It doesn’t take much to figure out that the anti aging supplements market is currently on an upswing, with no sign of slowing down at any time in the near future. All you need to do is keep two numbers in mind – 74 and 37.
Those numbers represent the age span from the oldest of the Baby Boomers to the youngest of the Gen Xers. They are important because they are a reminder why you should be focusing at least part of your practice on anti-aging, given the wide range between those two numbers.
One of the easiest ways to help your patients who are concerned about the effects of aging on their health is by guiding them toward anti aging supplements that can offer the best results, backed up by proper scientific research. Read further to find out more about some of the best anti aging supplements that you should be suggesting to your Baby Boomer and Generation X patients.
The anti aging supplement that works inside: curcumin
Curcumin is probably the best known of all the anti aging supplements. It is the main active ingredient in turmeric, which is used for making curry sauce in Indian dishes.
As a prized part of Ayurvedic medicine, curcumin has been used for a wide array of conditions associated with aging, including cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.1
Researchers believe curcumin’s anti-aging properties are a result of its abilities to activate sirtuins and AMPKs, which are proteins that help prevent cells from no longer multiplying.2
Green tea and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a compound often found in green tea, and there are a number of studies showing its benefits for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
A 2018 article published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology conducted a review to determine a pattern of similarity among the findings.3 The authors of the paper found that EGCG had a wide range of therapeutic benefits, including treating atherosclerosis, cardiac disease, diabetes, cancer, and myocardial infarction. They concluded that these findings were promising and should prompt further research into the health benefits of EGCG.3
Anti aging supplementation for the outside: collagen
Collagen is a protein that the body naturally forms to help fill out the skin over the structure of the skeleton. It provides the face with the firm, round appearance that we associate with youth.
Unfortunately, the body will lose collagen as it ages. However, collagen supplements can help counteract this process. For example, a 2019 article in the journal Nutrients reported the results from studying a group of women taking a supplement containing 2.5 grams of collagen as compared to placebo.4 At the end of the 12-week study, the women taking the collagen supplement reported significant improvement in skin hydration, smoothness and elasticity, compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, their results were retained at follow-up and were well tolerated.4
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant that the body naturally produces to protect against cellular damage. Similar to collagen, the body will also lose CoQ10 over time.5 As a result of this loss, there has been research into the possibilities of CoQ10 supplementation.
A 2015 paper in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging examined the effects of CoQ10 on quality of life, hospital visits, and physical and mental performance.6 A group of 443 study participants were given either a CoQ10/selenium yeast supplement or a placebo over a period of 48 months. At the end of the study period, the researchers found that CoQ10 supplementation showed improvement on all measurements.6
Garlic
Garlic can do more than just spice up your patients’ pasta. Animal studies have shown promising results for garlic having protective effects against skin aging as a result of excessive ultraviolet exposure.7
This type of skin aging commonly occurs from excessive sun exposure without proper protection. A 2016 article compared the effects of UV irradiation on hairless mice that were either fed a 1% or 2% garlic supplement, and a control UV-only group. UV exposure induced rough, wrinkled skin with noticeable scarring. However, garlic at either dose supplied anti aging supplementation and diminished wrinkle formation. Furthermore, the researchers speculated that the antioxidant effects of garlic could prevent UV-induced skin aging altogether.7
Your Baby Boomer and Generation X patients are likely more active and health-conscious than their parents. As part of their focus on wellness, they will rely on your expertise about nutritional anti aging supplements. This is why it is important to stay abreast of current research in the anti aging field.
References
- Sundar Dhilip Kumar S, Houreld NN, Abrahamse H. Therapeutic potential and recent advances of curcumin in the treatment of aging-associated diseases. Molecules. 2018;23(4):835.
- Lee SH, Lee JH, Lee HY, Min KJ. Sirtuin signaling in cellular senescence and aging. BMB Report Online. 2019;52(1):24-34.
- Eng QY, Thanikachalam PV, Ramamurthy S. Molecular understanding of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2018;210:296-310.
- Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A collagen supplement improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, blind study. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494.
- Hernández-Camacho JD, Bernier M, López-Lluch G, Navas P. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in aging and disease. Frontiers in Physiology. 2018;9:44.
- Johansson P, Dahlström Ö, Dahlström U, Alehagen U. Improved health-related quality of life, and more days out of hospital with supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10 combined. Results from a double blind, placebo-controlled prospective study. Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging. 2015;19(9):870-877.
- Kim HK. Garlic supplementation ameliorates UV-induced photoaging in hairless mice by regulating antioxidative activity and MMPs expression. Molecules. 2016;21(1):70.
