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GH replacement therapy as an intervention in aging
Professor John Ionescu on skin protection this summer
Take a fresh look at DHEA
SAMe and other leading anti depressants
An under utilized antiaging hormone
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welcome The word "hormone" is Latin and literally means "chemical messenger." The majority are produced by the endocrine system, specifically from the glands of the hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, pancreas, adrenals, testes and ovaries. Hormone levels can be influenced in so many ways through diet and exercise, as well as environmental factors such as pollution etc. Apart from their glandular production, they can be broken down by enzymes or converted into other hormones by vitamins
in this issue Richard Walker, M . D . , explains h o w and w h e n growth hormone has been used in aging individuals, and also describes its benefits, contraindications and side effects. A s one o f the most talked about hormones, there is also a lot o f misinformation, s o Dr. Walker helps in this practical article to accu-
But it is not just the physical amount of a specific hormone that is important, it's also its ratio or balance to others too.
rately describe the value o f using growth hormone.
In antiaging medicine today, hormones are perhaps the most powerful tools we have, to help readjust the deliterious effects that aging has caused, and whilst the majority of hormones decline in their output as we age, there are a few that increase, for example estrogen in men. However, we must all remember that while controlling hormonal levels and ratios can produce fast benefits, like all powerful tools- knowledge and education is necessary first and foremost. In this issue w e ' v e included information about some of the most talked about and utilized hormones including growth hormone, thyroid and DHEA. What's more these articles have been written by experts in their field, people who have studied these hormones, applied them to their patients and even used them themselves. We hope that you will take this opportunity to discover more about these potent hormones, and the myriad of benefits they can bestow when used correctly and prudently. Enjoy! Phil Micans Editor-in-Chief
Declaration T h e A n t i - A g i n g M a g a z i n e focuses on the latest international nutritional, h o r m o n a l and drug therapies in use n o w that s h o w p r o m i s e in c o m b a t i n g the signs of aging. T h e s e signs include the physical, mental and internal c h a n g e s consisting of the diseases and disorders that include cancer, arthritis and senile d e m e n t i a etc. However, the main f o c u s is u p o n prevention of such aging diseases and disorders for the " h e a l t h y - a g i n g " individual. Copyright IAS 2005. All copyrights are a c k n o w l e d g e d . Whilst e v e r y effort has been m a d e to e n s u r e accuracy, n o responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, h o w s o e v e r caused. N o liability can be accepted for illustrations. p h o t o g r a p h s , artwork or advertising materials while in transmission or with the publisher or their agents. All information is correct at time of going to print. Not for public broadcast or copy without written permission f r o m IAS Ltd. Terms and conditions m a y c h a n g e without notice. Disclaimer: T h e information is o f f e r e d under the IAS terms and conditions and is for educational p u r p o s e s only and should not replace the advice of your personal physician. International Antiaging M a g a z i n e is published quarterly and distributed in the U S A by SPP, PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA. Application to mail at periodicals mailing rates is p e n d i n g at Manchester, PA. Postmaster: send address c h a n g e s to International Antiaging, c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437
G r a p h i c D e s i g n e r Nick J a m e s S t a f f W r i t e r s Chris J a m e s o n , Sonya Hardcastle E d i t o r i a l E n q u i r i e s Jim Skinner Published by International Antiaging S y s t e m s Ltd, IAS House, Les Autelets, Sark, G Y 9 OSF, Great Britain e-mail e d i t o r @ a n t i a g i n g - m a g a z i n e . c o m Subscription Enquiries s u b s c r i p t i o n @ a n t i a g i n g - s y s t e m s . c o m A n t i a g i n g M a g a z i n e is published quarterly by I A S Annual subscription UK ÂŁ19.80 Europe â‚Ź 3 1 . 8 0 Rest of the world $39.80 FAX O R D E R I N G + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 8 181 6 1 0 6
Volume 5 Issue 5 Summer 2005 3
contributors Below are descriptions o f this months contributors
Richard Brown M . D . Dr. Brown is Associate Clinical Professor o f Psychiatry at C o l u m b i a University College o f Physicians and Surgeons in N e w York City. He is also a member o f numerous prestigious societies and has been the recipient o f a number o f awards for his work in Neuropsychopharmacology. As a co-investigator and recipient o f research grants for psychiatric disorders, he has a long standing interest in alternative and complimentary medicine.
J o h n lonescu P h . D .
also...
John Ionescu is one o f Europe's leading dermatologist researchers. From his
Rick Wilkinson, M.D., looks at the role o f the thyroid gland and highlights its changes in aging. Dr. Wilkinson highlights the incredible breadth o f action of the thyroid and describes how supplementation to support an aging/ declining thyroid can produce numerous benefits.
160 bed clinic at Neukirchen in Germany, he has been establishing groundbreaking work into the causes and progression o f numerous skin diseases. His work has lead him to develop a comprehensive diagnostic system to enable genetic indentification o f metabolic failures, which can then result in individualized detox and antiaging therapies. With this, he is proving that all skin disorders are the results o f aging, toxins and allergies.
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Nutritionist Karen Kaufman, updates us on the roles and benefits of D H E A supplementation and ponders the question, why is D H E A the most common hormone in youthful human blood? A factor that surely indicates the importance and need for D H E A supplementation as
K a r e n Sadowsky K a u f m a n M S , C C N , P h i Beta K a p p a Karen Sadowsky K a u f m a n is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate o f Skidmore College. She received a Master o f Science Degree in Nutrition from the University o f New Haven in Connecticut. She is also a certified clinical nutritionist. She has worked at UMass Memorial Health Center and Medical School and currently maintains a private practice. She is the author o f numerous articles and lectures extensively to physicians, nurses, and other health professionals.
Richard Brown, M . D . is one of New York's leading psychiatrists and a forthright and strong advocate o f cutting-edge international pharmaceutical technology. As an author o f innovative medical books, he regularly introduces new products and protocols. Here he discusses S A M e and other leading anti-depression agents.
Richard Walker M.D. Dr. Walker has broad experience in gerontology derived from key positions in
regulars
academia, industry, and business. His education includes a B S in pharmacy, an M S in biochemistry, a Ph.D. in endocrine physiology and a doctorate in the Neuroendocrinology and Neuropharmacology o f Aging. He has successfully prepared several I N D ' s to the F D A for studying hormone replacement and has organized and co-chaired many international symposia on applications for
news
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G H R T in aging.
interview
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R i c h a r d Stanley W i l k i n s o n M . D . Dr. Wilkinson has long been interested in physiological approaches to the practice o f medicine. He is past president o f the American Academy o f Environmental Medicine. Dr Wilkinson's current practice is in Yakima, Washing-
products
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ton and deals primarily with anti-aging issues and chronic illness.
Listed alphabetically by last name 4
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cientific research often lacks direct relevance to the human condition and therefore, seldom generates more than casual interest in the public mind. However, technology resulting from clinical investigations sometimes gains widespread attention because it holds promise for a better life. For example, when data from a study of human growth hormone (hGH) replacement therapy (GHRT) in elderly men showed that treatment increased muscle mass and decreased abdominal fat (1), immediate public interest was aroused. Since body composition of hGH-treated old men tended to resemble that of younger persons, the data was over-interpreted to suggest that the hormone could restore youth (2). The press even went as far as to suggest that the hormone could be a "fountain of youth" (3). Especially important for entrepreneurs was the fact that large numbers of the affluent "baby boom" generation were passing beyond middle age, becoming acutely aware of their mortality and were prepared to purchase the "rejuvenating" hormone, no matter the cost. Making this business opportunity even more tangible was the fact that an unlimited supply of virus free hGH had become available through recombinant gene technology several years earlier. (4). Unfortunately, this link with commercialism and the persisting, exaggerated and unfounded claims of efficacy blunted enthusiasm for continued, legitimate investigation of hGH's true value in opposing the maladaptive effects of aging.
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Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy in Aging A review by Richard F. Walker, Ph.D., R.Ph. & Angela M. Reagan CIM
Nonetheless, growth hormone neuroendocrine function declines during aging, and since there is documented evidence showing that poor health and lost vitality can be reversed by GHRT in young adults with pathogenic growth hormone deficiency (GHD), considerable debate over its value in aging continues even today. At the heart of this debate is the question of whether it is reasonable to extrapolate positive data on GHRT from GHD to the aging condition. A Historical Perspective on GHRT Prior to development of recombinant gene technology, GHRT was restricted almost entirely to children with short stature. Once they reached a height that was
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considered to be within therapy w a s discontinued w a s k n o w n that as adults, b e c a m e s y m p t o m a t i c with sufficiency." The
n o r m a l range, even though it G H D children metabolic "in-
out life. This concept w a s supported by the fact that G H R T resolved m a n y of the p r o b l e m s associated with adult G H D . Accordingly, these e c o n o m i c and scientific incentives
"Reports of an association reason for rigid raresulted in the first tioning w a s limited m a j o r success of between growth hormone availability since the b i o t e c h n o l o g y deficiency and cardiovascular the only source of sector. G e n e n t e c h disorders showed that when h G H at the time marketed Protrohormone replacement therapy did p i n 速 in 1985, drivw a s pituitaries f r o m not include hGH, hypopituitary ing its stock value human cadavers. T h e r e f o r e , children patients suffered death in greater to unprecedented were given first heights and stimunumbers due to heart disease consideration for lating immediate than expected" treatment. H o w e v competition from er, even the limited supply o f h G H w a s other c o m p a n i e s . Recognizing that Prolost in 1983 w h e n Creutzfeldt-Jakob vit r o p i n 速 contained an additional methiorus w a s f o u n d to be transmitted by the canyl g r o u p as a result of its production prodaver-derived h o r m o n e . Because p o o l i n g cess, the Lilly Pharmaceutical C o m p a n y of pituitary extracts w a s required, it w a s s u c c e s s f u l l y entered the G H m a r k e t with not possible to adequately r e d u c e the risk its o w n product, H u m a t r o p e 速 , which for viral contamination and so the F D A had the exact structure of the h u m a n horw i t h d r e w c a d a v e r derived h G H f r o m the m o n e . Currently, all c o m m e r c i a l l y availmarket. However, since G H R T provided able h G H products- except P r o t r o p i n 速 an important therapeutic treatment for have exactly the s a m e structure as the short stature, alternatives to cadaver-denaturally occurring h o r m o n e . rived h G H w e r e immediately sought. To facilitate discovery, the F D A provided Clinical Effects of G H R T in G H D orphan drug status for h G H , w h i c h m a d e it significantly easier for c o m p a n i e s to 1. Increased Morbidity and Mortality in register their product(s) for sale. An addiGHD tional e c o n o m i c incentive for discovery and d e v e l o p m e n t of a synthetic h G H w a s Adults w h o s e pituitary glands p r o d u c e its high cost, w h i c h w a s based at least in insufficient h o r m o n e s of all types suffer part f r o m the precedent established by its increased overall mortality c o m p a r e d to original production process, i.e. isolation healthy individuals. In m a n y cases the and purification f r o m large n u m b e r s of cause of their p r e m a t u r e mortality is h u m a n cadavers. Furthermore, with an cardiovascular disease (5,6). Reports of increased supply of h G H , the h o r m o n e an association b e t w e e n growth h o r m o n e could be used for more clinical indications deficiency a n d cardiovascular disorders such as treatment of adult G H D , thereby s h o w e d that w h e n h o r m o n e replacement creating an even more lucrative market. therapy did not include h G H , hypopituT h e basis for this e x p a n d e d m a r k e t w a s itary patients suffered death in greater that short-stature children w h o stopped n u m b e r s due to heart disease than exreceiving h G H or adults w h o suffered pected, (Figure 1). pituitary d y s f u n c t i o n displayed a higher than n o r m a l incidence of cardiovascular In addition to increased mortality d u e disease, diabetes, to cardiovascular high blood pres"individuals that lack liGH have disease, other malsure, bone loss, adaptive changes higher than normal risks for reduced muscle associated with developing intrinsic diseases that mass, increased G H D were found contribute to their premature adiposity, reduced to include p r e m a deaths" i m m u n e function, ture atherosclerosis etc. Thus, it seemed that h G H w a s neces(7), altered lipoprotein m e t a b o l i s m (8), sary for m o r e than growth, h G H w a s in a b n o r m a l b o d y c o m p o s i t i o n characterfact, a somatotrophin that contributed to ized by increased weight with reduced total body health and well being throughm u s c l e and increased central adiposity ONLINE
(9), impaired glucose h o m e o s t a s i s (10), fibrinolysis (11) and cardiac function (12), decreased exercise capacity (13) a n d quality of life (14). Thus, individuals that lack h G H have higher than normal risks for d e v e l o p i n g intrinsic diseases that contribute to their p r e m a t u r e deaths. Conversely, G H R T reduced mortality rate in G H D patients to the expected n u m b e r for the general population (15).
2. Cardiovascular Effects Cardiac output and o x y g e n c o n s u m p t i o n decline in adults w h o undergo surgical r e m o v a l of their pituitary glands (16). Furthermore, the structure of their hearts b e c o m e s altered, exercise capacity is reduced and p u m p i n g action or diastolic/ systolic function b e c o m e s impaired (17). O n the other hand, G H R T in G H D patients has an anabolic effect on cardiac structures thereby providing beneficial effects on diastolic and systolic f u n c tions (18-22). Direct effects on the heart include stimulation of the velocity o f circumferential fiber contraction as well as increasing the d e g r e e to w h i c h they shorten (18). It w a s also reported that the m a x i m u m tension of c a r d i o m y o c y t e fibers f r o m hearts of rats with G H secreting t u m o r s w a s increased as w a s the sensitivity of myofiliments to calcium exposure (23). T h e s e observations suggest that G H has a beneficial effect on cardiac m u s c l e fiber contractility. A n o t h e r dramatic demonstration G H cardiovascular efficacy w a s reported as the ability of G H R T to reverse atherosclerotic lesions and other sequellae o f heart disease (24).
3. Renal Effects and Body Hydration G H administration causes the b o d y to retain sodium w h i c h in turn causes an acute increase in extracellular water content and a slower increase in plasma v o l u m e (25,26). Increased extracellular v o l u m e w h i c h results f r o m G H therapy could contribute to improved cardiac function by the Starling effect- which states that increased filling of the heart leads to greater output. Thus, the effect on hydration in concert with those positive e f f e c t s on the cardiovascular system cited a b o v e could contribute to the improved exercise capacity seen in G H D patients receiving G H R T (13,27,28).
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4.
Hypertension
Although reports on blood pressure in G H D adults are somewhat conflicting, the hormone deficient patients seem to be predisposed to develop hypertension (8). The main cause for this effect may be central arousal of the sympathetic nervous system, which has been documented in GHD adults using direct recordings from inside neurons (29). GH administration was reported to improve left ventricular function without changing mass or thickness of the wall in this part of the heart (30,31). This finding suggested that GHRT could also directly increase the strength of heart muscle contraction (20, 23). Furthermore, GHD is associated with reduced concentrations of vascular system nitric oxide. Since nitric oxide is a locally acting or paracrine vasodilator (32), multiple factors may contribute to hypertension in GHD. In any event, growth hormone reduces total peripheral resistance, lowers blood pressure and increases nitric oxide production (10,20,32), thereby correcting G H D associated hypertension. In addition to relieving hypertension, GHRT was also shown to actually reverse early signs of atherosclerosis in major blood vessels (Figure 2).
5. Effects on Body
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Figure 1. Relationship between GHD and cardiovascular disease. The overall number of deaths in 162 patients with partial or complete hypopituitarism (observed deaths) was greater than age and sex matched controls (expected deaths). A greater number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease occurred in GHD patients compared to normal controls. (Adapted from Bates, AS et al. J. Clin Endo Metab 81:1171; 1996; reference #5)
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In addition to reversing the negative effects of GHD on cardiovascular structure and function, GH replacement opposed maladaptive changes in body composition associated with the disorder. The most striking effects of GHD on body composition involve the adipose tissue, bone and muscle. Numerous well controlled clinical studies demonstrate that fat especially within the abdomen is increased, while lean body mass or muscle is reduced in association with low hGH. These changes as well as demineralization of bone, which is also marked, are reversed by hGH administration.
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Figure 2. hGH reverses early signs of atherosclerosis. Intima media (lining of blood vessel) was thicker in GHD patients compared to normal controls before hGH administration. This difference which is an early sign of atherosclerosis made the blood vessel opening smaller in subjects with GHD. After 3 months of GHRT, intima media thickness decreased in GHD subjects and after 18 months of GHRT it was the same as control subjects.
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tients suffering these symptoms, they The anabolic action of GH on bone is are incontrovertibly reversed. As early as demonstrated by delayed bone matura1959, hGH was shown to cause lipolysis tion and short stature in children with GHD. Adults with or fat breakdown experience in man (33). This "This anabolic action ofGH is GHD effect results from manifested as increased lean body reduced bone mass density. Histohydrolysis of tricell mass associated with in- and morphometric bone glycerides, stimulation of fatty acid creased volume of visceral organs data from these and muscle" patients suggest a transport from adiprolonged reversal pose tissue to the phase, delayed coupling or a delay in the liver and by inhibition of free fatty acid mineralization process indicative of low re-esterification into triglycerides by adibone turnover (43). On the other hand pocytes (34). GHRT (Figure 4) increases bone mass GHD adults have increased waist/hip ra- in animals and humans. For example, tios consistent with elevated visceral fat data from a two year clinical trial with volume (11, 35-38). Evidence that this patients suffering adult-onset GHD, bone dynamic pattern of fat distribution is due mineral density (BMD) increased in to GHD comes from the fact that visceral lumbar spine and proximal femur after fat mass increases in patients suffering GHRT (Figure 3). However, it required a from acromegaly, a disease in which ex- treatment period of 18 months to produce cessive hGH is produced by the body, af- the increase in BMD, explaining why triter they receive treatment to reduce GH als of shorter duration were unable to hypersecretion (39). Conversely, when demonstrate similar efficacy of hGH on adults with GHD receive GH treatment, bone (45, 46). These findings are convisceral mass and subcutaneous fat is re- sistent with the fact that a single boneduced and this effect is preserved or even remodeling cycle takes approximately 3 to 4 months to complete and underscores increased after prolonged therapy. the importance of an adequate period of Besides reducing fat mass, growth hor- GH replacement to effectively increase mone replacement therapy initially stimu- BMD. Cortical bone may respond more lates whole-body protein synthesis which slowly to GH than trabecular bone as inafter a few months returns toward base- dicated by the fact that treatment for 18 line with establishment of a new steady months with GH increased BMD in the state (42). This anabolic action of GH is lumbar spine and femoral neck but not in manifested as increased lean body cell the proximal radius (45, 47). mass associated with increased volume of visceral organs and muscle (25,27,40, Increases in BMD following GH treat42). The changes resulting from GH ex- ment may result from direct and indirect posure are potentially significant to GHD actions of GH and insulin-like growth patients as well as to the frail elderly factor-1 (IGF-1) on bone (48, 49). Indibecause of their rerect actions might duced muscle mass "That growth hormone deficiency include GH enerodes quality of life is sug- hancement of enand strength relative to age-matched gested by the fact that people who zyme activity that or younger controls. acquired GHD as adults have increases vitamin Muscle endurance higher levels ofperceived health D3 concentrations as well as isokinet- problems, are less energetic, less and availability, as ic muscle strength well as changes in is also reduced in physically mobile, more socially body weight, fat isolated, sleep less well, have and mean body GHD (19, 27). In contrast, GHRT in- impaired cognitive function and mass, and the accreases muscle volmood disturbances compared companying sense ume and maximum of well being and with normal individuals" voluntary isometric exercise perforand isokinetic muscle strength (19, 27). mance in response to treatment. Also muscle strength which demonstrates a similar pattern as changes in BMD may b. Bone Mineralization 8
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be positively associated with the bone changes. A major value of GH on BMD is its potential to reduce facture risk, especially in the hip and lumbar spine since adults with untreated GHD have increased prevalence of vertebral fractures compared to normal controls (50, 51). Thus, when GH treatment is administered to GHD patients for two years and BMD increases by approximately 2 - 5%, their fracture rates decrease significantly (52, 53).
6. CNS Effects and Quality of Life GH receptors are distributed throughout the brain suggesting that this organ may be a site of the hormone's action (54, 55). While the binding sites in the hypothalamus undoubtedly involve regulation of pituitary GH secretion, those in the other areas such as the hippocampus could modify psychological and other functions. Exogenous hGH can access the brain as indicated by the fact that concentrations of the hormone increase in a dose-related fashion within the cerebrospinal fluid of adults with GHD after GHRT (10, 56). Receptors that transduce IGF-1 signals are also found in all regions of the human brain and contribute to brain maturation, neural differentiation, neuroprotection and energy metabolism (16). GH that accesses the brain from the periphery may affect local IGF-1 synthesis since its concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) increased nearly 50% during GH administration (10, 57). Data from animal studies suggest that GH treatment alters monoamine metabolism in the brain including region-dependent changes in dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentrations (58, 59). Similar changes may occur in humans as indicated by the fact that in GHD patients, GH administration was associated with decreased CSF concentrations of homovanillic acid, a dopamine metabolite and increased P-endorphin (10, 56). Perhaps these changes in brain neurochemistry play an important role in improving psychological well being that has been observed during GH treatment of GHD patients. That growth hormone deficiency erodes quality of life is suggested by the fact that people who acquired GHD as adults have O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
higher levels of perceived health problems, are less energetic, less physically mobile, more socially isolated, sleep less well, have impaired cognitive function and mood disturbances compared with normal individuals (60 - 62). In general, these individuals complain of being tired, having low energy, lack of initiative and concentration, memory difficulties and irritability (25). However, when hGH is administered, they report increased vigor, ambition and sense of well being. The beneficial effects of hGH on quality of life have been confirmed in several studies which reported improvement of cognitive functions including memory, less perceived illness and significant psychological improvements in energy levels and mood (61 - 63). Similar results were derived from clinical trials involving over a hundred patients. Again, energy, emotional reaction and social isolation were improved to the extent that they approached levels similar to those in healthy populations and quality of life improved as early as six months after starting hGH treatment (56, 64-66).
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Figure 3. GHRT increases bone mineral density. Forearm bone mineral content increased approximately ten percent in GHD patients receiving GHRT for thirty months. (From Johannsson et al., JCEM 81:2865, 1996; reference #44)
Basis for G H R T as an "Intervention in Aging" Important to the topic of using GHRT as an intervention in aging is the resemblance of GHD clinical characteristics and phenotypes to those that accompany aging, as well as the ability of hGH replacement to reverse or normalize at least in part, the maladaptive changes associated with GHD. Relevant to these relationships is the fact that spontaneous secretion of hGH decreases with advancing age. The incremental decrease in hGH is greatest between the ages of 20 to 40 years, with variable reductions ranging from 15% to as much as 70% at middle age and beyond (67 - 70). The temporal characteristics of endogenous GH secretion were also evaluated by many laboratories using analyses of frequently collected blood samples. These showed that GH secretion occurs in episodes that vary in amplitude throughout the day with the greatest amounts occurring during sleep. Although spontaneous secretion of GH continues during aging, the frequency and amplitude of the episodes progressively decrease and thus, a decline in mean GH concentrations can be measured across the lifespan. Notably, a profound decline FAX
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Figure 4. Aging reduces serum concentrations of hGH. There is consensus among investigators that hGH declines as a function of age. If levels of hGH found in the elderly occurred in young subjects, they would be classified as growth hormone deficient.
occurs during the third decade of life preceding the onset of maladaptive changes in body composition and the increased risk for intrinsic diseases that are associated with middle age and beyond (Figure 4). Thus it would seem that reduced hGH in aging, as in pathogenic GHD, is causally associated with physiological and psychological decline. Concerns About GHRT in the Elderly There are at least 3 areas of concern about using GHRT in the elderly: 1. It may be unsafe and have toxic direct effects. 2. It may cause physiological perturbtions that accelerate rather than delay the onset of intrinsic disease and aging itself. 3. It may be ineffective, causing risk and undue expense without offering any tangible benefit.
1. General Safety Concerns Extensive study of GH replacement in children with GHD resulted in the accumulation of 15-years data showing that recombinant GH has an excellent safety profile. Because the history of treating GHD adults is shorter, there are fewer studies documenting adverse drug reactions in this population. The most common effect noted during early clinical trials was fluid retention which is now recognized as being the result of using too high doses of GH (64). Because hGH is not yet approved by the FDA for treating age-related decline in body structure and function, correspondingly less information is available on adverse events in normal elderly populations. Furthermore in many studies of GHRT in the elderly, the subjects suffered from diseases such as osteoporosis, or were malnourished or experienced significant weight loss of unknown etiology. Nonetheless, in these small number of studies using dosages of hGH ranging from 0.010 to 0.3 mg./kg. at intervals of a few days to several months, adverse events including hyperglycemia, hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome, edema, glucose intolerance and hyperinsulinemia were occasionally observed (71). However, it should be noted that these doses are quite high and not those usually associated with routine GHRT 10
for aging, i.e. 0.002 - 0.005 mg./kg./day.
specific symptoms that in turn can be objectively measured and evaluated. On the other hand, GH administration to healthy A few investigators have expressed con- people for the purpose of preventing malcern that increased adaptive changes concentrations of "there is persisting enthusiasm and diseases of agGH and IGF-1 assoing requires negathat hGH administration to ciated with GHRT tive data to prove may accelerate the healthy people during aging will efficacy, i.e., the maladaptive chang- minimize the ravages of senes- absence of change es associated with cence and thereby promote good is the proof. Withaging. This view out formal studies quality of life" derives mostly from of the outcomes animal studies, which may have little or of hGH administration over periods of no relevance to the human condition. years, the proof will not be forthcoming. However in one clinical study, men with the highest levels of plasma IGF-1 had a Conclusion 4.3-fold greater risk for prostate cancer than those with the lowest IGF-1 concen- The purpose of this article was to protrations (72). In another study, high con- vide some rationale for using GHRT as centrations of IGF-1 were associated with an intervention in aging. Although the increased breast cancer (73). In contrast basis for its use for that purpose is exIGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) which trapolated from GHD, there is persistreduces tissue exposure to free IGF-1 ing enthusiasm that hGH administrawas inversely correlated to risk such that tion to healthy people during aging will when the relationship between the two minimize the ravages of senescence and was considered, the predictive value of thereby promote good quality of life until IGF-1 for cancer was greatly increased, death is inevitable. The aging population especially for colon malignancies (72, is definitely increasing and without in74, 75). Whether these relationships are tervention to minimize the social impact causal or simply correlative must still be of senescence, the phenomenon could determined. be overwhelming to the health care systems and economies of nations. Perhaps partial relief can be realized by hormone 3. Cost of Treatment and Risk: Benefit replacement, and specifically by the use Declining health, increased illness and of hGH which seems to have potentially dependency is a growing social burden positive, global influence over bodily of aging. The value of these aging pa- structure and function. Although not as rameters in terms of direct, indirect and significant as in GHD, GHRT in aging intangible costs, including pain or suffer- has already been shown to have benefiing can be significant, so it is reasonable cial effects, at least in the short term. Futo explore the possibility that GHRT has ture studies should evaluate the minimal the potential to reduce such cost by com- dosages required to sustain health and pressing morbidity into the later and per- vitality without causing side effects or haps final stages of life. As a result, GHRT perturbations in bodily function that in has captured the imagination of the gen- the long term might produce the opposite eral public and of entrepreneurs alike be- effects from those desired. cause it has been promoted, especially in the lay literature as being effective in ag- References ing, even though actual proof of efficacy has not been forthcoming. Instead, sup- Adapted from; "Growth hormone report for GHRT in aging has been extrap- placement therapy in aging: A review" olated from dissimilar models, such as by Richard Walker, Ph.D., R.Ph. and Anadult GHD and from animal studies. The gela Reagan CIM. To read the complete concerned practitioner should recognize article along with all clinical references, that the effects of GHRT in GHD and ag- please go to: ing are not the same. The basic difference is that in GHD, GH is therapeutic, i.e., http://www.antiaging-systems.com/exit is administered to relieve changes in tract/hghreview. htm
2. Possible Acceleration of Aging
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in the news carbon monoxide and 1,3-butadiene, (which is produced in the synthetic rubber manufacturing process). He said the most dangerous pollutants produced by industry should be targeted in attempts to reduce cancers. In summarizing, the report highlighted that the direct exposures to pollutants in early infancy, or through breast milk, or even pre-conceptually, cannot be excluded as cancer risks.
G A B O B improves growth hormone levels A recent study has suggested that a rare GABA analogue, known as G A B O B can improve growth hormone levels. Healthy male volunteers were injected s.c. with 300 mg. of D, L G A B O B The result showed significant increases in plasma growth hormone, Prolactin and Cortisol levels within 60 minutes. These results indicate that G A B O B may elicit the secretion of GH, Prolactin and ACTH via the central nervous system and has supported our theory that as G A B O B - as the closest legal molecule to G H B (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) has similar actions. (GHB was proven in Japanese trials to be a very effective agonist of growth hormone- in other words it naturally increased the production of this powerful hormone from the pituitary gland). Source: Stimulatory effects of gammaaminohydroxybutyric acid (GABOB) on growth hormone, prolactin and Cortisol release in man. (Takahara J, Yunoki S, Yakushiji W, Yamauehi J, Hosogi H, Ofuji T). [Ed.- G A B O B is contained at 37 mg. per tablet in Gamalate速, which is available from IAS]. Study links toxic landfill sites to birth defects According to recent EU research, the risk of having a baby with a chromosomal abnormality, such as Down's syndrome is increased by 40% for women who live within 2 miles of a toxic landfill site. A study of 23 sites in Britain, Denmark, France, Belgium and Italy compared the incidence of abnormality for those within 1.9 miles of hazardous waste sites and for those between 1.9 miles and 4.3 miles. The researchers found that after adjusting for maternal age and socioeconomic factors, the chromosomal abnormalities were 40% more likely to occur within the 2-mile zone. The findings of the team, led by Dr. Martine Vrijheid of the London School of
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Plastics and cancer
Medicine and Tropical Hygiene, were reported in the Lancet medical journal. The British government's advisory committee on the toxicity of chemicals has called for additional work to investigate whether poisonous substances were being emitted from landfill sites in the air, or through liquids leeching into the ground. Mike Childs, of Friends of the Earth, said: "This study adds to our fears for babies being born near toxic landfill sites." Pollutants and cancer A researcher from Birmingham University, England- Professor George Knox, recently claimed that most childhood cancers are probably caused by exposure to pollutants while babies are still in the womb. Dr. Knox also said that prenatal exposure to industrial and environmental pollutants inhaled by the mother during pregnancy, were probably to blame for the majority of cancers in the under-16s. After analyzing maps showing chemical emissions alongside details of children dying from leukemia and other cancers before their 16th birthday, (between 1966 and 1980), he calculated that youngsters born within 1 km. of emission hotspots for particular chemicals, were between 2 and 4 times more likely to die of cancer before the age of 16 than other children. The highest risks were posed by
The Johns Hopkins research people have recently stated in their newsletter that Dioxin carcinogens cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dr. Edward Fujimoto from Castle hospital explained that we should not be heating food in plastic containers, this particularly applies to foods that contain fat. He stated that the combination of fat, high heat and plastics release dioxins into the food and therefore ultimately into the cells of the body. (Dioxins are carcinogens and highly toxic to human cells). Instead, he recommends using glass, Corning Ware or ceramic containers for heating food- as you get the same results without the dioxins. So such things as TV dinners and instant soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't so bad, but you can't be 100% certain what is in the paper, so it's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. To add to this, Saran wrap (cellophane) placed over foods as they are nuked with high heat, also drips these toxins into the food, so use a glass cover instead. Additional advice also offered is to not freeze your plastic bottles as this too releases dioxins into the liquid they contain. [Ed.- Not only do plastics release carcinogens when heated or frozen, they also release Bisphenol-A, a chemical that mimics estrogens and blocks testosterone. And one which to-date, has been found in every American tested for it. Source: LA Times April 13,2005],
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Thyroid An Important Yet Underutilized Antiaging Hormone By Richard Stanley Wilkinson, M.D. ONLINE
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hyroid is one of the most important anti-aging hormones and in this article I will explain some of the growing body of evidence that supports this assertion. Yet this fascinating research also makes it clear that the appropriate use of thyroid hormones is a surprisingly underutilized antiaging tool. That assertion might sound a bit strange, especially to those who are aware that thyroid hormones are one of the most widely prescribed hormones in the world. So what do I mean? There are several questions that need to be asked as we begin an exploration of this subject. Questions such as; Who needs thyroid hormones? Which type of thyroid replacement is the best? What dose of thyroid should a person receive? As we begin our sojourn into the realm of thyroid replacement, allow me to quote a Nobel Prize winner addressing this issue in a tangential way. Harvard cardiologist Bernard Lown deeply admired his chief mentor, Samuel Levine, and wrote about him in a wonderful book, The Art of Healing. His affection for this brilliant doctor brightens the paragraphs and pages in which he eulogizes this wise gentleman. After Dr. Levine retired, he began seeing Dr. Lown as his personal cardiologist. Through the roles of student and doctor, Dr. Lown learned a great deal about Dr. Levine. Perhaps the most interesting observation regarding Dr. Levine is the following:
"Dr. Levine was impressed with the brightness and quickness of hyperthyroid (too much thyroid) patients. He admired them intensely and believed that the condition protected them against coronary artery disease. I later learned, when he became my patient, that he had taken 3 grains of thyroid daily for more than 30 years. He maintained that those with increased thyroid function had bright, sparkling eyes and appeared to be interesting people because personality is conveyed largely through the eyes. Levine FAX ORDERING +44 (0)208 181 6106
suggested that the universal fascination with the Mona Lisa stems from her being hyperthyroid. He insisted that a slight stare makes viewers believe that she is focusing on them and is the basis for the attention this painting has received over the centuries." Dr. Levine is talking here about people with a slight excess of thyroid by current standards, not severely hyperthyroid people. Because he would rather be slightly hyperthyroid than slightly hypothyroid (low thyroid), Dr. Levine took a rather generous dose of natural, desiccated thyroid for many years. Whether the good doctor was correct in his appraisal of Mona Lisa, we'll probably never know. But in regard to other issues, Dr. Levine is increasingly being shown to be correct. Namely, the benefit of thyroid for the cardiovascular system, the use of natural, desiccated thyroid, and the value of dosing a patient toward the upper end of the acceptable range, rather the low end. How's Your Thyroid Doing? Talking with Your Doctor This is where some of the challenge for the consumer (you) comes in. If you're concerned, legitimately, about some of the thyroid related issues we will discuss below, how do you know if you need thyroid? Without getting very technical, there are a few basic definitions that you need to have a handle on, in order to understand what your lab work means and how to discuss your situation with your doctor. The most frequent way that doctors evaluate thyroid status is to have blood drawn in which the thyroid stimulating hormone, (TSH) is checked. You especially need to understand the significance of the TSH. The pituitary is a small gland situated in the forward part of the head, (see figure 1) a bit behind and between the back ends of the eyes. Basically it's the boss of the thyroid, because the pituitary tells the thyroid what to do. The pituitary continuously samples the blood for one of the thyroid hormones and if the thyroid is not doing its job, the pituitary says; "Get to work." At first it suggests the need for improved
"Levine suggested that the universal fascination with the Mona Lisa stems from her being hyperthyroid." efficiency on the j o b with a very soft voice. But if there is an inadequate response on the part of the thyroid, the pituitary raises its voice bit by bit until it can be shouting and even screaming at the thyroid to get off its duff and start producing thyroid hormones. The current definition of low thyroid primarily has to do with how loudly the pituitary is talking to the thyroid. As long as the pituitary's voice is low, it is assumed that the thyroid is doing its job. After all, the pituitary which monitors and bosses the thyroid is happy. If the pituitary is raising its voice, then the thyroid must not be producing adequate thyroid hormones. But a person with a pituitary having to shout at the thyroid, is by definition, hypothyroid. The TSH is the measure of how loudly the pituitary is having to speak. The conventional definition for low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) is a TSH over about 5.00. So if you go to the doctor and your TSH is 5.20 you might be told that your thyroid is a bit low and you need to begin thyroid therapy. On the other hand, your TSH might be 4.80 in which case your doctor might say your thyroid is normal and you don't need any thyroid. There are several problems with this definition. The first and foremost has to do with the clinical picture of what is happening with you. Do you have any signs or symptoms of low thyroid? If you do have symptoms/signs that are suspicious for low thyroid, then a TSH of 4.80 or even a lot lower might be consistent with low thyroid. As one example, suppose that the pituitary is "hoarse" or has "laryngitis". It can't raise its voice even if it wants to. It might be trying to scream but only getting out a gentle whisper. 13
"The pituitary is a small gland situated in the forward part of the head, a bit behind and between the back ends of the eyes... the pituitary tells the thyroid what to do."
are low, (or even low end of normal range), then the thyroid system may not be functioning optimally. As an example, a person can have a normal or even low TSH (sometimes indicating too much thyroid), along with a normal T4, but if their T3 is low they can have what is called a "low T3 syndrome" or a "euthyroid sick syndrome" (the "eu" means "good"). So the thyroid can look like it's good because of the normal T4 and TSH, but the person can still be sick.
The Pituitary Gland The Thyroid Gland In which case, a low thyroid would be consistent with a low TSH (contrary to the usual picture). So we either have to test for "pituitary laryngitis" (which can be done) or pay close attention to the signs and symptoms of the person. Often a woman will have a damaged pituitary following childbirth in which it becomes unable to raise its voice, (known as Sheehan's syndrome). These women are often misdiagnosed as depressed or malingerers when, in reality, they are hypothyroid with low TSH. Treat them with thyroid as they should be treated and all becomes well. This is one of the challenges of an overly-simplistic diagnostic approach.
The American Society of Clinical Endocrinologists suggests that when treating low thyroid problems the TSH should be kept below 3.00. If a TSH above 3.00 is not best for a patient being treated, it's reasonable to ask if a TSH of 5.00 might not be too high for an untreated person.
Another reason that total reliance on TSH levels is inappropriate is that TSH levels can vary substantially during the day. There can easily be a 200% or more variance during the day in a given individual. On the desk in front of me are the 24-hour measurements of two patients where the TSH was drawn every few minutes. With one patient the 24-hour low was about 0.30 and the high was about 2.00. The other showed a low of about 1.00 and a high during the 24 hours of approximately 5.00.
2. Patients with a TSH above 2.50 may be in the early stages of thyroid failure.
Another legitimate and argued question is: At what level is the TSH too high? As mentioned above, most labs use a number in the vicinity of 5.00. 14
The experts in designing tests to evaluate human health are members of the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry. They have recently noted the following: 1. Over 95% of healthy people with optimal thyroid function have a TSH that is less than 2.50.
One other thing- if you have an inflammation of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis or Hashimoto's thyroiditis), you can have normal levels of TSH, T4 and T3 but the whole thyroid system might not be working correctly. Often we find that people with thyroiditis feel much better when treated with thyroid hormones. Thus we see that measuring only TSH levels is inadequate to optimally evaluate the thyroid status. We believe that a thorough initial evaluation should include TSH, thyroid antibodies (to check for thyroiditis), free T3 and free T4 (the active or available forms of T3 and T4). Ultimately, the most important factor in making a diagnosis is the knowledge and awareness of the physician. A physician aware of the importance of optimal thyroid function is going to consider at least the following factors: 1. Your blood work.
3. When treating a patient, the TSH optimally should not be above 2.00. It is also important to measure the actual amount of thyroid hormones present in the blood. There are two main thyroid hormones. One is called T4 (because it is the thyroid hormone with four iodine attached). The other is T3 because it has three iodine attached. T3 is some three to ten times as active as T4. There is a great deal that could be said on this subject, but let us simply say that if T4 or T3 ONLINE
2. Your history including important symptoms you are experiencing. 3. An endocrinologically oriented physical examination. 4. Your temperatures (as the thyroid maintains body heat). For reasons far too involved for this short review, every blood test may be perfectly normal and a person might still need thyroid. That's the reason for the four-point approach to evaluation. If we return for a minute to the thinking of the previously referenced Dr. Samuel Levine, you'll understand a little better what I mean. Dr. Lown says the following about his mentor: O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
"He recognized... that medicine is the science of uncertainty, the art of probability. He believed that the bulk of relevant information could be obtained from a properly gathered history and meticulously executed physical examination. He taught that a battery of tests must not replace a mind willing to think... He hinted that frequent reliance on a so-called workup, engaging the heavy medical artillery of the day, such as X-ray or cardiac fluoroscopy, electrocardiography, phonocardiography, blood work and urine analysis, is testimony to a lack of clinical skill..." My own mentor on the subject of thyroid evaluation and treatment was Broda Barnes, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Barnes was direct in his thoughts regarding the evaluation and treatment of patients. He said, with great vigor; "Always treat the patient, not numbers on paper." By this he meant that many doctors are either too lazy or too busy to listen to the patient and to do the requisite exam, or they were ignorant of what the signs and symptoms truly were. Thus, hypothyroidism was to them only what the numbers on paper would report. If the TSH was 4.80 they were hypothyroid. If the TSH was 5.20, they were not hypothyroid. For Dr. Barnes, that was not being a good physician. The Importance of a Correct Diagnosis We spent a good deal of space for a short article on explaining the importance of correctly perceiving whether thyroid is a problem for you. If your thyroid function is low there are many disease processes which might affect you, and they would be far less likely to be a problem if your thyroid status is optimal. A correct diagnosis can literally mean the difference between a shorter, relatively miserable existence and a longer, healthier, more pleasant life. It is generally recognized that you are more likely to have less than optimal thyroid function the older you are. If you're moving into your 40's, 50's or 60's, you might want to be especially aware of your thyroid status. If it appears to be at all compromised, you might want to take appropriate steps to optimize its function. FAX
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The Science on the Importance of Optimal Thyroid Status Atherosclerosis: In the mid-1870's virtually nothing was known about the function of the thyroid. One of the classic presentations in the history of thyroid research was that given by Dr. William Ord. He described a patient who had been a healthy and industrious woman at the age of 49. She gradually became cold, experiencing shivering spells. Her mental faculties including memory decreased. Her movements became slow and awkward, getting to the point where it took two hours for her to dress herself. She would fall asleep unless she was moving. She died at age 60. On autopsy it was discovered that her thyroid gland was entirely destroyed by fibrous tissue. The pathologist described the vascular system like this, "...the arteries were everywhere thickened, the larger ones atheromatous." In other words, she had extensive atherosclerotic disease (hardening of the arteries), of all her larger arteries. Dr. Ord was convinced that there was a connection between the destruction of the thyroid gland and the symptoms she had, including the damage to the arteries. A commission was chartered to explore the function of the thyroid gland. Over the following years, a reasonably clear picture of the role of the thyroid was obtained. What is clear and generally accepted is that low thyroid function causes or contributes to hardening of the arteries. Professor Billroth of Vienna
"when thyroid function is low, many disease processes which might affect you... hut less likely to be a problem if your thyroid status is optimal. 99
eryone dying in hospital be autopsied. It was discovered that all of these patients dying of low thyroid because their thyroids had been removed had generalized, severe hardening of the arteries throughout the body. A student of Billroth, von Eilsberg, did further research demonstrating that the removal of the thyroid gland from sheep and goats led to systemic atherosclerosis. Professors Pick and Pineless, also of Vienna, removed the thyroid glands of sheep and goats, but provided the animals with thyroid replacement. In contrast, these treated animals did not develop atherosclerosis. American Research
Dr Hurxthal of the Lahey Clinic in Boston reported on the observations in their clinic. They would remove the thyroid gland of patients who were hyperthyroid, (too much thyroid). He noted that these patients would often have cholesterol levels that were quite low prior to the surgery. But after the surgery, if too much thyroid tissue were removed rendering the patient hypothyroid, they would often develop high levels of cholesterol.
This gentleman is one of the most famous surgeons of history. In his day, there used to be many very large goiters, (enlarged thyroid glands). Cosmetically, they were disturbing and so the good Professor developed a safe and effective method of removing thyroid glands. However, with no thyroid gland remaining, the people became severely hypothyroid and would die of myxedema, a technical term for the swelling associated with very low thyroid function.
The relationship between thyroid status and high cholesterol levels was so significant that Hurxthal suggested that serum cholesterol might be considered as a diagnostic measure for thyroid function. He even suggested that elevated cholesterol might be an indication for thyroid therapy if another cause for the hypercholesterolemia could not be found.
An Austrian law mandated that ev-
Professor William Kountz, Washing15
"In the field of antiaging medicine, our goal is to achieve optimal ratige, not just normal."
ton University of St Louis, published in 1951 Thyroid Function and Its Possible role in Vascular Degeneration. He reports on a study of patients with low body temperatures and many with elevated cholesterol. The first group was businessmen with an average age of 55. This group had little evidence of hardening of the arteries and the men were patients in his private practice. A second group were outpatients at the University Clinic. These men averaged age 61. Many already had evidence of some hardening of the arteries. Each group was divided into two. One of the subgroups received thyroid treatment. The other subgroup did not receive thyroid. All groups were followed for five years and monitored for heart attacks and strokes. Group one: There were no deaths in those treated with thyroid, whereas in the untreated group, 15% had a fatal heart attack or stroke. Group two: There was 3% mortality in the treated group and 19% mortality in the untreated group. Therefore, over six times as many men died in the untreated group. Dr. Barnes went to Graz, Austria every year for fifteen years and spent at least one month studying the autopsy records accumulated over some 200 years. The conclusion of his huge amount of work and research is this: Low thyroid people are subject to increased risk of infection and poorer ability to fight infection. Prior to the advent of antibiotics these people would routinely die of infections prior to dying of heart attacks. The records show that those dying of infections had extensive hardening of the arteries. After antibiotics became available, these people would be treated allowing them to live long enough for heart attacks to 16
kill them (sic). "Normal" vs. Optimal Recent research indicates that just having normal thyroid function based on TSH levels is not necessarily optimal. The increased risk of atherosclerosis in borderline hypothyroidism extends into the normal range. In other words, having a high normal TSH (borderline low function) increases your risk of hardening of the arteries. One study suggests that the lowest possible TSH within the normal range (i.e. around 0.4) is the best way to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. As this study demonstrates, "normal" is not the same thing as optimal. In the field of anti-aging medicine, our goal is to achieve the optimal range, not just the normal. Studies like this confirm our setting of higher goals. Thyroid and Cholesterol As mentioned above, Dr. Hurxthal of Boston had noted and written on the association between low thyroid function and high cholesterol levels. People with subclinical hypothyroidism, (a technical term for people with no dramatic symptoms of low thyroid function and an elevated TSH) often have elevated cholesterol levels. When treated with thyroid replacement hormones, there is a significant decrease in both total cholesterol and in LDL (the so-called "bad" cholesterol). It was mentioned earlier that one of the important parameters to measure in a thorough evaluation of the thyroid function should include the free T3. One of the reasons for doing this is because there is a relationship between T3 and cholesterol levels. This relationship is inverse meaning that the more T3 you have, the lower your cholesterol levels are likely to be. Another study looked at 35 male patients with severe atherosclerosis. They monitored these men for two years and again evaluated the amount of hardening of the arteries. In 14 there was no progression of the disease. 21 had significant progression. They then asked what was most significant in apparently preventing progression. One of the two most imONLINE
Fatigue, sadness, irritability, anger, sleepiness, sense of being chilly or hot and a variety of other symptoms are... all possible signs of hypothyroidism." portant factors was the T3 level. Articles like these now usually begin to delve into the issue of what is the best way of treating low thyroid function- we'll address this a little later. But with information such as this, many of us who work daily in this field question the notion of treating patients only with T4 containing preparations such as Synthroid and Levoxyl. Why do we question this? Because there is suggestive evidence that a combination of T4 and T3 might O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
be preferable. There are a large number of articles dealing with the issue of atherosclerosis and thyroid function. The challenge for me, as your writer is choosing from so many that demonstrate the same principle: That being the message that adequate treatment with thyroid hormones is protective against hardening of the arteries and thus heart attacks. Other Benefits of Appropriate Thyroid Replacement Homocysteine is a known risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and peripheral artery disease like claudication, (pain in legs whilst walking- due to atherosclerosis). It is a toxic metabolite, (breakdown product) of the amino acid methionine. Elevated homocysteine levels are also associated with increased risk of bone fracture. [Ed.Recent evidence presented at the 2nd London Anti-Ageing Conference also suggests that high homocysteine levels are also associated with memory loss and attention deficit disorder]. People with low thyroid function tend to have high levels of homocysteine. People with high thyroid levels have low homocysteine levels. Therefore, treating people with high homocysteine levels and indications of hypothyroidism with appropriate thyroid therapy might benefit the high levels of homocysteine. This might reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and bone fractures. Fatigue, sadness, irritability, anger, sleepiness, sense of being chilly or hot and a variety of other symptoms are rather common in today's world. These are all possible signs of hypothyroidism. A study published in 1999 looked at a group of patients who had previously been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. These patients had all been treated with T4 only (i.e. Synthroid or equivalent). However, their symptoms (as listed in the previous paragraph) did not improve. The study reduced the amount of T4 given to each patient and added in a roughly biological equivalent of T3. FAX
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"When thyroid treatment is adequate it can help to lower cholesterol, lower homocysteine, and probably prevent or slow the onset of atherosclerosis." These patients were now receiving a combination of T3 and T4. The conclusion of the study was that nobody did better on T4 alone. Most of the patients did better on the combination of T4 and T3. "It seems clear that treatment with thyroxine (T4) plus triiodothyronine (T3) improved the quality of life for most patients." The Best Treatment for Hypothyroidism The most common therapy for hypothyroidism is T4 only, for example a medication like Synthroid. I have quoted various articles which suggest that the combination of T3 with T4 might be beneficial for a number of reasons. Dr. Levine, routinely took a combination of T3 and T4, the combination included in a desiccated (or natural) thyroid. Dr. Barnes, my mentor on thyroid treatment, tested a variety of thyroid preparations. His conclusion was that most patients do best using a desiccated/ natural thyroid such as Armour. The most important question to me as a treating physician is: How does my patient feel with the treatment I'm providing? Does he/she feel better as a result of taking thyroid hormone? In the Bunevicius study reviewed above, patients taking T3 and T4 clearly felt much better than when they took T4 only. My experience in treating patients like this for some 25 years is that most of them feel better taking the T3 and T4 combination, rather than
if they take the T4 alone. However, I'm not dogmatic about the use of the combination, as I'm interested in the well being of the patient. There are a few (very few) that actually feel better taking the T4 alone. For them I gladly prescribe Synthroid or an equivalent. Most patients feel best taking the combination of T3 and T4. Thus, I routinely prescribe a natural thyroid, such as Armour, which is desiccated (dried) thyroid tissue with a carefully regulated amount of T3 and T4 included in it. Conclusion Optimal supplementation with natural forms of thyroid hormones has a strong antiaging benefit for those whose native thyroid status is less than optimal. When thyroid treatment is adequate it can help to lower cholesterol, lower homocysteine, prevent advancement of atherosclerosis, and probably prevent or slow the onset of atherosclerosis. It can also help to lower blood pressure (data not reviewed in this article) and generally help people to feel better. There are many other benefits we are unable to discuss in this brief article. The diagnosis of low thyroid function is based on a combination of the symptoms a person is experiencing, a physical examination, body temperatures and blood work. Most people will feel best if thyroid replacement is done using a natural/ desiccated thyroid, which includes a combination of T3 and T4. My hope is that the information presented in this article can assist you in being able to intelligently discuss thyroid replacement issues with your physician to find the right individual health optimizing solution for you. References Adapted from; "Thyroid: An important yet underutilized antiaging hormone" by Richard Stanley Wilkinson, M.D. To read the original complete article along with all clinical references, please go to: http://www.antiaging-systems.com/extract/thyroidandhealth.htm 17
It's time to take a fresh look at DHEA...
OHFA *
A multi-functional :
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ehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) burst into the public's awareness in 1996 with lots of fanfare from the media. Proclaimed as the fountain of youth DHEA was a feature story in Consumer Digest in May, 1996. Then in September it graced the covers of USA Today and Newsweek respectively. But at the time, many conservative scientists warned us to be cautious because the studies were preliminary. We were warned that the hormone may do more harm than good. Now, today, nearly 10 years on, it is time to take a fresh look at DHEA and see if this hormone has lived up to its initial 'hype.' When the research is looked at in its entirety, it will be evident that DHEA has not only lived up to its promise, but in many ways it has exceeded its early predictions!
D
DHEA (and its related metabolite DHEAS) is the most abundant hormone in the body and is produced by the adrenal glands. Specifically, DHEA is synthesized and secreted by the zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex. It is the precursor to a number of steroid hormones such as androstenedione, testosterone and estrogen. Women secrete DHEA exclusively from the adrenal cortex, but men secrete a certain amount of DHEA from the testes. Scientists previously thought DHEA was an intermediate metabolite and had no biologic activity of its own. However, further examination of this multi-faceted hormone necessitates the conclusion that DHEA has important roles of its own. DHEA is present in large amounts during fetal development. At birth, levels drop to almost nothing and don't reappear until adrenarche at the age of 5 or 7. Production of DHEA starts to accelerate during puberty and reaches its peak levels at about age 24 or 25. Then the levels of this hormone begin to decline precipitously, so much so that by age 70 an average man has lost 80% of the circulating DHEA he had as a young man. (see figure I). The obvious decline of this hormone with age, provided the initial inference that DHEA may in fact play a role in the aging process. Yet in the 20 plus years that scientists have been investigating DHEA, this hormone's activity has still to be fully clarified.
amounts in the brain. It is actually synthesized de novo in glial cells of different brain structures and as such DHEA is considered a 'neurosteroid'. DHEA was first isolated in 1984 and in a 1986 landmark study by Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, an epidemiologist at the University of California, she reported that in a population of 242 middle aged to elderly men, the men with the lowest levels of DHEA had the highest risk of death from all causes. This study understandably sparked tremendous interest in the newly identified hormone. At this point, low endogenous levels of DHEA had been associated with a higher incidence of heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, inflammation, fatigue, depression, dementia and immune system dysfunction. DHEA directly opposes Cortisol- the stress hormone, whose levels climb as we age. This corticosteroid is the villain responsible for many of the adverse conditions that accompany aging, including the central obesity that seems inevitable for many people at midlife. The open question is: will exogenous administration of DHEA, or DHEA replacement, result in a reversal or amelioration of the above diseases of 'aging'? For me, the answer is a resounding yes. My opinion is based on the thousands of papers that have been published about DHEA. Whilst the human trials have been small and limited, nearly every one concludes with a positive statement and the caveat that larger, more rigorous clinical trials are needed. Furthermore, while some studies have been too short or limited to demonstrate the benefit of DHEA, none of the studies I looked at suggested DHEA replacement could be harmful.
Since there are a plethora of studies which associate low levels of endogenous DHEA with diseases of aging, I am going to limit this discussion to the investigations that involved exogenous DHEA replacement in humans or animals; or well designed experiments of cells in culture. There are actually relatively few double-blind clinical trials due to the fact that pharmaceutical grade DHEA is available commercially without a prescription in the US and elsewhere. Therefore, the pharmaceutical DHEA and DHEA-S are interconvertible industry has little motivation to conduct by sulfohydrolases in adrenal and pe- research into this intriguing molecule as it ripheral tissues. Both forms seem to be cannot be patented. active so from here on, I will refer only to DHEA. It has recently been estab- DHEA - The clinical trials lished that DHEA is present in significant FAX
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"This study is just one of many studies that suggest DHEA may play a role in preventing type-II diabetes "
Heart Disease
Researchers in Australia combined an invitro and in-vivo study. They administered 100 mg./day of DHEA to 36 healthy postmenopausal women. They concluded that DHEA increased endothelial cell proliferation in culture, (in a Petri dish) and enhanced large and small vessel endothelial cell function in postmenopausal women. Another group in Japan gave 25 mg./day of DHEA to 24 men (average age 54) with high cholesterol. This controlled open trial found that DHEA replacement in these men improved vascular endothelial function, (artery flexibility) and reduced plasma glucose. Diabetes A group of researchers working at the Mayo Clinic showed in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study- that DHEA replacement of 50 mg. per day in hypoadrenal women significantly improved insulin sensitivity thereby suggesting that DHEA replacement could have a potential impact in preventing type-II diabetes. This study is just one of many studies that suggest DHEA may play a role in preventing type-II diabetes. Obesity DHEA is a weak androgen that has anabolic properties. It is the anabolic properties that make DHEA an important adjunct to weight control. In November 2004 a landmark study was published. Researchers from the University of Washington in St. Louis conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled trial involving 28 men and 28 women, age range 65-78 years. The 56 people were randomized to receive 50 mg. per day of DHEA or placebo for 6 months. The drop out rate was small. At the primary endpoints, the researchers were looking at abdominal and visceral fat, (as measured by MRI) and glucose/insulin responses to an oral glucose tolerance test. DHEA induced significant decreases in visceral and subcutaneous fat as compared 19
trient may be harmful, while preposterous claims of new pharmaceuticals drugs often precede by years the release of a new • • • -o patented agent. The trials o o that implicate a possible harmful effect of a vitaa min or nutriceutical are c 3 so often exaggerated. Yet, O in this case, a commonly <B available supplement showed itself to be an extremely effective treatment for depression. Depres0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 sion is a condition that Age affects the quality of life of millions ofpeople. Sales of antidepresto the placebo group. sants account for billions of dollars in the In addition, the DHEA treated group exglobal economy. But there are problems perienced a significant improvement in with many antidepressants. Most antideinsulin sensitivity. The authors concluded pressants take 4-6 weeks before any benDHEA replacement could play a role in efit is experienced by the person suffering prevention and treatment of metabolic from this debilitating condition. Many of syndrome associated with abdominal obethese antidepressants have sexual dyssity. function as a common side effect so physicians throw another pharmaceutical at Depression that condition whether it is Viagra or another antidepressant such as Wellbutrin. One of the more recent and most provocaAnd the cycle continues. This small study tive DHEA studies was just published in showed a common, inexpensive nutrient February of this year (Ed.- 2005). It was to have a remarkable benefit. In my opinconducted at the National Institute of Men- ion, the results of this trial should have tal Health (NIMH) in Rockville, Maryland. been shouted from the rooftops. In my Again, this was a double-blind, random- own clinical practice, I have DHEA to be ized, placebo-controlled, crossover treat- one of the single best nutrients to quickly ment, (considered to be the gold standard improve a person s sense of well-being, even amongst the most conservative of overall mood, and energy levels). scientists). This trial was undertaken due to the fact that there were numerous anecdotal reports of the anti-depressant effect Osteoporosis of DHEA. In this study DHEA was given as a monotherapy treatment for midlife- DHEA is an androgen with anabolic proponset major or minor depression. There erties, so it is not surprising that studies were 23 men and 23 women (ages 45 to have shown it to be beneficial in the treat65 years) who participated. The treatment ment of osteoporosis. In fact, unlike the group received 90 mg. per day of DHEA current pharmaceutical treatments for osfor 3 weeks and 450 mg. per day for 3 teoporosis which only stop further bone weeks. The results showed that 6 weeks of loss, it appears DHEA can actually help DHEA treatment was associated with sig- a person build back some of the bone they nificant improvement in depression based have lost. A well known side effect of upon two well recognized depression rat- treatment with glucocorticoids, (steroids ing scales. In addition, 6 weeks of treat- like prednisone) is osteopenia and osteoment was also associated with significant porosis. Many women with systemic lupus improvements in sexual function relative (SLE) rely on prednisone to keep their disease in check. Consequently these young to baseline and placebo controls. women develop premature osteoporosis. It is an iatrogenic effect, (a disease state (If I can divert here from my objectivity which is the result of a physician's interas a writer, 1 beg your indulgence. How many of us knew anything about the re- vention). In April, the results of randomsults of this clinical trial? I suspect very ized, double-blind trial were published. few. The popular press is so quick to pick The study showed DHEA treatment preup the studies that show a vitamin or nu- vented bone mineral density, (BMD) loss DHEA
Figure 1
•
•
1 II M
20
ONLINE
and significantly increased BMD at both the lumbar spine and total hip in female patients receiving exogenous glucocorticoids. Another trial showed men with osteoporosis who were treated with 100 mg. per day of DHEA for 6 months experienced an increase in their BMD vs. those treated with a placebo. Importantly, in this study the researchers noted no change in the PSA of the men who received the DHEA treatment. PSA (prostate specific antigen) is used as a measurement of prostate cancer. So often the 'nay sawyers' warn that administration of DHEA may initiate the growth of latent prostate tumors, but this study is one more assurance of the safety of DHEA. In fact, there is at least one paper that suggests prostate cancer may be prevented by the administration of DHEA. Cancer DHEA levels decline with age and the incidence of cancer increases with age. It is this connection that has prompted researchers to look at DHEA as a chemopreventive agent. Researchers in Japan found that DHEA could inhibit the proliferation of myeloma cells and the IL-6 production of bone marrow cells withdrawn from patients with myeloma. IL-6 is a marker of inflammation and unwelcome cell proliferation in cancer. In a study in animals that were given a cancer-causing agent, DHEA reduced the number of aberrant crypt foci, which are thought to precede the development of colon cancer. DHEA and the brain The role DHEA in the brain definitely needs more study. The data is scant and conflicting. Our characterization of these 'neurosteroids' is in its infancy. A small randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the use of DHEA as a treatment in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) narrowly missed showing statistical significance, although the treatment was well-tolerated. A group of researchers found that DHEA increased the growth of human brain cells in an in-vitro study. DHEA treatment caused as much as a 29% increase in the number of neurons
"DHEA reduced the number of aberrant erypt foei, which are thought to precede the development of colon cancer " O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
flammation and cellular proliferation and is believed to play a critical role in the development o f cancer, atherosclerosis, and A D , as well as the basic aging process. Another possible mechanism for the antiaging effects o f D H E A is direct opposition to Cortisol. As we age, out its DHEA/cortisol ratio tips in favor o f Cortisol. The negative effects o f Cortisol are well-known. According to one scientist, "several clinical signs might be related to the decline o f D H E A secretion in aged people: sarcopenia (age-related decrease in skeletal muscle mass), osteopenia, atherosclerosis progression, impairment o f cognitive and affective performances, deterioration o f immunocompetence are the most significant evidences." D H E A reduces levels o f IL-6 and other cytokines associated with inflammation, while stimulating insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1). This ability to reduce inflammation while increasing IGF-1 clearly plays a role in the beneficial effects o f D H E A . The role o f D H E A as a neurosteroid has yet to be fully elucidated and will inevitably be the subject o f future scientific papers.
produced by stem cells. Low endogenous levels o f D H E A are found in a number o f different dementias and A D . In an animal study, delayed administration o f D H E A improved recovery o f function after traumatic brain injury from stroke. A very recent paper suggests that the decreased release o f the angiogenic peptide, vascular endothelial growth factor ( V E G F ) plays a pivotal role in A D and vascular A D (VAD). Their data suggests "insulin and D H E A could have beneficial effects in A D , as well as V A D and physiological aging, by increasing, in a dose-dependent fashion, V E G F availability by peripheral and resident immune and endothelial cells, so contributing to increase its circulating pool." As research continues, the role o f D H E A in central nervous system pathologies will become clear.
I m m u n e System Certainly, one o f the consequences o f aging is a decline in the function o f the immune system. DHEAreplacement has been found to restore an aging immune system to that o f a younger person. Much o f what we know about D H E A replacement comes
Conclusion
from clinical trials where D H E A was administered to women with SLE. These
I believe when this data is taken in its en-
studies found that D H E A down regulated
tirety, there is a strong case for both men
levels o f IL-6. IL-6 is one o f many in-
and women to consider adding D H E A to
flammatory
cytokines that is a significant
mediator o f inflammation.
their antiaging program. The weight o f the
Inflammation
evidence makes it clear D H E A is safe and
is now thought to play a role, not only in
well-tolerated. How much any individual
inflammatory autoimmune diseases such
should take remains an open question. The
as rheumatoid arthritis ( R A ) and SLE, but
dosages in the studies I highlighted here
also in the chronic conditions that develop
range from 25-450 mg. I think there is
with age such as heart disease, cancer,
little reason to take as much as 450 mg. o f
and cognitive decline. In the case o f SLE,
D H E A . I often tell my clients to start with
D H E A also helped up regulate IL-2 pro-
25 mg. If they do not see an improvement
duction of normal T cells and at least in
in their sense o f well-being, energy lev-
an animal model o f lupus, reversed their
els and cognition within one week, they
clinical autoimmune diseases.
should increase the dose. I feel comfort-
Aging
o f D H E A , since each o f us is so biochemi-
able recommending up to 100 mg. per day cally different. As far as D H E A living up to It is probably obvious at this point that D H E A administration is able to reverse many o f the negative symptoms that accompany aging. A well designed study conducted in Italy has shown just that. Researchers administered long term (1 year) low dose (25 mg./day) D H E A in a group o f aging men who presented with symptoms clinical symptoms o f a partial androgen deficicncy. According to the researchers, the men who received D H E A supplementation experienced a progressive improvement in mood, fatigue, and joint pain. FAX ORDERING +44 (0)208 181 6106
its claims that it is the 'fountain o f youth', I believe the evidence demonstrates this claim is not an exaggeration. Mechanism of action References D H E A and its biologic activity have yet to be fully characterized. It exerts its benefi-
Adapted
cial effects through a number o f different
tional antiaging hormone" by Karen Sad-
mechanisms. One theory is that D H E A is a
owsky Kaufman, M S , C C N . To read the
potent, uncompetitive inhibitor o f glucose-
original complete article along with all
6-phosphate
clinical references, please go to:
dehydrogenase
(G6PDH).
from; " D H E A : A
multi-func-
D H E A lowers N A D P H levels and reduces NADPH-dependent oxygen free radical
http://vvww.antiaging-systems.com 'ex-
production. Oxidative stress increases in-
tract'dheaandaging.htm 21
Protecting your skin this summer
In this issue we speak to Professor John Ionescu about his innovative skin care new range By Phil Micans P h a r m B
With long-term weather forecasts predicting one of the hottest summers for many years, (it is suggested that northern Europe could see 40 degrees Celsius for the first time since records began!), we highlight why protecting your skin is essential ifyou want to slow down skin aging. This interview with Professor John Ionescu will give you an insight into what you can do to prevent and reverse skin aging. A A M : Dr. lonescu, please be kind enough to tell our readers a little bit about your background and how you c a m e to be involved in dermatology. Dr. Ionescu: After graduation in biochemistry and i m m u n o l o g y at the University of Bucharest and a scientific fellowship in Montreal, Canada, I moved to West-Germany in 1980, received m y P h D in medical biochemistry in 1983 f r o m the University of Saarbriicken, Germany, and until 1985 directed the research p r o g r a m m e of a dermatological clinic in Aschaffenburg. Main research areas included the atopic diseases, psoriasis, arthritis and the MCS-syndrome. In 1986, I founded the Special Clinic in Neukirche, Bavaria for the treatment of allergic, skin and environmental diseases according to the principles of the nutritional and environmental medicine. The 160-bed facility is fully integrated in the official hospital system and the treatment fees are reimbursed by German and Austrian health insurances. I am a m e m b e r of the European A c a d e m y for Allergology and Clinical Immunology, of the British Society for Allergy and Environmental Medicine, the American A c a d e m y of Environmental Medicine and of the American A c a d e m y of Anti-Aging Medicine. Since August 1998 I was nominated as Professor for Applied Laboratory Medicine and Oxidology at the Capital University of Integrative Medicine, Washington, D.C. (USA).
A A M : I am aware of your ground breaking research and the results
22
ONLINE O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
interview you have been achieving in patients
to an accelerated collagen, elastin and
with skin disorders. W h a t essential-
hyaluronic acid degradation associated
ly makes your w o r k different to that
with decreased water retention, diminished antioxidant capacity, disrupted
of the traditional dermatologist?
cellular structures, low energetic Dr. Ionescu: Basically, instead of treat-
metabolism, or literally sagging and
ing symptoms, our cortisone, radiation
wrinkled skin.
and retinoid free therapy concept is addressing the causes o f the illness,
A A M : J u s t how m u c h of a factor is
and ensures a long-term recovery
the sun in the Photoaging process?
without side-effects.
By which I m e a n , how m u c h damage does the sun cause a n o r m a l healthy, b u t aging i n d i v i d u a l ?
A A M : I ' m sure some of our readers will recall from previous issues of this magazine, some of the before-
Dr. Ionescu: It has been estimated that
and-after pictures of patients you
Photoaging is responsible for up to
have treated. H o w are you able to
90% o f skin aging thus the more sun-
achieve these a m a z i n g results?
Professor Ionescu is one of Europe s
shine you experience, the faster your
leading dermatology researchers.
skin will age, unless o f course you do
Dr. Ionescu: We run a very compre-
From his 160-bed clinic at Neu-
something to protect yourself.
hensive diagnosis program identifying
kirchen (near Munich) in Germany,
the main triggering factors o f chronic
he has been performing cutting-edge
A A M : W h a t do you r e c o m m e n d for
skin diseases like atopic eczema,
research into the causes and pro-
this?
psoriasis, acne and collagen disorders.
gression o f numerous skin diseases.
We consider here the nutritional fac-
His work has led him to develop a
Dr. Ionescu: Well, for this specific
tors- food allergies, chronic skin and
comprehensive diagnostic system
purpose we have developed the Solaris
intestinal infections with pathogenic
to enable identification o f metabolic
germs, immune system deficiencies,
and immunologic failures, which can
alteration o f the energetic metabolism and o f course the individual burden
then result in individualized detox and anti-aging therapies.
with toxic environmental compounds. This data is the key for a causal individualized therapy with internal and external components.
development of a range of unique, clinically proven skin care products, could you tell us a bit a b o u t t h e m ? Dr. Ionescu: We've transferred our clinical experience in healing severe damaged skin to a range o f original cosmetic products, hypoallergenic and practically free o f any side-effects. To slow down the aging process, we have created special formulations like Energy Cream, Energo Repair Complex and the Only You Body Lotion. A A M : W h a t are the specific components of your product range?
tion, an anti-wrinkle factor in Energo Repair Complex which can reduce the the eyes, and the Energy Cream helps to rejuvenate the cellular machinery o f the skin to repair itself faster and more effectively. These creams have been used for years in the topical treatment o f your patients.
the anti-cellulite Only You Body LoM X ORDERING +44 (0)208 181 6106
UVA & U V B protection with melanin promoting factors, thus enhancing the natural tanning process. Free radical blocking agents like Vitamin E, carrot oil and EDTA, together with immune stimulating plant extracts such as b-glucans are further preventing the sun exposure side-effects. The proved moisturizing and nourishing properties o f the cream are complete this ultimate sun protection formulation.
A A M : Tell me about the aging skin itself. W hv do we develop wrinkles and lose the elasticity in our faces as we age? Dr. Ionescu: We know that the intrinsic, i.e. the genetically determined and the extrinsic, that's the U V and toxic exposure mediated aging processes are overlapped, plus they are strongly related to an increased generation o f free radicals or activated oxygen
Dr. Ionescu: We have a moisturizer in
light-induced skin aging process. For the first time this innovative sun protection formulation combines double
fine lines and bagginess from around A A M : Your w o r k has led to the
Anti-Photoaging Formula offering an outstanding protection against the sun-
species, in the skin. This leads in turn
A A M : M a n y Europeans and North A m e r i c a n s w a n t a tan, so how can we achieve those things effectively with a sun blocking cream? Dr. Ionescu: Whilst Solaris contains a sun protection factor o f 25 with its UVA and U V B blocking ingredients, the stimulation o f melanin synthesis by means o f appropriate precursors actually accelerate the normal skin tanning- this means that tanning can 23
interview still take place in sunlight with the Solaris cream applied.
Results with Energy Cream
AAM: And what about after sun creams? What do you recommend to be used and why? Dr. lonescu: I recommend the Energy Cream because it is extremely effective in case of sunburns- for when people forgot their Solaris! In addition, the Only You Body Lotion for its outstanding moisturizing and calming properties.
Before
After
Results with Energo Cream
AAM: I think we should ask, apart from wrinkles and other skin abnormalities of an aesthetic nature, over exposure to ultraviolet from the sun is also associated with skin cancers, would you care to comment on that?
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Dr. Ionescu: Indeed, the ionising effects of the UV-rays are responsible for the growing number of skin cancer like epithelioma, basalioma and melanoma in the world, especially in older people. The proven free radical quenching activity of Solaris confers to this formulation an obvious DNAprotective and antimutagenic activity, as clinically noticed in precancerous conditions like the actinic hyperkeratosis* which is brown, soggy patches on the forehead skin, especially in men. The use of Solaris for outdoor activities, avoids and cures such chronic skin conditions. AAM: In closing would you like to tell us what you do to protect your skin, and how you think about your exposure to the elements, etc.? Dr. Ionescu: I'm regularly using the Only You Body Lotion after showering for its moisturizing effect and every second day the Energo Repair Complex as an after shave for its smoothing and skin firming properties. Before outdoor activities such as sports, I of course use the Solaris cream. AAM: I have seen you lecturing at ONLINE
many conferences around the world, Dr. Ionescu, and you always elicit a great reaction to your work. Clearly it is of great importance and others recognize that too, especially when they can see the results you achieve. Dr. lonescu: It is most important to me to ensure that any ingredients emerging from the results of my research, are of the highest quality and synergy that can be made available. As I work as a scientist, but also directly with patients, I must offer effective products. We all know that there are many other skin creams on the market, but most of them merely hint at the research and fail to contain the correct combinations or strengths. The Energy Cosmetic line is different and everybody can easily experience the results. AAM: That's great to hear, Dr. lonescu. We shall continue to follow your work with great interest and we really appreciate your time to discuss these matters with us today. Dr. Ionescu: As we say in Germany, GriiB Gott! O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
systemic on enzyme forrr Healthy Joints Improved Mobility Robust Circulation Healthy Aging Normalized Inflammation Sports Injury Recuperation Wobenzyme's natural formula supports the body's own defense and reduces the effects of aging www.antiaging-magazine.com FAX
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a o
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I
first began to use International Antiaging Systems nearly 12 years ago. IAS was brought to my attention by a patient who, having failed multiple antidepressants, had read scientific articles on the Internet which described the use of SAM-e in the treatment of depression. Since the patient had a resistant depression after multiple trials of conventional anti-depressants, she was desperate to find an alternative. Fortunately, she responded well to SAM-e with no side-effects.
sn.'
ill, some with severe suicidal attempts, others bed ridden for years. They were able to obtain SAM-e and responded completely with a return to normal life within several months and have maintained their recovery since then.
wasting time on other approaches.
In many of these cases SAM-e is best combined as an augmenting agent with other conventional antidepressants. There are at least three studies using SAM-e in combination with conventional tricyclic anti-depressants. this novel antiIn my own practice, I find depressant impro ves it also boosts Venlafaxine (Effexor®), so that the activity of the I may use a much lower serotonin system by dose of the conventional actually accelrating antidepressant with good results.
SAM-e is not a panacea, but it clearly has many significant advantages. It often works rapidly, although not always. Sometimes, as with conventional anti-depressants, Stop Depression Now with SAM-e there may be a protracted serotonin reuptake Success with SAM-e in that patient led to course before response occurs. Secondly, it has me using it in hundreds more and eventuStablon®: A new type far fewer side-effects for most patients of anti-depressant ally writing the book; "Stop Depression N o w " which has helped many thousands compared to conventional anti-depresof people who could never have come to sants. The most important side-effect is Another exciting product which most of see me in my office. [Ed.- Dr. Brown's the possible stimulation of a manic state, my patients have been very happy with book can be ordered at: http://www.anti- in the vulnerable person with bipolar or is Stablon (Tianeptine). This novel antimanic-depressive disorder. Also, in the depressant improves the activity of the aging-systems.com/publications/public. higher doses sometimes serotonin system by actually accelerathtm]. needed to treat serious ing serotonin reuptake, but it does not He contacted me depressions, it may cause cause sexual dysfunction or weight gain. Let me give you some exafter he had been loose bowels and other amples of a few of those It is helpful for anxiety as well as serious gastrointestinal upset. well consistently for patients. depression. Of the last 20 patients I have side-effects such treated with Stablon, 15 had very good re6 months to thank me Other as headache, jitteriness, A middle-aged physiand to discuss the use or palpitations are rare. sponses with virtually no side-effects. The cian who had originally 5 who did not respond have had extremely Its profile of action on the of SAM-e in his trained in the United refractory depressions, that have failed electroencephalogram of States, but who has been multiple medications and their chance of own practice the brain is similar to tripracticing in a European responding to any agent was extremely cyclic anti-depressants. However, SAM-e country for some years, had experienced low. The following cases are illustrative is more tolerable and often works more chronic depression. He did not tolerate the examples of patients who have responded rapidly than tricyclics. side-effects of conventional anti-depresto Stablon. sants well. He was not able to respond to the anti-depressants at a dose which In addition, SAM-e acts on the dopamine One woman is a 50-year-old married was comfortable, because of the side ef- system, (tricyclic anti-depressants do not) mother of 3 children who has had life fects. He read my book "Stop Depression and this may be important for a subgroup long depression and anxiety. The anxiety Now", and then followed the directions of depressed patients. Tricyclic antibecomes extreme when she has to fly on and treated himself with SAM-e and B depressants may be especially helpful for an airplane. She frequently worries about vitamins. more severe depressions, especially in the having cancer. These symptoms respondgeriatric population. SAM-e may also be ed reasonably well to treatment with any SSRI (selective serotonin He contacted me after he had been well, beneficial for physical illreuptake inhibitor) includconsistently, for 6-months to thank me nesses including arthritis, Stab/on helps the ing fluoxetine, paroxetine, and to discuss the use of SAM-e in his liver disease, Parkinson's, serotonin system fluvoxamine, sertraline, own practice. He recommended SAM-e and other medical condiwhilst allowing pa- and citalopram. Unfortuto several colleagues all of which rapidly tions. Some patients have improved after having failed conventional quite a dramatic response tients to enjoy both nately all of the "classic" to SAM-e. A subset of SSRIs cause complete treatments. sex and food freely absence these may have a problem of sexual functioning and on average a I have had numerous people contact me in their B vitamin depen30 to 50 pound weight gain. The patient from England, France, Sweden, Australia dent methylation pathways in the brain and from all over the United States, all of based on genetic variants. Hopefully, found these side-effects to be intolerable. whom had severe depressions that were further genetic research will enable us to The weight gain occurred despite dieting •esponsive to all classes of convention- identify these patients so that they can be and exercising extremely vigorously for at .1 anti-depressants and electroconvulsive started quickly on SAM-e, a highly effec- least 2 hours a day, using both aerobic exjapy. These individuals had been very tive treatment in this subgroup, rather than ercise and weight training. The patient has )ERING +44 (0)208 181 6106
27
rebuilding a career. She had very resistant had a very good response to the Stablon depressions in the past, failing multiple with a concomitant weight loss back d o w n trials of SSRI's. Bupropion (Wellbutrin®), to her normal body weight. She is far haptricyclic anti-depressants, lithium, and pier being on this medication. anti-convulsants. She has had several Another patient is a single w o m a n in her hypomanic periods on forties w h o has had mood m o n o a m i n e oxidase ininstability and dysthyunlike hibitors (MAOIs), which mic disorder, with recurmany "standard" could not be managed by rent m a j o r depressions all anti- depressants mood stabilizing agents or her life. She has failed all Reboxetine anti-psychotics. However, available classes of antidoes not appear she has been doing well depressants and mood stato cause difficulty now for over two years bilizers, including lithium, with orgasm or on Reboxetine at 6 mg. a three anti-convulsants and day, combined with a little a smattering of other aug- delayed ejaculation, bit of an herbal treatment menting medications. She which I use for depression called Rhodihad the first good treatment response in ola rosea. her life to Stablon and has been consistently much better. For years I had b e c o m e accustomed to frequent phone calls at night and over the weekends from this patient. I n o w rarely hear from her because she is doing so well. I must congratulate the manufacturers of Stablon- Ardix- on finding an anti-depressant that helps the serotonin system whilst allowing patients to enjoy both sex and food freely.
Edronax®: The Noradrenaline take Inhibitor
Reup-
developed a slowly progressive cerebral vascular disease which was interfering with her response to medications. She was perhaps 2 0 % better on extended release Effexor® 600 mg. per day, Reboxetine 4 mg. a day (more m a d e her feel uncomfortably anxious), quetiapine 100 mg. at night for agitation and insomnia, and S A M e 400 mg. per day. The addition of picamilone ultimately at 100 mg. three times a day cleared up the kind of brain fog under which she has labored for some time. The picamilone enabled her to have more energy, more enthusiasm and a greater sense of involvement in her daily activities. I believe she falls into an often-ignored category- n o w recognized by geriatric psychiatrists as being vascular depression.
Picamilone: T h e Russian Development However, Picamilone is more versatile I have also found picamilone to be a help- than this. It can be useful in patients postful medication. This Russian medication stroke. I also c o m m o n l y see patients with is a clever combination Parkinson's disease, deof G A B A and niacin pression and evidence of less well known is cerebral vascular disease in the same molecule. that there are sev- from a history of strokes Picamilone is helpful for anxiety and depression, eral studies showing or abnormal findings on that the racetams, magnetic resonance imagespecially with cerebral such as Piracetam, ing. Picamilone can be exvascular disorder with mood s y m p t o m s and/ or can boost the tremely helpful in giving confusion. these patients a decrease efficacy of anti-
1 have also found that Reboxetine (Edronax®/ Davedax®) has been extremely helpful for difficult to treat depressions. in anxiety and depresdepressants For example, a middleThis selective norepinephrine reuptake insion, without sedation and aged divorced university Professor w h o with a mild pleasant stimulation. It m a y hibitor in some ways is like the tricyclic I have now been seeing for 9-years c a m e be used in a variety of other organic brain desipramine. There is data suggesting that for treatment of a resistant depression. She it improves social interaction more quickly syndromes. For example, one patient in failed multiple trials of all available classthan Prozac® in controlled trials. It does his mid-fifties had developed a treatment es of anti-depressants. She had transient have somewhat less anti-cholinergic sideresistant depression during the course of response to a course of electroconvulsive which he also suffered several strokes effects than tricyclic anti-depressants, but therapy. As I tried to puzzle over why a more than SSRI's. However, unlike many and cognitive impairment. This was ultipatient with a relatively classical depres"standard" anti-depressants Reboxetine mately found to be due to an anti-phossion was so unresponsive to multiple trials pholipid antibody syndrome. Although his does not appear to cause difficulty with of conventional anti-de- depression was at least partially responorgasm or delayed ejacuPicamilone is pressants, I c o m m e n c e d a lation. It rarely will cause sive to Effexor, his cognitive functioning helpful for anxiety work up of her cardiovas- and energy were poor. His daily activity painful ejaculation in men. and depression, cular system that indicated I found that in my practice was quite limited, particularly because of especially with she had not only abnorof predominantly treatapathy and fatigue. In this case the patient ment resistant depressed cerebral vascular malities in her lipid profile was greatly helped by the addition of Acepatients, that Reboxetine disorder with mood and glucose metabolism tyl-L-Carnitine, Picamilone, and SAM-e. (although not diabetic), worked well as a combiFor all three medications the doses had to symptoms and/or but also had problems with nation agent with another be given aggressively. If any one medicaconfusion elevated homocysteine, (a drug that acts on the serotion were decreased he would basically major risk factor for vascular disease) and tonin system. It can, however, work well b e c o m e non-functional. highly sensitive C-reactive protein. These on its own and it tends to be reasonably findings, combined with subtle cognitive activating. Racetams: The European Alternatives deficits, (which were not characteristic of her previous outstanding academic perA patient I have seen for over five years Another group of medications which now is a single mother who is working on formance), led me to believe that she had are relatively unfamiliar to most Ameri28
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can physicians are the pyrolidones or racetams. I most commonly use Pramiracetam or Piracetam from this class. These medications have a positive effect on nerve cell energy metabolism and seem to boost the function of cholinergic and NMDA-glutamate receptor systems. Pyrollidones facilitate the transfer of information between the cerebral hemispheres across the corpus callosum. They improve the function of the verbal areas of the left cerebral cortex. They can be used to lessen the cognitive side-effects of anti-convulsants, as well boost the anticonvulsant efficacy of these medications. Even less well known is that there are several studies showing that the racetams, such as Piracetam, can boost the efficacy of anti-depressants. Yet they are extremely benign in terms of side-effects, rarely causing stimulation and over activation. For example, a 55-year-old lawyer who had been extremely highly functioning came to see me several years ago, after approximately a 10-year course of deterioration following the development of an ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, secondary to taking fertility medication. She developed physical symptoms of this disorder, as well as depression and cognitive problems that became so pronounced that she became unable to work. Her deficits were documented on neuropsychological tests which were consistent with blood flow abnormalities, seen on SPECT (Single Proton Emission Computed Tomography) scans of her brain. Her depression responded well to a combination of ZoloftÂŽ and SAM-e. However, her cognitive functioning remained poor. She was also extremely hypersensitive to light, sound, and touch. (It should be noted that ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome causes marked changes in the vasculature of animals, as well as overproduction of stress hormones through the stress response system). The patient had great difficulty tolerating conventional psychotropic medications and experienced extremely severe side-effects. Fortunately, her brain function improved dramatically when she was given Pramiracetam 600 mg. twice a day. For the first time in 10-years, the patient felt that her brain had been returned to her. She was able to read and do other mental work without collapsing after a short time. FAX
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Another less dramatic example is a 23year-old patient who was tested in childhood and found to possess a genius level IQ. He went to a prestigious college. At about that time he developed an idiopathic autoimmune disease which caused diabetes mellitus requiring insulin and an idiopathic alopecia. He developed severe cognitive problems which were well documented, not only on neuropsychological testing but also on brain scans. Conventional treatments by neurologists and psychiatrists were to no avail. The patient had some response to donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor, over a 9-month period. However, the response was not satisfactory and with help from IAS, I began to treat him with Galantamine (ReminylÂŽ) up to 24 mg. a day with a partial positive response. Picamilone 50 mg. a day further improved his cognitive functioning and energy. Adding Pramiracetam 600 mg. per day has enabled him to recover his previous cognitive function level as documented by repeat neuropsychological testing. If he takes more of any of these medications he is over stimulated and has trouble sleeping, however, if any of the medications are lowered, his ability to function comes to a screeching halt. As noted in IAS articles, Pramiracetam works well with drugs which act on the cholinergic system (Galantamine as well as being a weak cholinesterase inhibitor, is also a powerful allosteric nicotinic receptor agonist). In summary, the anti-depressants discussed here have allowed me to give great relief to many patients who would not otherwise have been helped due to intolerance, side effects, or non-response to standard medications. In patients with neurological degenerative disorders or brain injury, the cognitive enhancing agents supplied are extremely benign in side-effects, have greatly enhanced the quality of life for many patients and their families.
References Adapted from; "Anti-depressive procedures" by Richard Brown, M.D. To read the original complete article along with all clinical references, please go to:
Become a business partner of IAS IAS offer a wide variety to companies and individuals interested in commercial opportunities within the field of antiaging medicine. For full details of our partnership schemes please contect the IAS business development team at:
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Focus is a brand n e w section to the magazine. In each issue w e will choose an anti-aging product or chemical and give y o u an in-depth look at the science behind it, its uses, and any news or recent developments.
For our first feature w e have chosen the remarkable antioxidant that is creating headlines around the world. N-acetylcarnosine has been incorporated into an eye-drop which has significant clinical evidence to suggest it can reverse certain types of cataract.
In this section w e ' l l s h o w you the science behind these claims and s o m e of the ground swell of anecdotal eveidence which is supporting the results of the clinical trials.
N-Acetylcarnosine eye-drops According to recent research conducted by biophysicist Mark A. Babizhayev, PhD, N-acetylcarnosine is a naturally occurring prodrug of the natural antioxidant Carnosine. Essentially, this is acetyl valence added to the Carnosine molecule, allowing it to penetrate the cornea and enter the aqueous environment of the eye, (the fluid surrounding the lens). O n c e within the aqueous, the molecule is then de-acetylated into pure Carnosine. Dr. Babizhayev is the lead researcher involved in trials of this new, but natural compound. He said that the clinical studies have shown N-acetylcarnosine can improve the vision in treated patients w h e n compared to placebo. He noted that the patients w h o achieved the best results had a starting vision no worse than 0.3. The Russian studies have mainly included eyes with cataracts that involved some m e m b r a n e component, 50
such as cortical and subcapsular cataracts. Dr. Babizayev said; "In these types of cataracts, w e can predict a most significant improvement. W h e n w e face Brunescent, nuclear cataracts and where the vision is depressed significantly, then the effect of improvement is less pronounced." Dr. Babizhayev also stated that the original eye-drop formula (Can-C) contains carboxymethylcellulose, which allows it to be sold as a lubricating eye drop, whilst the product labelling states that N-acetylcarnosine is an antioxidant. Animal studies have shown that the molecule's antioxidant activity depends on the intraocular absorption and subsequent breakdown of N-acetylcarnosine, which is actually aided by the presence of carboxymethylcellulose. However, Dr. Babizhayev has made it clear that the absorption and breakdown of N-acetylcarnosine can be hindered if other antioxidants,
such as vitamin A or vitamin E are added to the formulation, because they can prevent the formation of pure Carnosine. "N-acetylcarnosine itself is a weak antioxidant. The ideal use of this therapeutic modality is to stimulate the conversion of N-acetylcarnosine into Carnosine intraocularly, in the aqueous humor," Dr. Babizayev continued; " T h e conversion to Carnosine is required because it acts as a universal antioxidant both in the lipid phase of biological m e m b r a n e s and in the aqueous environment, thus protecting lipid m e m b r a n e s and water soluble molecules such as proteins, D N A and sugars. If w e can repair the lipid m e m b r a n e s of the lens fiber cell m e m branes, w e can reduce opacification of the lens due to the existence of a particular redox balance. Carnosine is acting as the de-linker in the lens because it scavenges the aldehyde products. O n c e this occurs, then the whole redox
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focus The Clinical trials The eye drops have been evaluated in clinical trials by Dr. Babizhayev and colleagues at the Hemholtz Research Institute of Eye Disorders, Moscow. The trial has been organized by the US based Company Innovative Vision Products, Inc. The trials evaluated efficacy using a stereo-cinematographic slit lamp photography a specially designed device called a halometer, and a glare disability test which monitors small changes in lens opacity. Results of the trials were published in 2002 in Drugs R&D, Peptides 2001 and the Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine . In the study, 49 patients (76 eyes) were randomly assigned to administer eye drops containing 1% N-acetylcarnosine or a placebo twice daily over 6 months or for up to 2 years. According to the study, the control patients showed a gradual worsening of visual acuity and no significant difference in lens clarity at 5 to 6-month follow-up periods. However, N-acetylcaraosine-treated eyes showed statistically significant balance shifts to positive, and the lens can withstand the oxidative stress by its own means. The lens is well equipped with the non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant systems which mediate the action of the universal antioxidant L-Carnosine, once they have been released from N-acetylcarnosine, which is applied topically to the eye in the form of drops." Dr. Babizayev went on to say that the lens is not just an optical lens; it works as a metabolic system. If the redox balance is positive, it works in a good fashion. He summarized his report as follows; "With our product, we can assist the lens to withstand the oxidative stress induced by phospholipid hydroperoxides in the surrounding medium in the aqueous humor." [Marios Kyriazis book- The cataract cure, the story of N-acetylcarnosine is now available for purchase. Please see page 44 for details]. FAX ORDERING +44 (0)208 181 6106
differences in visual acuity, glare sensitivity and other characteristics of image analysis compared to eyes in the control group (P < .001). An improvement in visual acuity of 7% to 100% was seen in 37 of 41 (90%) N-acetylcamosine-treated eyes. A significant improvement of 27% to 100% in glare sensitivity at red and green targets was seen in 16 of 18 (89%) tested eyes, and during image grading, a significant improvement in lens clarity was seen in 17 of 41 (41%) eyes, according to the study. The authors noted that no significant differences in cumulative lens changes were seen between 6 months and 24 months follow-up in N-acetylcarnosine-treated eyes. However, the results at 24 months showed the effect of N-acetylcarnosine is sustainable over a long period, with 20 of 23 (87%) treated eyes showing a 12% to 67% improvement in visual acuity. The results were significantly different from eyes treated in the control group, of which 17 of 19 (89%) eyes showed a 17% to 80% deterioration in
visual acuity at 24 months follow-up (Pc.001).
Left: Shows the appearance of cataract in a human eye. Right: Shows the opacity has disappeared after 5 months treatment with 1 % N-acetylcarnosine eyedrops.
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Left: Shows the large canine cataract before treatment with n-acetylcarnosine eye-drops. Right: After 1 month's treatment the cataract is breaking up an effect called 'melting snow'.
Facts: Cataract
Testimonials: Can-C
25% of people over the age of 65 have a cataract.
"/ used Can-Cfor 4-months with amazing results. My vision in my left eye improvedfrom 20/40 to 20/25, and upon renewal of my driving license, the eye glass restriction was eliminated. With less glare and near perfect vision, I now drive in the evenings and early morning without glasses, much as I did in my youth 30 years ago! Since birth, my right eye could only identify the big "E" on the eye chart. After 4 months of Can-C treatment, I can now read the third line on the eye chart! Truly amazing to be nearly blind in my right eye for 60-years and now regain some sight!"
1.35 million cataract operations are performed in the USA every year. Nearly half of all patients who undergo cataract surgery develop complications within 2 years. 2% (Approx 27,000) develop serious complications as a result of cataract surgery.
Dr. Richard Lippman, Emerging Health Technologies, Honolulu, Hawaii 31
letters to the editor Q: I've read your interview with Dr. Ward Dean in the Fall 2004 Antiaging Magazine, in which he espouses Metformin as a powerful antioxidant and a "must have" for anyone interested in longevity, weight control, etc. However, I have done quite a bit of web research on Metformin and have found several studies indicating a suppression of testosterone- both free and total- in both men and women taking the drug. I would think for this reason, that Metformin would be contraindicated for a non-obese, middle-aged male without diabetes or indications of Syndrome X. Am I wrong in this regard? I do enjoy the Antiaging Magazine, as well as access to your online store. A: Firstly, I never said anything about Metformin having antioxidant properties, I would be surprised if that were the case. Secondly, I have never seen any reports of Metformin's having an adverse affect on testosterone levels. Naturally, I never claim to be omniscient, even about Metformin, and if there are studies I would like to see them. Nevertheless, I could understand a possibility as to how metformin might affect testosterone levels. Metformin is of course, an insulin receptor sensitizer. This results in a more effective response to insulin, lower levels of blood sugar and insulin. However, Dilman also demonstrated that Metformin was also a Cortisol receptor sensitizer- likewise, helping to maintain lower, more normal levels of Cortisol. I think that Metformin's multi-hormone receptor sensitizing properties may extend beyond insulin a n d Cortisol.
Metformin is the treatment of choice for polycystic ovary disease (PCOS). PCOS is characterized by hyperinsulinemia, and an excess of androgenic adrenal hormones (i.e., testosterone). Metformin acts to normalize metabolism in women with PCOS, and helps to reverse many of their hormonerelated symptoms. Metformin is a metabolic normalizer and rejuvenator. For example, Metformin may lower blood sugar, but it does not cause
Q: I have recently (less then 2 weeks) starting taking Adrafinil (Olmifon). I was reading an article that this drug can cause liver damage! I have been taking Vi a tablet a day (150 mg.) and this works wonders and I no longer feel fatigued. I am 34 years old in good shape and I was wondering if you feel I am at risk for liver damage at this dosage? Is there a home test kit I can purchase to test my liver while taking this or can you suggest another medication of this type that I can take that may be safer?
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(. A I * t hypoglycemia. Likewise, Metformin may lower testosterone when it is abnormally elevated (as in PCOS), but I don't believe it reduces testosterone to abnormally low levels. Ward Dean, M.D. Q: I had an independent Optometrist check to see if the Can-C drops were doing any good before I ordered more drops. The Optometrist said he could not see any cataracts. I have had a cataract in my right eye for 3 years and a cataract in my left eye for 6 months according to my H M O Optometrist. I could notice the haziness in my right eye. After 1 month of using the Can-C drops the Cataracts are gone. I will continue to use the drops for the rest of my life because I believe this is a treatment and not a cure. I am thrilled with the results and thank you for development of the drops. I am spreading the good news. A. We are so pleased for you and as we continue to receive so many positive remarks regarding Can-C eyedrops, we know that it is making a big difference to people out there. It takes too many years for such breakthroughs to become widespread public (indeed even professional) knowledge. But undoubtedly Innovative Vision Product's N-acetylcarnosine eye-drops will one day be the preferred treatment before surgery is attempted. Ronald Sanchez
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A. In the clinical trials- the Adrafinil dosages that caused increased liver enzymes in a very small number of individuals, were when 300 mg. to 600 mg. or more daily where taken continuously over a period of 3 to 5 months. We believe it is unlikely that any issues would occur in your case of occasional-regular 150 mg. if you have a healthy liver, and especially if you take occasional respites from the drug. We don't know of any "at home test kits" that could be used, although there are labs in the States that do offer blood draws and then send the results directly back. However we would recommend seeing a physician for the same every 3-6 months for a check up, if you don't have a flexible doctor in your region, we may be able to send you some suggestions. Modafinil is the sister drug to Adrafinil and in this regard it is much safer as there are no known consequences of liver enzyme increases taking place. Therefore you could consider taking half a tablet of Modafinil instead, and may be recommended if your use is virtually continuous. We appreciate that Modafinil is more expensive than Adrafinil. Details can be seen at: www.antiaging-systems.com/a2z/ modafinil.htm Phil Micans, PharmB Send your questions, letters & comments to: Editor, Antiaging Magazine, IAS House, Les Autelets, Sark, GY9 0SF, Great Britain or via e-mail: editor@antiaging-magazine.com O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
Anti-depression is a phrase recognised by everyone, and many people at sometime in their life come into contact with anti-depressants. But all too often "mainstream" medicine looks for a simplistic approach, knowing that often the brain chemical serotonin is lacking, and so drugs such as Prozac are prescribed, which for many people is highly effective. But there are many other reasons why people may be depressed, and these can include other neurotransmitter imbalances, brain energy itself (a lack of oxygen, glucose uptake or blood circulation), and even a lack of specific hormones. There are a number of different approaches for this condition and we offer some of the class leading products below.
Milnacipran - brand name Ixel is being heralded as a 'miraculous treatment' in the fight against Fibromyalgia and Lupus. It is believed that the combination of Milnacipran's norepinephrine and serotonin enhancement action has pain-killing, mood lightening and calming effects. Therefore, Milnacipran is also a wonderful new weapon in the fight against both depression and pain.
As the precursor to Serotonin, 5HTP has many similar uses compared to LTryptophan, such as the assistance of sleep and alleviation of age-related mental depression, as well as alcohol withdrawal.
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GH3Pro is a generic Gerovital-H3. It improves cell metabolism, concentration and vitality, alleviates joint stiffness, enhances well-being and acts as an anti-depressant. It is even known to boost skin and hair condition.
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L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid and its uses include alleviating depression, alcohol withdrawal and aiding weight loss. This product is the German pharmaceutical grade L-Tryptophan.
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SAMe - brand name Samyr has been described as the day-time alertness hormone, having a major role in the production of the universal energy life molecule, ATP. SAMe is the third most concentrated chemical in the liver, so it has been widely used to correct liver disorders such as cirrhosis and even hepatitis. It is also an excellent antidepressant.
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56 x 25mg capsules from $44.95 Reboxetine - brand name Davedax is the equivalent of Edronax. It is a new and unique anti-depressant that works by allowing the brain to have more of the stimulatory brain chemical norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter, the deficiency of which is believed to be one of the causes of depression).
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Stablon is a drug that actively fights depression by increasing the brain's uptake of serotonin. This anti-depressant is particularly effective as it does not normally cause drowsiness or interfere with the libido.
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The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland located in the neck, that is involved with temperature regulation and many other vital roles, including the immune system. Supplements are also known to improve sleep patterns for many people. Thyroid is also known to assist some people in well-being and positive outlook.
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Antiaging & Longevity Of course many products and protocols can be described as antiaging, and a few can even point to their longevity (life extension) properties (at least in animals). Our category here focuses upon products that have been scientifically proven to readjust key parameters that are often at the core of pro-aging (if left unchecked). In other words, they have benefits to slow and reverse particular signs of age and its degeneration on a broad and general level in the body. There are a number of different approaches for this condition and we offer some of the class leading products below.
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NeyGeront is a German produced RNA extract (ribonucleic acids are the building blocks of DNA). Designed to help the organs most affected by stress, wear and aging, these RNAs from the heart, thymus, gonads, liver, pancreas and other glands, in fact thirteen in total. Also contained in the capsules are vitamins B6, B12 and E, as well as procaine, biolecthins and amino-acid complexes.
40 x 0.5 capsules from $44.95 Carnosine - brand name L-Carnosine is a powerful anti-oxidant, Carnosine not only flushes toxins out of the body, and it also boosts the immune system so that we are better equipped for fighting off disease. Carnosine also helps improve the function of the heart, protects against radiation damage and exerts anti-cancer effects.
60 x 50mg capsules from $14.95 Centrophenoxine (formerly known as Lucidril) increases the brain's use of glucose and improves brain energy levels. It also removes a potassium build up in the brain, heart, lung and skin cells, and is vital for the efficient communication of a cell to transfer potassium and sodium across its membranes. Centrophenoxine has shown an ability to remove liver spots.
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Deprenyl liquid - IAS stock two brands of Deprenyl liquid Selepryl and Cyprenyl. Both products are the same format and purity. Deprenyl protects and enhances mental function, mood and even libido by increasing brain levels of the focus and drive neurotransmitter- dopamine.
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300mg bottle $65.00
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Desmopressin, (brand name Minirin), was formerly known as Vasopressin. It is a peptide that is believed to deposit memories into the hippocampus as they are learnt. As such, used as a nasal spray it is very fast acting to improve memory imprinting and short term memory, in some countries it is even used to treat amnesia. Desmopressin is seen as an ideal agent for conferences and lectures etc
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2.5ml nasal spray from $26.95 Hydergine - Brand name Hydergina enhances mental abilities by improving and stabilizing oxygen supply to the brain. Hydergine is also known to improve mitochondrial condition, which as the energy producing cells throughout the body has a wide antiaging benefitThis pharmaceutical grade Hydergine is made by Novartis, the company formerly known as Sandoz.
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GH3Pro is a generic Gerovital-H3. It improves cell metabolism, concentration and vitality, alleviates joint stiffness, enhances well-being and acts as an anti-depressant. It is even known to boost skin and hair condition.
thÂŤ original antiaging supplement
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Aminoguanidine helps prevent some proteins from cross-linking. It is therefore an exciting new weapon in the fight against aging. It has the potential to slow the aging process by protecting the proteins that make up our bodies, and is therefore especially good for alleviating the symptoms associated with diabetes.
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Memory & Cognition Who are we without our minds? You may be body beautiful, but stimulating conversation and interesting anecdotes are the result of a sharp mind and good mental abilities, and it is these facilities that make us interesting individuals and give us our personalities. There are many facets to memory and cognition, and through the unique range of products that IAS has supplied over the years, and the scientific, professional articles we have published, (all based on clinical evidence) has made this range our consistent best sellers. There are a number of different approaches for this condition and we offer some of the class leading products below.
Centrophenoxine (formerly known as Lucidril) increases the brain's use of glucose and improves brain energy levels. It also removes a potassium build up in the brain, heart, lung and skin cells, and is vital for the efficient communication of a cell to transfer potassium and sodium across its membranes. Centrophenoxine improves the speed of memory recall. 60 x 250mg capsules from $26.95
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Hydergine - brand name Hydergina enhances mental abilities by improving and stabilizing oxygen supply to the brain. This pharmaceutical grade Hydergine is made by Novartis, the company formerly known as Sandoz.
40ml liquid bottle from $11.65 Aniracetam - brand name Ampamet is the first Nootropic analogue developed from Piracetam. It is virtually non-toxic and has beneficial effects in the treatment of memory loss, age related memory decline and lack of concentration. Aniracetam can improve memory recall, reaction, and detail.
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Galantamine - brand name Reminyl is available in liquid form and used as a front line treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Galantamine stimulates nicotine receptors and also improves levels of Acetylcholine.
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Piracetam - brand name Nootropil is made by UCB and is the world's best selling so-called smart drug. It helps with learning and appears to be a substance capable of extending the intellectual functions of man, even individuals already gifted with high intelligence and good memory.
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Memantine - brand name Ebixa is a novel new drug that is showing a lot of promise in the battle against Alzheimer's disease, and is now available in liquid form. Some studies indicate that Ebixa could be effective for Parkinson's disease, while others suggest that Ebixa and NMDA receptors may have a role in alcoholism and that Ebixa could act as an anti-craving drug for alcohol.
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Pregnenolone supplements can help to improve energy levels and combat chronic fatigue, and is also particularly helpful against the swelling and inflammation associated with arthritis, having been used to treat arthritis since the 1940's. Other benefits of the Pregnenolone supplement include stress reduction. Pregnenolone is the most potent memory enhancing sterone.
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Vinpocetine brand name Intelectol, improves brain blood flow its unique quality is that it only affects areas that need to be improved. Intelectol has been shown to help improve hearing (particularly tinnitus), eyesight, and even to alleviate the problems involved with menopause.
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Attention, Vigilance & Concentration Otherwise known as ADD or ADHD, this problem can often be the route of issues that are often incorrectly described as memory problems. After all, if you are not concentrating at the time of learning new material, how can you remember it with clarity later? This issue of learning new material for recall later is called memory imprinting. There are a number of different approaches for this condition and we offer some of the class leading products below.
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Desmopressin, (brand name Minirin), was formerly known as Vasopressin. It is a peptide that is believed to deposit memories into the hippocampus as they are learnt. As such, used as a nasal spray it is very fast acting to improve memory imprinting and short term memory, in some countries it is even used to treat amnesia. Desmopressin is seen as an ideal agent for conferences and lectures etc
Centrophenoxine (formerly known as Lucidril) increases the brain's use of glucose and improves brain energy levels. It also removes a potassium build up in the brain, heart, lung and skin cells, and is vital for the efficient communication of a cell to transfer potassium and sodium across its membranes. Centrophenoxine improves concentration.
60 x 250mg capsules from $26.95 Piracetam - brand name Nootropil is made by UCB and is the world's best selling so-called smart drug. It helps with learning and appears to be a substance capable of extending the intellectual functions of man, even individuals already gifted with high intelligence and good memory.
60 x 800mg tablets from $19.75
Item Code: 0229
Stleftf Selepryl
Item Code: 0239
Modafinil is a remarkable, unique drug because it offers stimulation without affecting sleep. It provides 'good arousal'. We carry two brands of Modafinil, ProVigil and Modiodal although both products are identical and are licensed by the same pharmaceutical company.
Item Code: 0044
!
Glmifcn
Item Code: 0052 36
30 x 100mg tablets $144.95
Adrafinil - brand name Olmifon is the world's first stimulant and antidepressant that enhances mental clarity, alertness and awareness without impeding our normal sleeping patterns or making us anxious and agitated.
40 x 300mg tablets $31.45
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Item Code: 0184
T m p a n i e t 750 ciMitprtw*
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Item Code: 0006 ONLINE
2.5ml nasal spray from $26.95 Deprenyl liquid - IAS stock two brands of Deprenyl liquid Selepryl and Cyprenyl. Both products are the same format and purity. Deprenyl protects and enhances mental function, mood and even libido by increasing brain levels of the focus and drive neurotransmitter- dopamine.
300mg bottle $69.95
This special creation is Niacin and GABA bonded that acts as a mild stimulant, yet lowers aggression. It not only has a tranquilizing effect without a sedative effect, but also has an element of stimulatory action.
60 x 50mg tablets from $26.95
Brand name Ampamet, this was the first Nootropic developed from Piracetam. It is virtually non-toxic and has beneficial effects in the treatment of memory loss, age related memory decline and lack of concentration. Aniracetam can improve memory recall, reaction speed and detail.
20 x 750mg tablets from $44.95 O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
T
EDD is Dr. Garry Gordon's premier oral chelation capsule, containing a mix of potent chelating agents to eradicate the widest possible cross-section of heavy metals including lead, mercury and cadmium etc. EDD contains Allicin, EDTA, Malic acid, Methione and 10 other synergistic ingredients and is a core chelation product.
Artemisinin is also known as Wormwood, and it has been used for thousands of years as a worm treatment, but it also is a potent eradicator of "flukes" and other parasites, including yeasts that infest the body. Artemisinin is also used in "alternative" cancer treatments and malaria.
90 x 10Omg capsules $49.95
Item Code: 0349
Item Code: 0350
Now for the first time healthy bathing is possible! Beyond Clean contains EDTA bath salts that bind to the metals in your house water, and also help to bind to metals in your skin. The outcome is that bath water is softened and the skin is chelated of heavy metals, slowing skin aging. Simply add a scoop to your next bath. 20oz powder $39.95 L-Carnosine is noted for its broad spectrum of antiaging benefits, including being a potent inhibitor of glycation, a process whereby proteins become impaired, because they cross link in the presence of oxygen and glucose. However, what it not so well known is that L-Carnosine is a potent chelator of copper. 60 x 50mg capsules from $14.35 FAX O R D E R I N G +44 (0)208 I 8 I 6106
100 capsules $24.95
Item
Another unique product formulated by world chelation expert, Dr. Garry Gordon. This pleasant orange tasting chewing gum contains EDTA to specifically help remove heavy metals from the mouth. Chew after meals and discard once the flavor has gone, knowing that you are removing mercury and other metals from your gums.
Beyond C contains the purest form of L-ascorbic acid, but it is much more than "just" vitamin C. A unique bonding called FASM, enables high dosages to be used without side effects such as stomach upset. Furthermore, the addition of Ribose and MSM ensures that energy levels are boosted and intracellular delivery of nutrients are improved. 200g powder $39.95
V
100 tablets $24.95 This product has been designed for those with more serious heavy metal issues, in particular mercury contamination. Containing Succinic acid, Glucuronolactone and 2 differing forms of selenium, Heavy Detox is the strongest oral form of chelation on the market. 1 to 3 capsules can be taken at night time.
Item Code: 0352
45 capsules $48.95
l-Caj^oim
Containing high strengths of both forms of the proven estrogen reducing agents, DIM (di-indolylmethane) and I3C (indole3-carbinol), 60 mg and 200 mg per capsule respectively, Pro-Brassica increases the eradication of estrogens. Necessary, because estrogens have now leaked into and become prevalent in our everyday lives.
Item Code: 0171
60 x 260mg capsules from $31.45
Item Code: 0356
Hair At any given time, about 10 percent of the hair on your scalp is in a resting phase. ; After 2 to 3 months, the resting hair falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place. This growing phase lasts for 2 to 6 years. Each hair grows approximately 1 centimeter per month during this phase. About 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is growing at any one time. It is normal to shed some hair each day as part of this cycle. However, some people may experience excessive (more than normal) hair loss.
This topical lotion is applied to the scalp to promote and stimulate new hair growth. Minsaw-A contains a solution of minoxidil at a super high strength of 7%, combined with retinolic acid at 0.025% and Saw Palmetto at 3%. Minoxidil is well known as a improver of blood supply to the hair root and has been in safe use for over 20-years. Item Code: 0259
VICHY
Item Code: 0183
125ml liquid bottle $39.95
Nizoral shampoo contains ketoconazole and is a potent anti-dandruff shampoo that appears to actually help prevent hair loss.One reason may be that Nizoral helps to block the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is believed that DHT has a role in the hair follicle dying and falling out.
Nizoral shampoo
Item Code: 0049
120ml shampoo bottle from $22.45
Dercos contains the chemical Aminexil and is designed to stop hair loss by preventing perifollicular fibrosis. This is a condition that accompanies all alopecia whereby the collagen around the root becomes rigid and tightens, pushing the root to the surface and causing premature hair loss. Dercos is available in either Shampoo or Ampoules. 18 x 1.5% Ampoules from $62.95 Dutasteride is the most potent DHT blocking product currently available, either for Prostate conditions, or hair loss. Dutasteride prevents testosterone becoming DHT (di-hydro-testosterone), by blocking an enzyme that converts it called; 5-alpha-reductase. It should be noted that all 5-alpha reductase inhibitors MUST not be handled or used by women.
Item Code: 0276
PRDSCflff 5 mg compress* rivestite con film
Item Code: 0067 38
30 x 0.5mg capsules from $71.95 Finasteride belongs to a group of drugs known as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. This enzyme normally "acts" upon testosterone and converts it to the hormone DHT. High DHT levels contribute to the development of male pattern baldness and the increased growth of body hair. Use of Finasteride on a regular basis has been shown to reduce male pattern baldness and slow the development of body hair. 15 x 5mg tablets from $35.95 ONLINE
ORDERING www.antiaging-magazine.com
Skin Care The skin is often known as "the largest organ in the human body": this does not only (obviously) apply with regard to surface area, but also with regard to weight, as it weighs more than any single internal organ. The skin on a person's face is seen by people that person interacts with. For some people, then, facial skin care is of importance, and cosmetics are made to deal with the appearance of the person's face and condition of the skin, such as pore control and blackhead cleansing. As skin ages is becomes thinner and more easily damaged. Intensifying this effect is the decreasing ability of skin to heal itself. Skin sagging is caused by the fall in elasticity. Skin also receives less blood flow and lower gland activity. In medicine, the branch concerned with the skin is called dermatology.
Professor lonescu's Only You Body Lotion combines its hydrating properties with the activating and firming effects of algea extracts and caffeine. It works against the negative side-effects (celluite, water retention) of inadequate nutrition and lack of excerise. By daily use of the lotion, visible results can be noticed after 25 to 30 days of application.
150ml cream $49.95
Our Carnosine serum can be applied to clean dry skin on a regular basis and should help prevent the appearance of tough, leathery skin, as well as reduce fine lines and discoloration. Carnosine is a potent late stage inhibitor of glycosylation, the process of protein cross-linking that over time, and with exposure to sunlight and pollution etc., causes the skin to change. Item Code: 0392
As Melatonin is the most potent antioxidant in nature, it protects the skin against the ravages of free radical attach that is known to accelerate aging. Our unique topical Melatonin cream has been shown to reduce the depth of wrinkles after only 1-month of treatment. It can also make the skin smoother to the touch and enhance its appearance. It is also a superb after-sun treatment.
Professor John lonescu is one of Europe's leading dermatologists. Energy cream is the result of his work to reduce and remove skin blemishes such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. It contains natural ingredients such as ATP and ADP to stimulate and improve the skin's energy processes, so that it can heal itself faster and more efficiently. 50ml cream $59.95
Item Code: 0371
Professor John lonescu's unique skin cream is a special combination of ingredients developed from his research and published science. It delivers a rapid uptake of ingredients into the epidermis cells via a patented DMS nanoparticle technology. Energo smoothes the skin around the eyes and fights against dark circles and puffiness, nourishing and toning providing the skin. 50ml cream $84.50
FAX O R D E R I N G +44 (0)208 I 8 I 6106
Proev?
Item Code: 0304
100ml bottle $39.95 Containing the RNAs of the skin (ribonucleic acids are the building blocks of DNA), CoQ10 and vitamin E, the combined effects of NeySkin CoQ10 enhance blood circulation and increase collagen and elastin production. The skin is better supplied with nutrients and oxygen and the removal of metabolic waste is enhanced. NeySkin CoQ10 is an excellent moisturizer.
Item Code: 0298
Another unique cream from the work of Professor John lonescu. Not only does Solaris have a SPF of 25 to guard against photoaging, but it also allows tanning to take place. Thus giving the look that people want without the damage. Solaris combines double UVA and UVB protection with melanin promoting factors to enhance the natural tanning process. 150ml cream $49.95
Item Code: 0199
30ml bottle $49.95
Item Code: 0047
50ml tube cream from $31.45 Retin-A is a treatment for acne and black spots, yet it displays a remarkable talent to remove wrinkles and improve skin condition. Retin-A can reduce severe wrinkles within a mere 6-weeks and remove fine lines. It does this by improving the blood supply to the skin and by increasing the turnover of dead cells and consequently, new younger looking skin appears at the surface.
Item Code: 0300
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30ml 0.100% tube from $34.95
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Item Code: 0074 39
special s u m m e r offer
A M I N O G U A N I D I N E Aminoguanidine helps prevent some proteins from cross-linking. It is therefore an exciting new weapon in the fight against aging. It has the potential to slow the aging process by protecting the proteins that make up our bodies, and is therefore especially good for alleviating the symptoms associated with diabetes.
To take advantage of this special offer simply: Call our toll free number +1-866-800-4677 Visit our website: www.antiaging-magazine.com or if you wish to order by post use the order form at the end of this section.
100 x 75mg now only $14.95
half-price while stocks last
International Antiaging Systems Product Order Guide - valid to 09.31.05 Product
Quantity
SPECIAL OFFER Pack Price
4-Pack discount
item Code
5HTP (Oxitriptan)
60 x 50mg capsules #
$16.95
Acarbose (Glucobay)
30 x I OOmg tablets 13
$24.95
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
50 x 500mg capsules
$25.95
Adrafinil (Olmifon)
40 x 300mg tablets E l
$34.95
100 x 75mg tablets #
$14.95
Anacervix
30 x 420mg capsules E l
$19.95
10%
0163
Aniracetam (Ampamet)
20 x 750mg tablets E ]
$49.95
10%
0006
Aricept
28 x 1 Omg tablets E l
$159.95
0374
Arimidex (Anastrozole)
28 x 1 mg tablets E l
$199.95
01 1 1
Artemisinin
90 x 1 OOmg capsules
$45.95
Benfotiamine (Milgamma Mono)
30 x 50mg tablets
$17.95
Beyond C
200g powder
$39.95
0350
Beyond Chelation Improved
30 sachets
$52.95
0351
Beyond Clean
20oz powder
$39.95
0352
Beyond GHS
75 tablets
$79.95
0353
Bio-Pro
l E f f l R H i f f i p l f l ^ M H A L F PRICE OFFER f g
(ATP & N A D H Sublingual)
10%
0327 0373 0329 0052
10%
0303
0349 10%
0273
30ml 640mg bottle
$34.95
10%
021 1
Biostim
16 x 1 mg tablets E l
$34.95
10%
0008
Bromocriptine (Parlodel)
30 x 2.5mg tablets E l
$19.95
10%
0058
Can-C (N-acetylcarnosine eye-drops)
5 x 2ml vials
$39.95
10%
0222
Carnosine (L-carnosine)
60 x 50mg capsules
$15.95
10%
0171
Carnosine (Topical Beta Alistine)
30ml serum bottle
$49.95
Centrophenoxine
60 x 250mg capsules #
$29.95
Cialis (Tadalafil)
4 x 20mg tablets E l
$79.95
Ciproxin (Ciprofloxacin)
6 x 500mg tablets E]
$34.95
Conjunctisan A Eye-drops
20 x 0.5ml vial #
$34.95
10%
0013
Conjunctisan B Eye-drops
20 x 0.5ml vial #
$34.95
10%
0014
NeySkin C o Q I O
50ml tube cream
$39.95
Deprenyl (Selepryl)
12ml / 3OOmg liquid bottle E K -
$69.95
Deprenyl (jumex)
50 x 5mg tablets E l *
$49.95
Dercos (Aminexil / Topical)
200ml shampoo bottle
$24.95
Dercos (Topical / Aminexil)
18 x 1.5% ampoules
$69.95
10%
Desmopressin (Minirin)
2.5ml nasal spray E l
$29.95
10%
90 x 25mg capsules E K 4
$24.95
60 x 25mg capsules E K *
$9.95
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH DHEA (Micronized)
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Products marked with this symbol can not be shipped to the EU.
* #
Products marked with this symbol are restricted in certain countries. Please see website for full details. Products marked with this symbol can not be shipped to the UK.
40
0199 10%
0243 0296 0263
0047 0239 10%
0035 0017 m m
oi83 0229 0210
10%
0330
ONLINE ORDERING www.antiaging-magazine.com
IAS Product Order Guide - Page 2 - valid until 09.31.05
SPECIAL OFFER Pack Price
Quantity
Product
4-Pack discount
| Item Code
DHEA (Micronized)
50 x 50mg capsules E K *
$14.95
10%
0331
DHEA (Sublingual / Pro-Cell)
I4ml liquid bottle E K »
$44.95
10%
0157
DIM (Pro-Brassica) Estrogen Blocker
60 x 260mg capsules
$34.95
10%
0338
Doxycycline
8 x I OOmg capsules E l
$19.95
10%
0164
Dutasteride (Avodart)
30 x 0.5mg capsules E l
$79.95
10%
0276
Efexor (Venlafaxine)
28 x 37.5mg tablets E l
$44.95
0234
Endozym Med
240 tablets
$68.95
0354
Energo
50ml cream bottle
$84.95
0298
Energy
50ml cream bottle
$59.95
0371
Essential Daily Defense
100 capsules
$24.95
Estrogen Natural (Esnatri)
50ml jar cream E l
$54.95
0355 10%
0025
EZ Defense Detox Gum
100 tablets
$24.95
0356
Femara (Letrozole)
14 x 2.5mg tablets E l
$154.95
0313
Fluconazole (Loitin/Diflucan)
7 x 50mg tablets E]
$39.95
Fosamax (Alendronate)
14 x lOmg tablets E l
$34.95
0332
Galantamine (Reminyl)
56 x 4mg tablets E l
$124.95
0316
Galantamine (Reminyl)
100ml 400mg liquid bottle E l
$149.95
0319
Gamalate B6
60 x 250mg tablets
$9.95
Gerovital-H3 (Injectable)
5 x 5ml ampoules
GH3 Pro (Generic Gerovital-H3)
60 x 1 OOmg tablets
$19.95
Heavy Detox
45 capsules
$48.95
0357
Human G r o w t h Hormone (Saizen Injectable)
1 x 4 IU 1.33mg ampoule E l *
$54.95
0268
Human G r o w t h Hormone (Saizen Injectable)
1 x 24IU 8mg ampoule
$299.95
Hydergine (Novartis)
40ml 40mg liquid bottle E l
$14.95
10%
0031
Hydergine (Novartis)
30 x 4.5mg tablets E l
$24.95
10%
0032
Idebenone
60 x 30mg capsules #
$25.95
10%
0347
lmmuni-T3
60 capsules
$62.95
Inderal (Propranolol)
30 x 40mg tablets E l
$9.95
10%
0034
L-Tryptophan
50 x 5OOmg capsules E l
$29.95
10%
0204
Laetrile
100 x 1 OOmg tablets E K »
$29.95
10%
0174
Laetrile
10 x 3g ampoules E l
$99.95
10%
0173
Laetrile (Vitamin B1 7/ Vita-B 1 7)
15ml bottle cream E K *
$39.95
10%
0253
Longevity Maca
180 x 5OOmg capsules
$24.95
Manerix (Moclamine)
30 x 150mg tablets E l
$24.95
Melatonin (PraevoSkin)
100ml cream bottle #
$39.95
Melatonin (Tl-Melatonin)
60 x 3mg tablets #
$17.95
Memantine (Ebixa)
50ml 5OOmg liquid bottle E l
$179.95
Memantine (Ebixa)
50 x 1 Omg tablets E l
$164.95
Metformin (Metforal)
50 x 5OOmg tablets E l
$15.95
10%
0042
Metformin (Dianben)
50 x 850mg tablets E]
$19.95
10%
0382
Milnacipran (Ixel)
56 x 25mg capsules E3
$49.95
10%
0294
MinSaw-A (Topical)
125ml liquid bottle #
$39.95
0259
Modafinil (Provigil)
30 x 1 OOmg tablets E l *
$149.95
0390
Modafinil (Modiodal)
30 x lOOmg tablets E l *
$144.95
0044
$139.95
0391
Modafinil (Allertec)
•
1\','m
10%
10%
E »
30 x lOOmg tablets E K »
0027 0258
$34.95
El
0307
10%
0360
0380
0358
0359 10%
0039 0304
10%
0209 0320 0260
01 18
NeyDent (Toothpaste)
50ml cream tube
$1 1.95
NeyGeront
40 x 0.5ml capsules
$49.95
10%
0321
NeyGeront (Injectable)
5 x 2ml ampoules E l
$99.95
10%
0075
Nicergoline (Sermion)
45 x 5mg capsules E l
$19.95
10%
0161
Nizoral (Ketoconazole)
120ml 2 % shampoo bottle
$24.95
10%
Norvasc (Amlodipine)
28 x 5mg tablets E l
$29.95
0049 0333
Only You Body Lotion
150ml bottle
$49.95
0392
Paxil (Seroxat)
14 x 20mg tablets E l
$39.95
0232
Penicillin-VK
30 x 250mg sachets E l
$19.95
Phenytoin (Epanutin / Dilantin) FAX
ORDERING +44 (0)208 181 6106
28 x 25mg capsules E l
$9.95
10%
0206
10%
0299 41
IAS Product Order Guide - Page 3 - valid until 09.31.05 Quantity
Product
Pack Price
1 SPECIAL OFFER 1 4-Pack discount
Item Code
Phenytoin (Epanutin / Dilantin)
100 x I OOmg capsules E l
$14.95
10%
0024
Picamilone
60 x 50mg tablets #
$29.95
10%
0184
Piracetam liquid ( N o o t r o p i l )
100ml 20g bottle E l
$19.95
10%
0050
Piracetam (Nootropil)
60 x 800mg tablets E l
$21.95
10%
0205
Piracetam (Nootropil)
40 x 1200mg tablets E l
$29.95
10%
0051
Poly-MVA
4oz. liquid bottle
$139.95
Pregnenolone (Micronized)
90 x 25mg capsules E l
$12.95
10%
Pregnenolone (Micronized)
50 x 1 OOmg capsules E l
$19.95
10%
Progesterone Natural (Transmist)
1 oz spray bottle E l
$25.95
Proscar (Finasteride)
15 x 5mg tablets E l
$39.95
10%
0067
Prozac (Fluoxetine)
14 x 20mg capsules E l
$24.95
10%
0238
Pyritinol (Cerbon)
60 x 1 OOmg tablets E l
$19.95
10%
0167
Reboxetine (Davedax/ Edronax)
60 x 4mg tablets
$69.95
10%
0318
Resveratrol (Cell-Stat)
60 x 5mg capsules
$22.95
10%
0158
Retin-A Cream (Retin A)
20g 0 . 0 5 0 % tube E ]
$29.95
10%
0295
Retin-A Cream (Retirides)
30g 0 . 1 0 0 % tube E ]
$34.95
10%
0074
Rulid (Roxithromycine)
1 2 x 1 5 0 m g tablets E l
$39.95
SAMe (Samyr)
20 x 400mg tablets #
$39.95
SAMe (Injectable / Samyr)
5 x 400mg ampoules E ]
$49.95
10%
0317
Silver Protein (Cream)
1 oz. cream bottle
$29.95
10%
0274
Silver Protein (Gel)
1 oz. gel bottle
$29.95
io%
0194
Silver Protein (Mouth Spray)
1 oz. spray bottle
$39.95
10%
0177
Silver Protein (Nasal Spray)
1 oz. drops bottle
$34.95
10%
0322
Silver Protein (Oral)
4 oz. liquid bottle
$49.95
10%
0160
Sinemet
50 x 1 OOmg tablets E l
$49.95
10%
0081
Solaris (Sun Blocker)
150ml cream bottle
$49.95
E
Stablon (Tianeptine)
30 x 12.5mg tablets E l
$34.95
Testosterone Prohormone (T-Boost)
30ml mouth spray E l *
$29.95
Tetracycline (Ambramicina)
16 x 250mg tablets E l
$19.95
Thymus (Injectable/ Thym-Uvocal)
10 x 2ml ampoules E l
$99.95
Thymus (Oral/ Thym-Uvocal)
100 x 240mg capsules
Thyroid Natural (Half Grain) Thyroid Natural (One Grain)
0325 0334 0335 0203
H B
^ â&#x20AC;˘ r
l 0 %
10%
flH
0077 0231
0300 10%
0372 0252
10%
0143
$59.95
10%
0086
100 x 30mg tablets E l
$34.95
10%
0324
100 x 60mg tablets
E
$39.95
10%
0323
Thyroid T3 (Synthetic / Titre)
50 x 20mcg tablets
E
$24.95
10%
0314
Thyroid T 4 (Synthetic / Eutirox)
50 x 1 OOmcg tablets
$19.95
10%
0315
10%
E
V I -Immunitor
30 x 250mg tablets #
$69.95
Viagra (Sildenafil)
4 x 1 OOmg tablets
$69.95
Vinpocetine (Intelectol)
50 x 5mg tablets #
E
$14.95
Wobenzym N
200 tablets
$44.95
Xanthinol Nicotinate (Complamin)
50 x 150mg tablets #
$19.95
Yohimbine (Yocoral)
100 x 5mg tablets
E *
$49.95
Zirtec (Zyrtec)
20 x 1 Omg tablets
E
$24.95
Z o c o r (Simvastatin)
10 x 40mg tablets
E
$29.95
0326
0306 0090
10%
0091 0381
10%
0012 0227
10%
0336 0337
M E D I A S E C T I O N (Books, tapes & publications) 00189
2000 Monte Carlo Antiaging Conference
12 audio tapes
$99.95
2001 Monte Carlo Antiaging Conference
1 1 audio tapes
$99.95
0207
2002 Monte Carlo Antiaging Conference
16 audio tapes
$99.95
0251
Antiaging Medicine Reference by IAS
188 Pages
$69.95
0379
Biological Aging Measurement by Ward Dean
426 pages
$69.95
0266
N e w Millennium Guide t o Antiaging Medicine by R. Mason
104 Pages
$29.95
0191
El
Products marked with this symbol can not be shipped to the EU.
â&#x20AC;˘ #
Products marked with this symbol are restricted in certain countries. Please see website for full details. Products marked with this symbol can not be shipped to the UK.
42
ONLINE O R D E R I N G www.antiaging-magazine.com
Product Order Form
please fill out in block capitals
Contact/ delivery details
Order methods
Title
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Cut out or copy the product order form and fax it to +44 208 181 6106
To place an order by phone:
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To place an order by post:
Cut out or copy the product order form and mail it together with a bank check or postal money order made payable to: International Antiaging Systems, Beckett House, 14 Billing Road, Northampton, NN1 5AW, Great Britain
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Simply visit: www.antiaging-magazine.com
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The Story Of N-Acetylcarnosine
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