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LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE, DECEMBER 1 2000
DECEMBER 1,WORLD AIDS DAY
IN THIS ISSUE, DECEMBER 1 2000: LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE EXCLUSIVE: HIV
Discovery holds promise; PROTOCOLS: HIV, DHEA Replacement; FEATURED
PRODUCTS OF THE WEEK: DHEA capsules, Mega-L-Glutathione; BOOK: The Super
Hormone Promise; SUPER SALE ON NOW!
HIV discovery holds promise
Three separate reports published in the November 21 issue of the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences announced the discovery of
how the retrovirus HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) exits infected cells
to spread to other cells. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the organization who
collaborated on one of the studies, commented, "We know more about HIV
than about any other virus, and yet it continues to reveal new secrets.
This discovery provides another example of how HIV manipulates T cells for
its own survival and sheds light on a poorly understood type of virus-cell
interaction."
In the NIAID study, a team led by Ulrich Schubert, Ph.D studied the
ubiquitin-proteasome system in CD4+ T cells, the immune system cells
targeted by HIV. Ubiquitin is a polypeptide consisting of seventy-six
amino acids, and the proteasome has been compared to the cell's garbage
disposal, which collects and destroys old, damaged or unnecessary
proteins. Ubiquitin determines the proteins' fate in the proteasome by
flagging proteins. Researchers found this system to be necessary to the
release of a retrovirus from the surface of cells, called budding. When
the system was shut down by the researchers, the virus' ability to exit
the cells was impaired, and those that were able to leave the infected
cells frequently failed to properly mature which diminished their
virulence. Dr Schubert explained, "Besides being able to spread by direct
cell contact, HIV can bud from one cell if it is going to infect others,
and by blocking the ubiquitin-proteasome system we partially prevent that
from happening. Of the viruses that do manage to escape the surface, many
fail to complete the biochemical changes that usually occur after they
leave the cell, making them less able to infect new cells."
Dr Schubert and Jonathan Yewdell, MD, PhD and Director of the NIAID lab in
which the above research was done agree that an understanding of the
interaction between the virus and the ubiquitin-proteasome system of the
cell may uncover new methods of fighting HIV. Other research published in
the PNAS journal which aids in the understanding of the subject was
conducted at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard and at Penn State
College of Medicine. Penn State's John Wills, PhD believes that other
retroviruses use ubiquitin in a similar manner and stated, "If these
viruses use a common mechanism for virus budding, this raises the
possibility of developing a single antiviral drug for a wide spectrum of
viral diseases. This is rather like the idea behind broad-spectrum
antibiotics, where one drug can be effective against more than one strain
of bacteria."
PROTOCOLS
HIV
Several significant studies have shown that HIV infection progresses when
serum levels of the hormone DHEA begin to decline (J. Infect. Dis., 1991,
1992; AIDS Res. Hum. Retrovir., 1994). Many people with HIV have
incorporated DHEA into their treatment program because maintaining healthy
blood levels of DHEA might prevent immune degradation from progressing to
general immune system collapse. Its beneficial mechanism of action may not
be due to any direct antiviral effect, but rather to DHEA's ability to
protect immune functions against a wide variety of insults.
The Foundation recommends that all people with HIV and most people over 40
have their DHEA blood level tested to determine their baseline level. DHEA
supplementation should then be initiated and monitored to bring their
serum level up to that of a healthy 21-year-old. An appropriate dosage for
men is 25 mg, 2 to 3 times a day.
DHEA can possibly increase liver damage in people who already have
hepatitis and cirrhosis. Before starting DHEA replacement therapy, please
consult with your physician and refer to the DHEA-Pregnenolone Precautions
in the DHEA Replacement Therapy protocol.
Thousands of research studies have proven the positive effect antioxidants
have in managing immune suppression. The Life Extension Foundation (in
1985) was the first organization to propose that decline in the immune
function of people with HIV might be prevented or slowed down by taking
high-potency antioxidant supplements. According to Marianna Baum, Ph.D.,
from the University of Miami Medical School, "multiple nutritional
abnormalities occur relatively early in the course of HIV infection and
appear to facilitate disease progression" (VIIIth Int. Conf. AIDS, 1992).
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DHEA REPLACEMENT
Properly managed DHEA therapy can be useful for most older men and women
to increase energy, vitality, and to foster an overall youthful feeling.
However, there are guidelines that should be followed for safe long-term
use of DHEA.
When taking oral supplements of DHEA, it is important that antioxidants
are available to the liver because DHEA can promote free radicals in liver
cells. Animal studies have shown that extremely high doses (from 2000 to
10,000 mg DHEA daily in human terms) caused liver damage in mice and rats.
When antioxidants were given along with the DHEA, liver damage did not
occur despite the massive doses of DHEA being administered to these
animals. It should be noted that the amount of DHEA shown to cause liver
damage is 20 times more than is necessary to produce antiaging benefits.
Green tea, vitamin E, and N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) are antioxidants that
have been shown to be especially effective in suppressing free radicals in
the liver.
A DHEA-s blood test should be taken 3 to 6 weeks after beginning DHEA
therapy to help determine optimal dosing. Some people neglect to test
their blood levels of DHEA and wind up chronically taking the wrong dose.
When having your blood tested for DHEA, blood should be drawn 3 to 4 hours
after the last dose. DHEA testing can save you money if it shows that you
can take less DHEA to maintain youthful DHEA serum levels.
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FEATURED PRODUCTS OF THE WEEK
DHEA 25 mg capsules
In 1981, The Life Extension Foundation introduced DHEA
(dehydroepiandrosterone) through an article that described the multiple
anti-aging benefits this hormone might produce. The public learned about
DHEA in 1996, as the benefits of DHEA were touted by the news media and in
several popular books.
DHEA obtained credibility in the medical establishment when the New York
Academy of Sciences published a book entitled DHEA AND AGING. This highly
technical book provided scientific validation for the many life extension
effects of DHEA replacement therapy.
The Life Extension Foundation has been investigating DHEA for more than 17
years. The Foundation now has more inside information about DHEA research
and its clinical use than any other organization on earth. Only The Life
Extension Foundation publishes a DHEA Protocol that enables people to use
DHEA safely by providing specific dosing and blood testing schedules. The
DHEA Protocol can save people money by enabling them to consume less DHEA,
while still obtaining optimal benefit from taking DHEA. In more than 2,000
published studies, DHEA has been shown to have a role in improving
neurological function, immune function, stress disorders, hormonal
modulation and numerous diseases associated with normal aging.
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Mega-L-Glutathione Capsules
Despite all the published studies showing that garlic, selenium,
alpha-lipoic acid, cysteine and N-acetylcysteine can boost cellular
glutathione levels, some people want to take high doses of the expensive
amino acid glutathione.
For those with cataracts and liver disease, it may be desired to take 500
mg a day of this very potent amino acid.
L-Glutathione is a biologically active sulfur amino acid tripeptide
compound containing three amino acids L-cysteine, L-glutamic acid and
glycine.
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BOOK
The Super Hormone Promise by William Regelson, MD
Nature's antidote to aging
The definitive book with the latest on DHEA:
- Grow younger at any age
- Add decades to your life
- Invigorate your sex life
- Maintain vigor, health, and energy into your
80's, 90's, even 100's
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SUPER SALE ON NOW!
Take advantage of Super Sale with an additonal 10% off all of our
products. This once a year sale is the perfect opportunity to stock up on
discounted products and purchase healthy gifts for the holidays. Save
money and time by shopping online.
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If you have any questions concerning this issue or back issues of Life
Extension Update, or concerning any other life extension topics, email me
at ddye@lifeextension.com
For longer life,
Dayna Dye
Editor, Life Extension Update
ddye@lifeextension.com
Life Extension Foundation
www.lef.org
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