Leonard Guarante is director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Science of Aging research at MIT. This lab is highly specialized in the research of aging. Their daily mission is to answer the questions that all of us have as we get older. Why do we age? Is there any way for us to increase human longevity? Guarante claims to know the answers to these questions. And because he knows the answers, he is the best person to help develop the newest supplemental vitamin on the market that claims to help reduce the effects of aging. Guarante is chief scientist on a team called Elysium made up of businessmen, researchers, and even past Nobel Prize winners. This elite team of brainpower came together when presented with the idea of a vitamin supplement that works on a cellular level to increase your health span. Instead of Guarante and his team claiming that their newly developed supplement helps individuals live longer, it advertises it’s ability to maintain ideal health in individuals well into old age. They are selling the idea of increased health throughout your entire lifetime instead of increased longevity. How is this possible? Guarante’s research led him to the conclusion that aging, as well as the health complications that come along with aging, can be slowed by altering an individual’s metabolism. He took this idea and ran with it when it came to the supplement he and his team created called Basis. Although Elysium has supported their product with a lot of research and data, I can’t help but ask the question all of society has asked for as long as we can remember. Is it actually possible to slow down the process/effects of aging?
Leonard Guarante and the formula for his newest NR dietary supplements called Basis.
Elysium claims on its product’s supplement facts that there are two main ingredients found to be effective when it comes to slowing down the process/effects of aging. These two ingredients are Nicotinamide Riboside and Pterostilbene.
Elysium Health’s NR supplement Basis.
Active ingredients in Basis.
Visual representation of the communication between the nucleus and mitochondria.
Nicotinamide Riboside is a producer of NAD+. NAD+ is found naturally in our cells and activates an enzyme also found in our cells called Sirutin1 (SIRT1). SIRT1 is the enzyme responsible for uninterrupted communication between the nucleus and the mitochondria. Why is this communication so important? Because the minute the communication between the nucleus and mitochondria within our cells stop, our cells start to die and we begin to see evidence of aging in our bones, muscles, and skin. There have also been studies that show that the presence of Nicotinamide Riboside in yeast helps to increase yeast’s lifespan. This is why Nicotinamide Riboside is one of the primary ingredients in Basis. Pterostilbene is another main ingredient found in Basis. It is a natural antioxidant compound found primarily in blueberries. “Substantial evidence suggests that pterostilbene may have numerous preventive and therapeutic properties in a vast range of human diseases that include neurological, cardiovascular, metabolic, and hematologic disorders,” (US National Library of Medicine). Based off of this evidence provided by the US National Library of Medicine, it is clear to see that Pterostilbene is used in Basis because it helps to prevent many of the human diseases associated with old age. Based off of the research on the two main ingredients in Basis, it seems possible that the effects of aging can, in fact, be slowed. But it almost seems too good to be true.
One thing that needs to be considered by the large market of adults trying to slow down the aging process is if this vitamin supplement is safe or not. Elysium is not the first team to realize the positive effects Nicotinamide Riboside has on our cells. ChromaDex is a company that not only came out with NIAGEN NR (another supplement that contains Nicotinamide Riboside) but they also conducted the first human clinical study on the product to test how safe it was.
ChromaDex’s NR supplement product called NIAGEN.
NIAGEN’s active ingredients.
The results were exactly what the company was hoping for. In an observational study containing 12 healthy adults, ChromaDex was able to confirm that Nicotinamide Riboside is effective in increasing NAD+ in the body but it is also completely safe. There are a few things wrong with this study though that I should bring to my audience’s attention. The specifics of this observational study has yet to be released. In all of the reports on the study, it is only said that these specifics are supposed to be released in scientific literature for peer review sometime soon. That means that, for the time being, no one is able to thoroughly evaluate this allegedly successful study. I think that these details need to be released so we can evaluate the demographics in the sample of adults that was used. What if Nicotinamide Riboside reacts differently in hispanic women than it does in caucasian males? We need to be sure that Nicotinamide Riboside is safe for all kinds of people. I’m also thrown off by the size of the sample used. I feel as if 12 people is only enough if the sample was completely randomized and if a lot of different demographics were represented within the sample.
So because we do not know the specifics of this observational study, I feel like there are still some questions to be answered regarding the safety of NR supplements in humans. Just like Andrew said in class, we are able to see that NR supplements are effective but we can not say with 100% certainty that they are safe no matter how many studies/ experiments try to prove it. But if you’re asking whether or not you should start incorporating NR supplements into your diet, that is for you to decide. It all depends on if you consider the risk to be very big or very small. It’s all about what you can personally live with. A simple Cost-Benefit analysis could also help in your decision to take NR supplements or not. The Elysium Health website charges $60 for a one month supply of Basis. And although the one observational study concerning NR supplements proved it to be safe and effective, that was a study done with a different brand of product. Any NR supplements are too new on the market for there to be any solid evidence (especially anecdotal evidence) that they work the way they are advertised to work. Personally, I would take the risk of buying and using the NR supplements. The studies (although limited) are positive and the price isn’t that hefty if you just want to try it once. Although these supplements are said to work best if used continuously over a long period of time, I don’t think it hurts to try. But whether you want to take that risk or not is totally up to the individual.
So does that mean it is scientifically possible to slow down the process/effects of aging? Because of the newness of the product and the limited amount of studies done on the product, I would say it’s too soon to tell. Maybe later on down the line, Basis or Niagen consumers will speak out about their personal experiences using the product. And from there, legitimate studies concerning the safety and effectiveness of the vitamins will be able surface. But, until then, all we know for sure is that there’s a chance that the process/effects of aging can be slowed. And if it can, then science has truly made a revolutionary revelation.
It is good that you are hesitant to believe the results of the second study. You are right. A sample size of twelve is way to small to base any type of conclusion on. I also noticed that this study was published in August 2015. Since this is a fairly new topic, it probably is very unreliable at this stage. Also, I was unable to find a p-value on this study so the exact reliability is unknown. In order to way the risk, we have to consider the hazard and the exposure. Right now, we don’t know what the hazards are. However, everyone ages, it is something natural that everyone goes through. If this product isn’t going to increase longevity then I don’t see the point in using it, especially since it could be potentially harmful.
Nice Blog. There is already a well established community surrounding the use of Nicotinamide Riboside. You can find a “users experience thread” and “track the latest Scientific Publications.”
Just Google “nicotinamide riboside news and updates longecity”
or “nicotinamide riboside personal experience thread longecity”
Nicotinamide Riboside is a form of B3 and has it roots in research begun on Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), a metabolite that was first identified over 100 years ago. The molecule was originally only available in lab quantities until 2013, now ChromaDex using patent rights acquired from Dartmouth College, Cornell University and Washington University manufactures the molecule for sale to its reseller channel. From a business perspective Procter & Gamble just entered the picture to create its own products based on this molecule.
After you comb the research you can really get a sense of the potential benefits from this molecule. In fact there’s been such an academic surge in interest over the last 2-years that you can find several related papers about NAD boosting, Sirtuin activators and Nicotinamide Riboside out weekly. Recently uncovered information is also emerging on NAD’s relationship to epigenetic’s because of a whole family of NAD-dependent enzymes have been identified.
I’m one of the “community researchers” combing the web for the latest academic papers to post in our group. That’s how I found you. I’ve also taken NR for the last 658 days and you’ll find many similar users like me. Unlike most who hear about this today I’m way past the internet hype having followed this research since 2007 looking for something to help an aging parent with alzheimer’s. There are real benefits but its best to look past the marketing because NAD boosting is just one part of the picture.
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) is a central metabolite in the cell. Changes in NAD abundance and the activity of NAD-dependent enzymes, such as the sirtuins, are at the core of metabolic/mitochondrial diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, and of cancer and neurodegeneration just to name a few. Being that NAD is also a central metabolic sensing molecule it requires a delicate balance in its production and utilization thru molecular feedback loops. NAD levels are controlled by balancing biosynthesis and salvage on one side, the breakdown and elimination on the other. As we age epigenetic control factors maintaining this delicate balance seem to become slowly down-regulated.
As you can imagine this slow decline with age creates an ever growing deficiency. To get an idea of what happens Google NAD depletion.
Nicotinamide Riboside is one of several NAD precursors that can boost cellular levels. There are several pharmacological human studies underway to see if these NAD levels can be prolonged. I for one feel I already know the answers to these questions but completion of those studies is still being anxiously anticipated by users like myself.
Pterostilbene is another interesting molecule under study at the University of Mississippi. Together both these molecules are being produced under licence by ChromaDex. They have a number of resellers and can be purchased for a lot less money than from the aforementioned outlets but I trust if you embrace this idea of NAD boosting you’ll discover that.
This is a very interesting blog post. People are constantly trying new products and methods of ant-aging from beauty products and creams to lifestyle changes and “super foods.” But, could all of this just be a hoax and a method for business and increased revenue? Is it really possible to stunt the aging process or is aging just a natural bodily method that can’t be tampered with? I definitely agree that there needs to be a lot more research conducted with this supplement. It is also very expensive for not having key successful results. Also, it seems as though the product has not been tested or out long enough for anyone to see the long term effects. Are there any known long-term effects of the product? It seems too soon to know and definitely needs more attention, although it is a very interesting method and many people would be willing and wanting to know the truth about “anti-aging.”
Jada, wow! This blog post captured my attention and was very informative. Thank you! At first glance, this topic seems to have the potential to change human life as we know it… reduce the effects of aging: a goal of a majority of human beings in our society. Though this research is shocking and innovative, I would like to acknowledge the number of makeup brands, lotions, or hair dyes that claim to “reduce the effects of aging” that are already widely used. Specifically, dozens of companies claim to produce age-defying skin creams that postpone the aging process- at least on an aesthetic basis if not actually increasing longevity of life. An article from the Live Science website delves into the question of whether or not some of these lotions actually induce the desired effects. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen and elastin, causing are skin to sag and lose fat, producing fine lines. Certain common ingredients in skin care products are believed to work, yet some leave researchers with many questions. Retinol, a natural form of vitamin A, is shown to significantly reduce the presence of wrinkles. The bottom line with the both product referenced above and anti-aging creams is that anything that has the potentially to greatly impact large numbers of people must be researched extensively before any information can be released for sure about the product’s powers. We will not know for sure the dangers of anti-aging products or drugs for a very long time. For now, we should attempt to live by a quote from my favorite author, Mitch Albom; “There is a reason God limits our days.. to make each one precious”.
Very interesting blog. For me the aging process was spoken about like it was always something that was to be covered up i.e. wrinkles, knee pains etc. But I never thought the actual process could be slowed down. The risks I assume are great because it would be slowing down a natural process.. Great article, really interesting topic to thing about!