Nutraceuticals and nootropics for anti-aging

Lutein, lycopene, and beta-carotene work together to protect DNA.

Carotenoids such as lutein, lycopene and beta-carotene are all found in vegetables, but the proportions vary dramatically with the choice of vegetable, the growing conditions, and the method of converting the vegetable into food. People often take carotenoid supplements, but seldom take all three of these substances, and almost never get them in optimum amounts.

A research effort at Tufts University has now pinned down a particular combination of these three carotenoids that significantly protects the DNA in human cells from oxidative damage — the type of damage that causes many of the diseases of aging, including aging itself. The researchers used a mixture of 4 mg/day of each of the three caroteoids.

Link to news article:

Carotenoid combo reduces damage to cells, may fight disease

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LifeLink carries beta-carotene in 15 mg (25000 i.u.) softgels, lutein in 6 mg capsules, and lycopene in 10 mg softgels.

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That carotenoids are poorly absorbed from the human digestive tract has been known for decades. Taking them with fatty foods has been the recommended way of getting around this problem. In the latest study of this phenomenon, avocado fruit and avocado oil have been shown to increase several-fold the absorption of beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene.

Link to research report:

Carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa by humans is enhanced by the addition of avocado or avocado oil.

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A product called Evelle® has been studied in a clinical trial in Germany and found to “potentially improve visible signs of cutaneous ageing”. [When we see the word ‘potentially’ in a statement like this, we have to wonder about the claimed results. Do the researchers mean that their results are not real, or are they just not aware of the nuances of this word in English?] At any rate, Evelle is an oral supplement containing the following substances:

• carotenoids
• vitamins C and E
• selenium
• zinc
• amino acids (unspecified)
• glycosaminoglycans
• blueberry extract (source of anthocyanidins)
• pine bark extract (‘Pycnogenol®’, a source of proanthocyanidins and catechins)

The study concluded that the use of Evelle for 6 weeks increased skin elasticity by 9% and lowered skin roughness by 6%.

It should come as no surprise that Evelle is not available in the United States, since we all know that this country is rapidly becoming a health and medical backwater. But in this instance, it probably isn’t the heavy hand of the FDA that is to blame, but rather it may be difficulties in the U.S. market. All of the ingredients, however, are available as supplements in this country. Should you want to try this skin rejuvenator, you can buy the individual components and try them out. A little research would be needed to determine the proportions.

Link to research report:

Supplementation with Evelle improves skin smoothness and elasticity in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 62 women.

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LifeLink carries the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene; also vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, the glycosaminoglycan precursor glucosamine-chondroitin, and pine bark extract.