Four Compounds Which Have Been Shown To Extend Lifespan
by Nils Osmar. Updated August 15, 2023 . Medical Disclaimer
Many supplements and medications have anti-aging effects. But anti-aging does not always equate with life extension.
For example, we lose muscle as we age, and some supplements help us gain more muscle, pushing back against sarcopenia; but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll live longer if we take them.
Some I find promising
The ones below have been shown to significantly extend both median and maximum lifespan in lab animals. There is, of course, no way yet to know, or test, whether they do the same in humans. (It would take longer than a human lifespan to verify whether the people taking them are living longer.) But because the pathways they’re altering are evolutionarily conserved in both people and the lab animals in question, it seems reasonable (to me) to think there’s a good chance that they might.
Here are some of my key supplements – which of course I’m taking in addition to doing basic things like eating a high nutrient diet, fasting and exercising:
- GlyNAC.. 1/2 glycine + 1/2 N Acetyl Cysteine. GlyNAC has a lot of research behind it, showing that it raises glutathione in both mice and humans and increases maximum lifespan by 24% in mice. I’ve tried different brands; as long as it’s a reputable company and you have confidence that both products are genuine, I’d say when buying GlyNAC, you can shop for price. When I take GlyNAC in the early evening, I often sleep well. and waking up feeling more refreshed and energized.) See study
- ALPHA KETOGLUTATE. AKG has been tested for life extension in the CaAKG form. (It’s also available as AAKG and OAKG, but it’s not known whether it has a life extending effect in those forms). In the CaAKG or Ca-AKG form, it’s been found to compress morbidity, delaying the aging process till near the very end of life, and to extend maximum lifespan in females, and t0 extend median lifespan in males. (I take Ca-AKG from DoNotAge first thing in the morning, an hour or two before taking my sirtuin activators) One key thing I’ve noticed is more energy for working out.) See study
- SIRTUIN 6 ACTIVATORS. The activation of the sirtuin 6 gene has been found to extend healthy lifespan in both sexes (in lab animals). Two primary ways to activate it are to take fucoidan (found in some brown seaweed) and cyanidin. (found in some dark berries). According to one study, “SIRT6 overexpression in C57BL mice led to a 27% and 15% extension in median lifespan, in males and females, respectively (p = 7.1 × 10−6 and 1.1 × 10−6). Likewise, in comparison to their WT littermates, SIRT6 over-expression induced a 11% and 15% extension in maximal lifespan in males and females, respectively”. (See more information below.)
- RAPAMYCIN. Many people in the anti-aging community are taking rapamycin in the hopes of life extendion. But taken together, these two compounds have been found to extend lifespan more than rapamycin alone. (They are not supplements actually; in the U.S., available only by prescription.) See study
More about SIRT6
Sirtuin genes are generally understood to be survival genes which kick on when our body perceives that “times are tough.” Sirtuin 6, like the other sirtuins, is NAD+ dependent. (It “works” without a lot of NAD+ in the body but the sirtuins generally work best when NAD+ levels are high. For this reason, I take products like fucoidan and cyanidin along with some NMN or NR, both of which raises NAD+. (NMN and NR have not been found to extend lifespan, but help fuel the sirtuins, so may be doing so indirectly.)
One of the supplements I take is SIRT6 Activator from DoNotAge, which I take along with their NMN and TMG. DoNotAge’s SIRT6 Activator is the only fucoidan product which is tested (in Dr. Vera Gorbunova’s lab) to verify that it is activating the sirtuin 6 gene.It’s not a cheap supplement, but it’s one that I feel is worth it; I use their discount code PATHWAYS to save a bit of cash). See study I also often also add some black elderberry syrup from Gaia Herbs because it’s rich in cyanidin, another sirtuin activator. (I don’t have a discount code for them, but they do sometimes have sales.)
I take the SIRT6 Activator, NMN, TMG and elderberry together a few hours before breakfast, when my body should already be sensing a “dangerous” low nutrient state and considering switching on the sirtuins. I want to give my body a strong signal that it’s time to activate the genes.
Other supplements
The above isn’t intended to be a complete list. I actually take over thirty supplements. I’ll go into the others in another article.
Caveats and cautions
- Whatever supplements you’re taking, remember to research the possible side effects before taking them. This is particularly important if you’re taking prescription medications, as they may not “play well” with the ingredients in supplements. Consulting with a health care provider who’s knowledgeable about supplements can help clarify which one(s) might be problematic. No supplement is right for everyone.
- In posting this article, I’m not trying to convince anyone to take any supplements, just sharing some information from recent studies. I’m taking most of the above. Time will tell if they’re beneficial. I have no way of knowing which supplements, if any, are right for you.
- This post is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice.
Want to support this website?
If you like the content of this website, you can support it in two ways:
- Donating through my Buymeacoffee account: buymeacoffee.com/nilsosmar
- Buying anti-aging supplements and products from DoNotAge.org using the discount code PATHWAYS. (DoNotAge is my channel’s sponsor; when you use the discount code, you’ll be buying high quality supplements developed to support healthy aging and life extension, and the channel will receive a small payment, enough to keep us going)
Other resources
You’re welcome also to check out my Youtube channel (Pathways to Longevity) — and the Anti-Aging and Life Extension Facebook group.
