Specifically, statins may reduce the rate at which telomeres shorten

Discussion of the 2009 Noble Prize in Medicine, focusing on substances that reduce telomere shortening by activating the human telomerase enzyme

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lolex
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Specifically, statins may reduce the rate at which telomeres shorten

Post Number:#1  Post by lolex » Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:04 pm

Whatever next ?!!

Not only do statins extend lives by lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease, but new research in the September 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal suggests that they may extend lifespans as well. Specifically, statins may reduce the rate at which telomeres shorten, a key factor in the natural aging process. This opens the door for using statins, or derivatives of statins, as an anti-aging therapy.

"By telomerase activation, statins may represent a new molecular switch able to slow down senescent cells in our tissues and be able to lead healthy lifespan extension," said Giuseppe Paolisso, M.D., Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Internal Medicine, Surgical, Neurological Metabolic Disease and Geriatric Medicine at Second University of Naples in Naples, Italy.

To make this discovery, Paolisso and colleagues worked with two groups of subjects. The first group was under chronic statin therapy, and the second group (control), did not use statins. When researchers measured telomerase activity in both groups, those undergoing statin treatment had higher telomerase activity in their white blood cells, which was associated with lower telomeres shortening along with aging as compared to the control group. This strongly highlights the role of telomerase activation in preventing the excessive accumulation of short telomeres.

"The great thing about statins is that they reduce risks for cardiovascular disease significantly and are generally safe for most people. The bad thing is that statins do have side effects, like muscle injury," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "But if it is confirmed that statins might actually slow aging itself -- and not just the symptoms of aging -- then statins are much more powerful drugs than we ever thought."


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The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.


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Journal Reference:

1.V. Boccardi, M. Barbieri, M. R. Rizzo, R. Marfella, A. Esposito, L. Marano, G. Paolisso. A new pleiotropic effect of statins in elderly: modulation of telomerase activity. The FASEB Journal, 2013; 27 (9): 3879 DOI: 10.1096/fj.13-232066

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Re: Specifically, statins may reduce the rate at which telomeres shorten

Post Number:#2  Post by ofonorow » Fri Jan 29, 2016 7:35 am

If only we could believe what medical "science" finds and reports...

There are a great many substances that seem to reduce the rate of telomere shortening, with vitamin C being prominent, not to mention exercise. I believe the Japanese study showed that intracellular vitamin C reduced telomere shortening by around 60%.

Anything is possible and this research may even be valid, but the words used are "reducing telomere shortening", which even if true, does not extend the length of the rope leading to massive failure at the end of our life span. In other words, all they are saying that like vitamin C, statins seem to reduce the rate of telomere shortening.

Lets see, I have two choices. I can take vitamin C, a nutrient required by trillion of cells for life, that has been shown to reduce the risk of mortality in studies that measure ascorbate in the blood, and reduce the shortening of telomeres, or, I can take a drug that may have the same effect on teleomeres, but with various side effects, including artificially impeding the bodies own product of cholesterol! The substance required for us to make vitamin D and all the sex hormones. Tough choice.

Now, if it could be proven (or even demonstrated) that a low dosage of a statin drug ELONGATED telomeres, that would be a different matter entirely.
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