Acetyl-L-Carnitine, The Next Anti-Aging Brain Nutrient

Acetyl-L-Carnitine is an amino acid derivative instrumental in the biochemical synthesis of acetycholine, an important neurotransmitter without which you would be unable to learn or to memorize anything. However, it has another property: it may be able to provide sufficient nutrition to the brain as to allow it to withstand the ravages of time and aging.

Since time immemorial mankind has sought the elixir of life that can be used to give humans everlasting life. While this has yet to be found there is increasing evidence that research is slowly but steadily identifying the factors that cause aging, and identifying means of overcoming them. Acetyl-L-carnatine is one of those amino acid supplements that is essential to life, and that when combined with other supplements can produce a synergistic effect that shows signs of combating at least some of the oxidative changes in the body that cause aging.

Anti-oxidants such as Vitamins C and E have long been used in attempts to fight against the oxidative effects of free radicals on the body; free radicals that once were the by products of our metabolism and easily combated, but which are now being increasingly generated in our environment through pollution, radiation, excessive exposure to sunlight and cigarette smoke. All of these contribute to aging through the disruption and destruction of body cells by these free radicals.

Acetylcholine is well known to biochemical historians, being one of the first neurotransmitters discovered, and its importance in maintaining the proper operation of the brain is indisputable. It is an essential part of the process that allows brain cells to communicate and to create memory. Not only that, but also to recall memories and to tell muscles when they should and should not contract. As people age their brain cells become less efficient, this mainly being due to a decline in the acetyl-L-carnitine that produces actylcholine in the body with the aid of the enzyme choline acetyl transferase.

To express it simply, acetyl-l-carnitine enables neurons to maintain communication when the levels of enzymes and other necessary chemicals are falling throughout the body due to the slowing of the body with age. If we cannot produce it ourselves, then we can either supply it directly though a supplement, or supply its precursor so that the body has the raw materials to produce it.

Most biochemistry is active throughout our lives: we simply need to provide the raw materials for the necessary reactions to take place. We can do that through supplements. It has been established that a supplement of acetyl-L-carnitine slows the natural mental decline that begins to occur in middle age and to improved memory and concentration. It is extremely useful that it is easily soluble in both water and fats, so that it can be carried to any part of the body that requires an antioxidant effect.

Studies have also indicated that supplemental acetyl-L-carnitine can promote improved energy generation through its effect on fatty acids. This support of the metabolism of fatty acids is indicated by its effect on ‘liver spots’, which are a recognized sign of aging. These brown spots can be seen on the skin as people age, but the lipofuscin that causes it also affects the internal organs and the brain, and can also appear on the lens of the eye. Lipofuscin is composed of waste products such as damaged proteins and oxidized fats and other lipids. Its production can be held back by antioxidants, and are reduced by supplemental acetyl-L-carnitine.

This is yet another incidence of how ALC can be used to slow done or even reverse, the effects of aging on the human metabolism and brain functions. Animal studies have indicated that this effect is significantly greater when it is used in conjunction with lipoic acid.

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a powerful antioxidant, occurring naturally in beef, kidney, and green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. It is also a coenzyme, working with with other metabolic enzymes to produce energy. Moreover, ALA raises the levels of a substance called glutathione which is critical for the proper functioning of the neurons. However, it is their effect on mitichondria that makes a combination of ALA and ALC so interesting in human biology.

Mitochondria are responsible for the generation of power in all cells in the human body through the biosynthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) responsible for all metabolic functions and cell generation. Without mitochondria, oxygen cannot be used. ATP is the substance that is responsible for carrying chemical energy in the body. During aging, mitochondria are damaged by oxidation through free radicals. This induced a general decline in energy and cognitive functions.

However it was found in a study with rats that when acetyl-L-carnitine was provided as a supplement, the age-related decline in mitochondrial activity was reversed and oxidation of fatty acids was increased. As a result of this fatty acid oxidation, even more oxidation damage to the mitochondria occurred. When a supplement of alpha lipoic acid was also given, however, the mitochondrial oxidation was reduced, so that the mitochondria produced a higher energy output with less oxidation damage.

In fact the two worked synergistically, the benefit of acetyl-L-Carnitine and alpha lipoic acid used together being more effective than when given separately. It is possibly the discovery of more such synergistic effects that will eventually lead to longer life spans!

After a period of time, the old rats took on the energy of much younger rats, and the aging process appeared to have reversed. Tests are now under way on humans, and while the doses needed are large, initial results of a 2001 study at San Francisco State University have indicated a reduction in the oxidative stress induced by exercise of a test group in comparison with a placebo control group.

This type of stress as in indication of damage caused by energy output, and relates to aging. It appears, therefore, that a supplement consisting of both l-Carnitine and ALA is more effective that either alone in improving the degeneration of energy levels as well the decline in cognitive and memory functions that comes with age. It is not yet, however, the elixir of life!




By FreeArticlesForWebSites

Benefits Of Glutathione Therapy

Although one of the primary benefits of Glutathione has to do with Parkinson’s disease, it has been found that when a person has a Glutathione deficiency, other health issues can arise. Since Glutathione is one of the primary antioxidant enzymes, a protein made naturally in the body to help protect cells, if this is low or non-existence, trouble is imminent.

For maintaining overall good health, liquid Glutathione is needed. In fact, when it comes to the body’s cells being able to fight off damage caused by free radicals, this one protein type is the most important. Comprised of three amino acid types, Glutathione can be found in every single cell. For this protein to work as it should, it has to be generated within the cell.

In addition to being found in the body, Glutathione also comes from a person’s diet. Although not considered an essential nutrient, it is still vital. After all Glutathione can be created from L-cystein, L-glutamate, and glycine amino acids. When at the appropriate levels, the benefits of Glutathione are incredible, keeping a person’s immune system working at normal function.

Another of the many benefits of Glutathione is that it aids in the multiplication of lymphocytes. Experts now conclude that there are actually three main benefits of Glutathione specific to the immune response system. First, it works as an antioxidant, second, a booster for the overall immune system and its response, and finally, a detoxifier. To ensure the body can maintain a high level of function for the immune system, Glutathione plays a critical part.

Other important benefits of Glutathione or having a Glutathione deficiency includes protection the body’s health, improving endurance in people living with AIDS, reducing high levels of oxidized Vitamins C and E, maintaining the cellular structure, protecting red blood cells, and even keeping brain function at a normal level. As more and more studies are being performed on Glutathione deficiency, researchers are amazed at the list of benefits of Glutathione that they find.

What happens in the body is that sometime during your twenties and thirties, the level of Glutathione starts to diminish, usually as much as 10% every ten years. As we get older, we begin to feel tired, achy, etc. With the research that has been done regarding both Glutathione deficiency and the benefits of Glutathione, they have found that Glutathione given intravenously, not orally, can make a significant difference in the way a person feels but also the way in which the body fights off illness and disease.

If you decide to take the liquid Glutathione, we suggest you start with the 100 milligram option, gradually increasing to 500. However, there are even supplements that come in 1800 milligrams but in this case you should talk to your doctor prior to taking that high of a dose. The liquid Glutathione or Glutathione injection coupled with a well-balanced diet, daily exercise, and a stress-free life can have a powerful and positive impact on life.




By FreeArticlesForWebSites

L-Glutathione Can Eliminate Toxins in the Liver

L-glutathione is the reduced form of glutathione, and is a tripeptide synthesized in the animal and plant tissues from glycine, cysteine and glutamate. Commonly known as GSH, it contains thiol groups that are maintained in a reduced state, and is a very powerful antioxidant, considered to be the key antioxidant and protective substance in the body.

Glutathione can reduce any disulfide groups in the cytoplasm within the body of the cell, and ensures that the cytoplasm is a strongly reducing medium protecting against oxidation. It has a synergistic effect with other antioxidants to protect the body against free radicals and oxidizing agents that cause so much damage to the body through what is commonly referred to as ‘oxidative stress’. However, there is more to it than that and it attaches itself to toxic chemicals and drugs in the liver and renders them into a state suitable for elimination from the body.

These toxic materials include poisonous pesticides, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and chromium and many other substances that we come into contact with due to present day pollution of our atmosphere and foodstuffs. Glutathione can also help protect the body from the effects of chemotherapy and evidence is suggesting possible links with the control of some cancers, diabetes, atherosclerosis and many other degenerative conditions caused by free radical attack and the effects of pollutants.

The way that GSH acts in the cells is that the redox state of the glutathione-glutathione disulfide couple is critical to the health of the intercellular and intracellular fluid. GSH in the reduced state of glutathione reacts with an oxidative agent such as hydrogen peroxide to form the oxidized form, glutathione disulfide and water. It hence mops up oxidizers such as peroxides and free radicals within the cytoplasm of the body’s cells, and also in between the cells. The disulfide is then converted back to GSH by the combined action of the enzyme glutathione reductase and NADPH (the reducing agent nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate).

The cycle then repeats so that two molecules of glutathione continue to reduce damaging oxidizing agents without themselves being consumed. In so doing, the NADPH becomes oxidized. A continuous supply of NADPH is needed to allow GSH to undergo these biochemical reactions, and up to 10% of our blood glucose is used by the pentose phosphate pathway by which NADPH is synthesized.

Since this cycle consumes no glutathione, it would appear that a supplement is unnecessary. However, this is not the case since the molecule takes part in other reactions in the body, particularly in the elimination of toxic heavy metals from the body. Mercury is highly reactive with the thiol that GSH is, and so will bind to form a stable Hg-sulfydryl bond in the liver. This mercury-glutathione chelate is unable to bind to other proteins or gain access to the body cells, and is eventually harmlessly secreted. The same is true of many other heavy metals that are reactive with thiol’s.

In this way the body is protected from the harmful effects of these heavy metals. However, it results in the loss of the glutathione, and the pollution of modern day living can take a heavy toll of the GSH content of our bodies. For this reason a glutathione supplement is recommended, especially for city dwellers that may be exposed to more heavy metals than those residing in rural areas.

However, the form in which this supplement is taken is very important, because the human digestive tract contains a significant amount of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase. That is an enzyme which apparently destroys glutathione before it can be absorbed. However, it can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream by dissolving the pill between the teeth and inner cheek. It has also been suggestion that the supplement could be administered by injection.

Others have suggested that rather than administer a supplement, individuals could take other supplements that contain the materials needed to stimulate the formation of GSH. Substances such as vitamin C, selenium (important in GSH biochemistry), methionine, alpha-lipoic acid and glutamine could all help to increase the body’s production of glutathione. A supplement of the constituent parts of cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid should also help. The dosage ranges recommended vary widely from 50mg to 500mg daily, and the effects of supplementation are not yet well know.

Some specific conditions that this wonder antioxidant is useful in treating include liver disease such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and so on. Patients suffering from these diseases show a massive reduction in their GSH content and prior GSH treatment appeared to offer a significant degree of protection in controlled clinical investigations. Patients suffering from chronic hepatitis C have been found to be associated with reduced GSH levels, particularly if also HIV positive.

Similar deficiencies have been noted in some lung conditions such as asthma and other pulmonary conditions. In such cases it has been demonstrated that administration of GSH supplements sufficient to restore normal levels of the substance improved the patients’ conditions by a significant amount. Its effect on atherosclerosis appears to be significant since a decreased level of GSH peroxidase has been recorded in such patients in addition to an increase in lipid peroxides, indicating that oxidation of the arterial wall had been occurring.

Anti-viral therapies that rely on GSH biochemistry for their action have been found to be less effective in those with low GSH levels, and other studies have confirmed that supplementing with GSH improves the response to interferon treatment. These results indicate the activity of oxidizing agents and free radicals in liver conditions, and in fact this has been demonstrated by tests carried out in New York and Philadelphia in the 1990s.

This suggests that the liver is prone to damage by oxidative stress, and that GSH levels may be able to be used as an indication of potential liver disease. What is evident is that a strong case can be made for glutathione supplementation as protection against potential liver, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, especially by those exposed to specific polluting agents such as primary or secondary tobacco smoke, auto and diesel fumes and chemicals and pesticides.

L-glutathione is useful, not only for the elimination of toxins in the liver, but also in protecting this large and vital organ from the oxidative stress that modern living brings. L-Glutathione and its precursors are sold over the counter at your local or internet health food store.



By Robert Palmer

A Lycopene Supplement - Why a Multi-Vitamin is a Better Choice

If you go shopping for a lycopene supplement, one of the first things that you are likely to notice is the great variation in price. While some supplements are definitely worth more, some are simply over-priced for no good reason.

Here are a few facts that should help you get the most for your money.

Over the last several decades, many researchers have been focused on the health benefits of specific foods and the differences in people's blood contents of trace nutrients. While the essential vitamins, such as A, C, D and E, are well-known, there are many other trace nutrients in foodstuff that are still not well understood.

Lycopene, which is found in tomatoes and some other red vegetables, is one of them. There is basically one fact that accounts for the increase in popularity of supplements containing it. There is a relationship between high levels in the bloodstream and a lower incidence of prostate cancer.

Men that have prostate cancer typically have lower blood levels of the nutrient. Alternative and mainstream practitioners alike are now suggesting a lycopene supplement for their male patients.

There is a small amount of evidence indicating that the nutrient may be beneficial for the prevention of breast cancer, too. Other claims associated with supplementation include increased energy level and a reduced risk of heart disease, as well as a reduction of other age-related diseases.

Here's the problem. The nutrient is only one of many. The benefits associated with it are not unlike those associated with other antioxidants.

Antioxidants of all kinds address one of the causes of cellular aging. That cause is free radical damage. Free radicals or oxygen radical species, as they are sometimes referred to, are present in all of the cells of the body. If a person has a good antioxidant "status", the radicals are neutralized before they can damage the cells.

There is no reason to believe that a lycopene supplement is any better than any other antioxidant for preventing free radical damage. In fact, one of the most potent antioxidants is l-glutathione, which is not normally included in dietary supplements, because it is more expensive.

In order for it to be absorbed into the bloodstream, the reduced form must be used and it must be protected by an enteric coating. So, when it comes to price variations, supplements that include l-glutathione in the reduced form and an enteric coating are worth more.

According to some scientists, a lycopene supplement might not provide the benefits associated with eating tomatoes. The benefit could be due to all of the different vitamins that are in them, including the basic vitamin C.

Taking a good multi-nutritional supplement is worthwhile for many reasons. The best ones contain nutrients that address all of the causes of cellular aging. Free radical damage is only one of them.

So, instead of shopping for a single ingredient lycopene supplement, look for a good multi-nutritional supplement that contains it. That's how to really get the most for your money.

I have found lycopene as an ingredient in a well balanced multi-nutritional supplement that I personally take and highly recommend visit my website now http://www.radiant-health.info

Susan is passionate about maintaining good health by taking high quality supplements. She says the most valuable and effective supplements she has come across are not very expensive or the most advertised. Check out her website http://www.radiant-health.info today.




By Susan Taylor

What is Glutathione?

Glutathione (pronounced "gloota-thigh-own") also known as GSH is the body's essential health AID - Antioxidant, Immune booster and Detoxifier. This small protein, produced naturally in the body, maintains these three crucial protective functions. In fact, your life depends on glutathione. Without it your cells would disintegrate from unrestrained oxidation, your body would have little resistance to bacteria, viruses and cancer, and your liver would shrivel up from the eventual accumulation of toxins.

Glutathione is not yet a household word. Even doctors who have heard the term may have only a vague idea of it. However, everyone will soon be talking about this critical substance. There was a time when only scientists had heard of cholesterol and vitamins, but today everyone knows about them. In the last five years, over 35,000 medical articles about Glutathione have been published, and this scientific understanding is gradually becoming common knowledge.

Each and every cell in the body is responsible for its own supply of glutathione and must have the necessary raw materials to make it. Glutathione is always in great demand and is rapidly consumed when we experience any sort of pressure - illness, stress, fatigue and even exercise. Glutathione levels also diminish as we age and many diseases normally associated with aging have been linked to glutathione deficiency.

WHY GLUTATHIONE IS ESSENTIAL TO HEALTH

Glutathione's three major roles in the body are summarized by the letters A-I-D - Antioxidant, Immune booster, and Detoxifier - three critical processes driven by glutathione.

THE MASTER ANTIOXIDANT (AID) Over the past thirty years researchers have explored the critical role of antioxidants in good health. It's not surprising that the body itself manufactures its own natural antioxidants. The most important of these is glutathione. Since all other antioxidants depend upon the presence of glutathione to function properly, scientists call it "The Master Antioxidant."

BENEFITS FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM (AID) The immune system's function is to identify and attack germs and other invaders, including cancer cel1s. A body with plenty of glutathione fights off these threats more easily by denying most of them and confronting the few that get through with an enhanced immune system. Elevated glutathione levels enable the body to produce more white blood cells - the most important front line defense of the immune system. Glutathione plays a central role in the functions of these immune cel1s. Dr. Gustavo Bounous, a leading glutathione expert says, "The limiting factor in the proper activity of our lymphocytes (white blood cel1s) is the availability of glutathione." In other words, healthy growth and activity of immune cel1s depend upon glutathione's availability. Simply put, glutathione is food for the immune system.

NATURAL DETOXIFICATION (AID) Whether we know it or not, we are continually inhaling and ingesting natural and synthetic toxins. They are unavoidable in these modern times, both in our polluted cities and our engineered food supplies. When the body has its health and the nourishment it needs it works tirelessly to eliminate toxins and protect itself, but increasing levels of environmental pollution are depleting its stores of glutathione more and more rapidly. Our main organ of detoxification is the liver the body's most concentrated source of glutathione. Studies show that low glutathione levels lead to poor liver function, causing more and more toxins to circulate through the body and resulting in damage to individual cel1s and organs.

Raising glutathione levels: some possible clinical applications:

Aging
• Parkinson's disease
• Alzheimer's disease
• Cataract formation
• Macular degeneration
• Cancers of aging
• Prostate problems
• Osteoarthritis

Cardiovascular
• Prevents heart disease
• Prevents stroke
• Prevents atherosclerosis
• Reverses atherosclerosis
• Prevents reperfusion injury

Digestive system
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Hepatitis
• Malnutrition
• Pancreatitis
• Peptic ulcer

Toxicology
• Detoxifies certain drug overdoses
• Detoxifies substances in cigarette smoke, auto exhaust
• Detoxifies pollutants including heavy metals, pesticides
• Prevents hearing loss from noise pollution
• Detoxifies many well-known carcinogens

Infectious disease and immunology
• Anti-viral (AIDS, hepatitis, herpes, common cold, etc)
• Bacterial infection
• Certain autoimmune dysfunction's
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Immuno-suppression

Cancer
• Cancer prevention
• Suppresses tumor growth
• Eliminates carcinogens, mutagens
• Retards oxidative damage to DNA
• Prevents wasting disease
• Eases side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Pulmonary
• Breaks up mucus
• Cystic fibrosis
• Asthma
• Chronic bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Pulmonary fibrosis

Metabolic
• Athletic enhancement
• Decreases recovery time from physical stress
• Decreases cholesterol LDL oxidation
• Supports hemoglobin in kidney failure
• Diabetes




By Abraham Bruck