X-Message-Number: 19975
From:
Date: Mon, 2 Sep 2002 18:20:36 EDT
Subject: Alternatives to LEF
I realized that in my first response I left out several points I consider
important. One is about alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-l-carnitine and the
other is about another LEF product I've seen stikingly good clinical
(including laboratory quantifiable) responses to with specific problems:
Early on I didn't give much thought to alpha lipoic acid myself. It performed
poorly in my acute cerebral ischemia and blunt head trauma studies and it is
active only after being metabolized to thioctic acid (its reduced state) in
the liver.
It also did not extend lifespan in any of the LEF funded studies that I know
of (but my data is scanty). I think it is probably a poor monoagent for life
extension or health benefit. Having said that, I would point to the recent
work of Bruce Ames, et al., which shows a potent synergistic effect in
combining alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-l-carnitine in aging. A comprehensive
index of the papers is given below as well as the website for full text
access:
http://www.chori.org/investigators/amespub.html
Please note that acetyl-l-carnitine and the much cheaper l-carnitine are NOT
the same. Acetylation allows penetration into the mitochondria and especially
allows carnitine to exceed regulated transport across the blood bran barrier
and cross it freely.
The only nutriceutical I've ever taken that caused noticeable personal
cognitive improvement including fewer daily recorded "senior moments" and a
markedly increased energy and mental clarity level is ChronoForte which LEF
produces. I get some of the same benefits from alpha lipoic acid +
acetyl-l-carntine, but they are not as pronounced. I presume the carnosine in
the ChronoForte is helping.
One other LEF product that is definitely without comparison is GastroPro
(polyenylphosphatidylcholine). I have a number of friends with HIV and HCV
infection and serious elevation of transaminases and pancreatic enzymes.
GastroPro normalized transaminases in 11 out of 13 people I've recommended it
to, cut pancreatic enzymes by at least 50% in all those with elevated levels
and seemed to have caused rapid resolution of a chronic pancreatitis in one
HIV positive person I recommended the product to. So, it is a great liver and
pancreas protector, at least against the d4T and 3TC type drugs. A real nice
side benefit is reduction of nausea and malaise after HIV drug dosing.
The availability of this kind of product and watching it change peoples'
lives dramatically makes me reluctant to be too hard on LEF. And, the fact
remains that they really are spending millions on basic organ
cryopreservation research with dramatic and visible results in human
cryopatients; the first improvements since the late 1970s. I know: I've seen
the results personally.
Mike Darwin
1.Shigenaga, M.K., T.M. Hagen, and B.N. Ames, Oxidative damage and
mitochondrial decay in aging. Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1994. 91: p. 10771-10778.
Abstract/PDF download
2.Beckman, K.B. and B.N. Ames, The free radical theory of aging
matures. Physiol. Rev., 1998. 78: p.
547-581.
Abstract/PDF download
3.Hagen, T.M., et al., Mitochondrial decay in hepatocytes from old
rats: Membrane potential declines,
heterogeneity and oxidants increase. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,
1997. 94: p. 3064-3069.
Abstract/PDF download
4.Helbock, H.J., et al., DNA oxidation matters: The HPLC-EC assay of
8-oxo-deoxyguanosine and
8-oxo-guanine. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1998. 95: p. 288-293.
Abstract/PDF download
5.Beckman, K.B. and B.N. Ames, Mitochondrial aging: open questions.
Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 1998. 854: p.
118-27.
Abstract
6.Hagen, T.M., et al., Acetyl-L-carnitine fed to old rats partially
restores mitochondrial function and ambulatory
activity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1998. 95: p. 9562-9566.
Abstract/PDF download
7.Lykkesfeldt, J., et al., Age-associated decline in ascorbic acid
concentration, recycling and biosynthesis in rat
hepatocytes - reversal with (R)-alpha-Lipoic acid supplementation.
FASEB J., 1998. 12: p. 1183-1189.
Abstract/PDF download
8.Hagen, T.M., et al., (R)-a-Lipoic acid-supplemented old rats have
improved mitochondrial function,
decreased oxidative damage, and increased metabolic rate. FASEB J.,
1998. 13: p. 411-418.
Abstract/PDF download
9.Hagen, T.M., C.M. Wehr, and B.N. Ames, Mitochondrial decay in aging.
Reversal through supplementation
of acetyl-L-carnitine and N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenyl-nitrone. Ann N Y
Acad Sci 1998 Nov 20;854:214-23
Abstract
10.Hagen, T.M., et al., (R)-alpha-lipoic acid reverses the
age-associated increase in susceptibility of hepatocytes
to tertbutylhydroperoxide both in vitro and in vivo. Antiox. Redox
Signal., 2000. 2: p. 473-483.
Abstract/PDF download
11.Ames, B.N., Micronutrients prevent cancer and delay aging. Toxicol.
Lett., 1998. 102-103: p. 5-18.
Abstract/PDF download
12.Atamna, H., I. Cheung, and B.N. Ames, A method for detecting abasic
sites in living cells: age-dependent
changes in base excision repair. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2000.
97(2): p. 686-91.
Abstract/PDF download
13.Blount, B.C., et al., Folate deficiency causes uracil
misincorporation into human DNA and chromosome
breakage: Implications for cancer and neuronal damage. Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. USA, 1997. 94: p.
3290-3295.
Abstract/PDF download
14.Ames, B.N. and L.S. Gold, Environmental pollution, pesticides, and
the prevention of cancer:
Misconceptions. FASEB J., 1997. 11: p. 1041-1052.
Abstract/PDF download
15.Ames, B.N., L.S. Gold, and W.C. Willett, The causes and prevention
of cancer. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
USA, 1995. 92: p. 5258-5265.
Abstract/PDF download
16.Wallock, L.M., et al., Low seminal plasma folate concentrations are
associated with low sperm density and
count in male smokers and nonsmokers. Fertil. & Steril., 2001. 75:
p. 252-259.
Abstract/PDF download
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