Would Albert Einstein’s genius have discovered the secret of life if he hadn’t died at 76 years of age? We will never know. But for years, in an endeavour to extend life, scientists have searched for Ponce de Leon’s “fountain of youth”.

Now, their discovery of a unique molecule, TA-65, which is not science fiction, has opened new doors to this goal.

In October 2009, Elizabeth Blackburn and Jack Szistak, received the prestigious Nobel Prize for their discovery of an enzyme, telomerase, a critically important enzyme that protects cells from chromosomal damage.

Human cells divide indefinitely and become immortal if telomerase is activated.

Then, in November 2011, the journal Nature reported that a team of researchers at the Harvard Medical School had reversed the aging process in mice. The organs of old mice, equivalent to those of an 80-year-old human, became young again by reactivating the enzyme telomerase.

So why do we age?

Chromosomes are long strands of DNA that contain all of our genetic material and are capped at each end by what’s called a telomere, like the end of a shoelace.

But each time a cell divides, a small amount of the telomere is lost. Eventually the telomere becomes so short that it can no longer divide. Normally a cell can only divide about 50 times before it becomes senescent. So shortened telomeres are the cellular clock of aging.

Today over 8,000 scientific articles have been reported on the importance of telomeres in aging. But one peer reviewed study, published in September 2011, reported on humans who were given the telomerase activator TA-65 to maintain the normal length of telomeres.

This study carried out on men showed that TA-65 resulted in a rejuvenated immune system with fewer senescent white blood cells. This suggests improved immunity protection in the elderly.

As we age we invariably experience a gradual decline in vision. A 2005 study showed that TA-65 has a positive effect on the structure and function of the eyes, causing improved vision in elderly men. Also seen was an improvement in the quality of skin.

The decline in sexual function in aging males is usually the result of several factors. A key one is an increase in senescent cells caused by shortened telomeres. This decreases the ability of aging endothelial cells (the innermost lining of blood vessels) to produce nitric oxide.

Without nitric oxide arteries do not expand, less blood enters the penis causing erectile dysfunction. TA-65 triggers the activation of telomerase and results in increased blood flow to the penis.

Other studies using TA-65 showed cognitive and verbal memory improvement and increased bone density. Researchers also observed a lowering of cholesterol, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar. And some patients reported improved energy, increased flexibility and being more productive.

Some old articles I read questioned whether stimulating telomere growth could cause cancer. But the evidence is completely the opposite. Thousands of people are taking TA-65 for as long as five years and to my knowledge there has not been one case of newly diagnosed cancer.

This fits with the current understanding of science that when tolomeres get too short to protect chromosomes, mutations occur resulting in cancer. TA-65 is designed to keep telomeres long and prevent this from happening.

TA-65 is a patented, potent, rare extract of the Chinese herb Astragalus which grows in inner Mongolia. It takes three tonnes of Astragalus to make a few pounds of TA-65 so it’s pricey. Depending on age the cost is $200 plus a month.

Researching this topic of TA-65 reminded me of the 75-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital suffering from confusion.

After treatment he started to talk coherently and kept repeating to hospital staff that his mother would take him home. Doctors thought he was still confused until his mother arrived to take her son home! She was 95 and had driven 100 miles to pick him up. In the future TA-65 may enable more 95-year-old mothers to pick up their little boys.

TA-65 has been certified by Health Canada and is available through doctors, clinics, health food stores and www.corenatural.ca.

Next week – can flatus kill?

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