Longevity Supplements: Improving Medical Practitioner Care & Functional Medicine in 2024

By Your Health Magazine

Your Health Magazine

. http://yourhealthmagazine.net

More Beauty Skin Care & Gorgeous Smiles Articles

Longevity Supplements: Improving Medical Practitioner Care & Functional Medicine in 2024

For centuries, we’ve been looking for the fountain of youth, and we may now have found its source. In recent years, research has revealed that many vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, amino acids, polyphenols, and adaptogens appear to have anti-aging properties.

Longevity studies are not only concerned about living longer but also retaining the health we have in our youth. Extending our lives with no health improvements is futile. Our bodies consist of trillions of cells on which our health and longevity depend. Supplements aimed at extending our lives must, therefore, work at the cellular level.

These supplements, often derived from natural sources, offer a promising avenue for conventional and functional medical practitioners to optimize patient care and enhance health outcomes. From extending lifespan to improving quality of life, longevity supplements are reshaping the way we approach healthcare in 2024.

Functional Vs. Conventional Medicine

Functional medicine is a patient-centered approach that explores the root causes of illness instead of merely addressing the symptoms. It focuses on the unique factors that affect each individual’s health, such as their genes, environment, and lifestyle.

The patient and practitioner work together to create treatments for the individual’s specific issues, focusing on preventing chronic diseases and improving their overall health. Functional medicine often combines Western practices with alternative healing methods.

Conventional Western medication relies primarily on evidence-based methods for diagnosing and treating diseases and their symptoms.

Understanding Longevity Supplements

Longevity supplements comprise a broad spectrum of substances, each reported to offer unique benefits in supporting overall health and extending lifespan. These supplements often target various pathways implicated in aging, including oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and metabolic regulation.

Aging and Disease

Metabolic dysfunction is one of the most common co-morbidities of advancing age. Excessive levels of glucose in the blood play a significant role in the development of other serious illnesses, including Type 2 Diabetes, cancer, heart disease, strokes, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Blood Glucose Control and Longevity

Having optimal blood glucose levels is essential for overall health and longevity. Dysregulated blood sugar levels, often associated with conditions like diabetes and metabolic syndrome, can accelerate aging processes and increase the risk of age-related diseases. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving blood glucose control have garnered significant attention in longevity research.

Several strategies exist for controlling blood glucose, including lifestyle changes like improving diet, adding exercise to your daily routine, fasting, weight loss, and supplements containing certain compounds.

Curcumin: The Power of Turmeric

Curcumin is found in turmeric and has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Curcumin supplementation has shown promise in modulating glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

Curcumin may reduce insulin resistance by suppressing inflammatory pathways and enhancing insulin signaling cascades. Additionally, curcumin’s ability to kill free radicals and reduce oxidative stress may further support its role in promoting longevity and metabolic health.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound in red wine, grapes, and various plants, has garnered attention for its potential anti-aging effects. It may promote longevity through its impact on sirtuins, a family of proteins involved in regulating cellular homeostasis and longevity pathways. As an antioxidant, it may also help to minimize inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which contribute to aging and age-related diseases.

Fisetin: A Senolytic Compound

Fisetin, a flavonoid found in certain fruits and vegetables, also shows promise as a senolytic agent. Senolytics are compounds that selectively target and eliminate senescent cells, which accumulate with age, causing chronic inflammation and tissue dysfunction. Fisetin may rejuvenate aging tissues and modulate glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, further proving its potential as a longevity supplement.

Berberine as a Natural Metabolic Regulator

Berberine, a natural compound found in the European barberry, Oregon grape, tree turmeric, Phellodendron, goldenseal, and goldthread, has emerged as a promising supplement for blood glucose control and longevity.

Research suggests that berberine supports longevity and blood glucose control in several ways, including the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which helps regulate cellular energy metabolism. By boosting insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in cells, berberine may contribute to improved glycemic control and reduced insulin resistance, thereby mitigating the risk of age-related metabolic disease.

Research also suggests that people with Type 2 diabetes taking 600 –  2700 mg of berberine per day can lower their long-term blood sugar levels by approximately 12%. While these results are promising, more research is still necessary.

Other Longevity Supplements

Many other substances find their way into longevity supplements, including the following:

• EGCG in green tea
• Collagen
• CoQ10 is found naturally in the body
• NR and NMN are precursors to NAD+. NAD+ decreases with age, but NR and NMN help restore its levels.
• Crocin, found in saffron.
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Theanine
• Rhodiola
• Sulforaphane

The Impact on Medical Practitioner Care and Functional Medicine

Incorporating longevity supplements into functional medicine practice involves a multifaceted approach that considers each patient’s unique needs and goals. Rather than viewing these supplements as standalone interventions, practitioners view them as part of an integrative treatment plan that combines diet, lifestyle changes, and stress management.

In 2024 and beyond, the integration of supplements into conventional and functional medicine holds tremendous promise for improving patient care and promoting wellness. Educating patients on longevity strategies allows them to take the lead in managing their health.

As people are more health-focused today, encouraging the use of longevity supplements could reduce chronic diseases and dysregulated blood glucose. Medical practitioners may, therefore, see a change in the focus of their care from treating many patients with severe conditions to maintaining health and supporting health span and longevity.