X-Message-Number: 14525
From: "Technotranscendence" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re: An anti aging pill?
Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 10:29:12 -0700

On Fri, 22 Sep 2000 11:28:35 -0400 John Clark  wrote:
> In today's (Sept 22)  issue of Science Dr. Leonard Guarente
> reports that he's found exactly why caloric restriction leads to
> longer life; at least he's found the mechanism that works yeast
> and strongly suspects the same thing is true of all life. Caloric
> restriction has extend the life of every species it has been
> tested in.
>
> The key is a gene called SIR2 , the protein it produces clads
> to parts of the DNA helix, covering it up and in effect turns off
> other genes that are supposed to be turned off.  But for the
> gene to make this cladding protein it needs a substance called
> NAD, and it turns out NAD is also used in glucose metabolism,
> so if you eat a lot there is less NAD available to make this very
> important cladding protein.
>
> There is talk of a pill. Geneticist Tomas Prolla referring to life
> extension says "I don't think a 30 to 40% range should be
> considered some kind of maximum.

Great news, if true!

The next step, I reckon, is boosting levels of NAD to see what happens.

What exactly is NAD?  How safe is it?  How cheap is it?  (I'm not thinking
of taking it, but it would be nice to see about funding some human trials,
especially if it's safe and easy to pass into the body and be used.)

Cheers!

Daniel Ust
http://uweb.superlink.net/neptune/

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