2020, explains the latest ageing science in an accessible way.
Itâs been rated 5-star and I am sure you will get a lot of benefit from it, as so many have already.
Click here to go to the publisher's website where you can buy the printed book or Kindle version.
REFERENCES
THEORIES OF AGEING
Silicon Valleyâs billionaires want to hack the ageing process | Financial Times (ft.com)
How to Prevent a Global Aging Crisis « Kurzweil (kurzweilai.net)
Cellular reprogramming and epigenetic rejuvenation - PubMed (nih.gov)
Modern Biological Theories of Aging (nih.gov)
Is the Evolutionary Programmed/ Non-programmed Aging Argument Moot? - PubMed (nih.gov)
A Darwinian-evolutionary concept of age-related diseases - ScienceDirect
Vascular Aging: Healthy lifestyle-based approaches for successful vascular aging - PMC (nih.gov)
Transcriptional Regulation and its Misregulation in Disease - PMC (nih.gov)
Cellular reprogramming and the rise of rejuvenation biotech - ScienceDirect
Food pattern calculator estimates how to gain up to ten life years - Academic Gates
The economic value of targeting aging | Nature Aging
Cellular secrets of ageing unlocked by researchers â Wellcome Sanger Institute
Biology of aging study shows why curbing calories counts | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
Pluripotent stem cell therapy for retinal diseases - PubMed (nih.gov)
NUTRIENT RESEARCH
MULTI-NUTRIENT STUDIES
Influence of Dietary Components on Regulatory T Cells (nih.gov)
Effects of micronutrients on DNA repair - PubMed (nih.gov)
Phytochemicals in Chemoprevention: A Cost-Effective Complementary Approach - PubMed (nih.gov)
Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function - PubMed (nih.gov)
Emerging senolytic agents derived from natural products - PubMed (nih.gov)
Lifestyle Adjustments in Long-COVID Management: Potential Benefits of Plant-Based Diets (nih.gov)
Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Chronic Disease: Treatment With Natural Supplements (nih.gov)
COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study
INDIVIDUAL NUTRIENT STUDIES
APIGENIN
Flavonoid Apigenin Is an Inhibitor of the NAD+ase CD38 (nih.gov)
Apigenin - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
The Therapeutic Potential of Apigenin (nih.gov)
CAROTENOIDS (includes Lutein, Lycopene)
CO-ENZYME Q10
Bioenergetic and antioxidant properties of coenzyme Q10: recent developments - PubMed (nih.gov)
Coenzyme Q10 in the diet--daily intake and relative bioavailability - PubMed (nih.gov)
CURCUMIN/TURMERIC
Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health (nih.gov)
Effects of curcumin on mitochondria in neurodegenerative diseases - PubMed (nih.gov)
Immune modulation by curcumin: The role of interleukin-10 - PubMed (nih.gov)
FISETIN
Fisetin and Quercetin: Promising Flavonoids with Chemopreventive Potential (nih.gov)
Fisetin: A Dietary Antioxidant for Health Promotion (nih.gov)
Fisetin is a senotherapeutic that extends health and lifespan â Mayo Clinic (elsevier.com)
GLUCOSAMINE
Glucosamine Extends the Lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans via Autophagy Induction (jst.go.jp)
Glucosamine Activates Autophagy In Vitro and In Vivo (nih.gov)
Use of Glucosamine and Chondroitin in Relation to Mortality (nih.gov)
LUTEOLIN
Luteolin, a flavonoid with potentials for cancer prevention and therapy (nih.gov)
NICOTINAMIDE/NIACIN (Vitamin B3)
Safety of high-dose nicotinamide: a review - PubMed (nih.gov)
Nicotinamide: An Update and Review of Safety & Differences from Niacin - PubMed (nih.gov)
The role of PARP in DNA repair and its therapeutic exploitation (nih.gov)
Nicotinamide, Nicotinamide Riboside and Nicotinic AcidâEmerging Roles in Replicative and Chronological Aging in Yeast (nih.gov) Nicotinamide, Nicotinamide Riboside and Nicotinic AcidâEmerging Roles in Replicative and Chronological Aging in Yeast (nih.gov)
Possible Adverse Effects of High-Dose Nicotinamide: Mechanisms and Safety Assessment (nih.gov)
The effect of niacinamide on osteoarthritis: a pilot study - PubMed (nih.gov)
OMEGA 3
Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life - PubMed (nih.gov)
POLYPHENOLS, FLAVONOIDS AND OTHER PHYTOCHEMICALS
Pattern of polyphenol intake and the long-term risk of dementia in older persons - PubMed (nih.gov)
Flavonol Intake and Cognitive Decline in Middle-Aged Adults - PubMed (nih.gov)
Natural polyphenols as sirtuin 6 modulators (nih.gov)
Dietary intakes of berries and flavonoids in relation to cognitive decline - PubMed (nih.gov)
Protective effects of berry polyphenols against age-related cognitive impairment - IOS Press
The Immunomodulatory and Anti-Inflammatory Role of Polyphenols (nih.gov)
Biological Activities of Polyphenols from Grapes (nih.gov)
Polyphenols: multipotent therapeutic agents in neurodegenerative diseases - PubMed (nih.gov)
Phytochemicals and cognitive health: Are flavonoids doing the trick? - PubMed (nih.gov)
The impact of fruit flavonoids on memory and cognition - PubMed (nih.gov)
Recent Research on the Health Benefits of Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins - PubMed (nih.gov)
Potential use of polyphenols in the battle against COVID-19 (nih.gov)
Polyphenols and Aging - ScienceDirect
Effects of Polyphenol-Rich Foods on Human Health - PMC (nih.gov) .
Pattern of polyphenol intake and the long-term risk of dementia in older persons - PubMed (nih.gov)
Flavonoids as inhibitors of human CD38 - ScienceDirect
Tea polyphenols protect learning and memory in sleep-deprived mice : NeuroReport (lww.com)
Green tea extract promotes DNA repair in a yeast model. - Abstract - Europe PMC
Flavonoids as inhibitors of human CD38 - PubMed (nih.gov)
PTEROSTILBENE AND RESVERATROL
Effect of resveratrol and pterostilbene on aging and longevity - PubMed (nih.gov)
Resveratrol-Activated AMPK/SIRT1/Autophagy in Cellular Models of Parkinson's Disease (nih.gov)
Effect of resveratrol and pterostilbene on aging and longevity - PubMed (nih.gov)
QUERCETIN
Quercetin, Inflammation and Immunity (nih.gov)
Fisetin and Quercetin: Promising Flavonoids with Chemopreventive Potential (nih.gov)
SEAWEED
Fucaceae: A Source of Bioactive Phlorotannins - PubMed (nih.gov)
Fucoidan and Its Health Benefits - ScienceDirect
PRIME PubMed | Fucaceae: A Source of Bioactive Phlorotannins (unboundmedicine.com)
VITAMIN D
The Role of Vitamin D in the Aging Adult (nih.gov)
Vitamin D: a Review of its Effects on Epigenetics and Gene Regulation - PubMed (nih.gov)
Vitamin D and the Immune System (nih.gov)
OTHER INDIVIDUAL NUTRIENTS
Olive Oil Phenols as Promising Multi-targeting Agents Against Alzheimer's Disease - PubMed (nih.gov)
Folate and Cancer - Oncology Nutrition DPG
Impact of the Natural Compound Urolithin A on Health, Disease, and Aging - PubMed (nih.gov)
Spermidine delays aging in humans (nih.gov)
Biological Effect of Soy Isoflavones in the Prevention of Civilization Diseases - PMC (nih.gov)
BODY CELLS AND PROCESSES
ALPHA-KETOGLUTARATE
Alpha-Ketoglutarate: Physiological Functions and Applications (nih.gov)
GENES AND GENETICS
Aging, Rejuvenation, and Epigenetic Reprogramming: Resetting the Aging Clock (nih.gov)
Genetics of gene expression and its effect on disease - PubMed (nih.gov)
Epigenetic protection: maternal touch and DNA-methylation in early life - ScienceDirect
Klotho and the aging process - PubMed (nih.gov)
Significance of the anti-aging protein Klotho - PubMed (nih.gov)
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D and Klotho: A Tale of Two Renal Hormones Coming of Age - PubMed (nih.gov)
Long live FOXO: unraveling the role of FOXO proteins in aging and longevity (nih.gov)
FOXO3 â A Major Gene for Human Longevity (nih.gov)
The role of sirtuins in Alzheimer's disease - PMC (nih.gov)
AMPK: a nutrient and energy sensor that maintains energy homeostasis - PubMed (nih.gov)
Nrf2, a guardian of healthspan and gatekeeper of species longevity - PubMed (nih.gov)
Nutraceuticals synergistically promote proliferation of human stem cells - PubMed (nih.gov)
GLYCATION AND AGEs
LITHIUM
Lithium brings anti-aging drugs a step closer (medicalnewstoday.com)
Lithium treatment and mechanisms of aging | Molecular Psychiatry (nature.com)
Low-dose lithium uptake promotes longevity in humans and metazoans - PubMed (nih.gov)
METHYLATION AND METHYL DONORS
Methyl Donor Micronutrients that Modify DNA Methylation and Cancer Outcome - PMC (nih.gov)
(99+) The Role of Methylation Adaptogens | LinkedIn
Methyl Donor Micronutrients that Modify DNA Methylation and Cancer Outcome (semanticscholar.org)
NAD+
Why NAD+ Declines during Aging: Itâs Destroyed (nih.gov)
Restoring stem cells â all you need is NAD+ - PMC (nih.gov)
Why NAD(+) Declines during Aging: It's Destroyed - PubMed (nih.gov)
NAD and the aging process: Role in life, death and everything in between - PubMed (nih.gov)
SIRTUINS
Sirtuins, a promising target in slowing down the ageing process (nih.gov)
SIRT1 Activation by Natural Phytochemicals: An Overview (nih.gov)
Sirtuin 6: linking longevity with genome and epigenome stability (cell.com)
TELOMERES
Multivitamin use and telomere length in women - PubMed (nih.gov)
The role of telomeres and vitamin D in cellular aging and age-related diseases - PubMed (nih.gov)
OTHER
Role of Interleukin 10 Transcriptional Regulation in Inflammation and Autoimmune Disease (nih.gov)
Clonal dynamics of haematopoiesis across the human lifespan | Nature