Anti-Aging Pill?
> This was posted to the cryonics mailing list:
> In today's (Sept 22) issue of Science Dr. Leonard Guarente reports
> that he's found exactly why caloric restriction leads to longer life;
> at least he's found the mechanism that works in yeast and strongly
> suspects the same thing is true of all life. Caloric restriction has
> extended the life of every species it has been tested in.
> The key is a gene called SIR2, the protein it produces clads to parts
> of the DNA helix, covering it up and in effect turns off other genes
> that are supposed to be turned off. But for the gene to make this
> cladding protein it needs a substance called NAD, and it turns out NAD
> is also used in glucose metabolism, so if you eat a lot there is less
> NAD available to make this very important cladding protein.
> There is talk of a pill. Geneticist Tomas Prolla referring to life
> extension says "I don't think a 30 to 40% range should be considered
> some kind of maximum."
-sounds promising. will be interesting to see how a daily dose of NAD will
interact with amount of daily calories consumed.
-Only problem is, if you don't eat enough, you can go nuts because of
confusion that sets in from low blood sugar. Happened to me a few weeks
ago. Had not been eating proprely for several days and suddenly I just
had this sense of dread come over me and couldn't figure out why. Soon
after eating half an order of french fries from Wendy's, I was fine
again.