Dr. David Sinclair recently posted about a breakthrough study on Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG).
The age of the blood goes backwards by years in people who take this molecule, according to Sinclair, speaking about it in a video.
He said, “Feeding 18-month old female mice AKG reduced hair greying, frailty & extended median lifespan 10-16%.”
The study chart shows that for female mice taking CaAKG, their fur color did not become grey as they aged. For the control group, their fur greyed, and they had significantly less hair follicles than the CaAKG-treated mice.
Healthspan Extension from CaAKG
CaAKG supplementation was shown to extend healthspan of both female and male mice and significantly reduce chronic inflammation, illness & frailty, in the study.
According to the study –“In humans, plasma AKG levels are reported to decline 10-fold between the ages of 40 and 80. The molecule is not available in the human diet, making direct supplementation the only feasible route to restore levels.”
CaAKG has been shown to slow the rate of age-related DNA methylation and reduce the inflammation caused by senescent cells: two major contributors to aging.
AKG and CaAKG Explained
In this study, CaAKG was administered to the mice, although it is often referred to as AKG in the study.
Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG) is an organic compound that is used by the body as part of an energy cycle. It is also used to make amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.
Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate (CaAKG) is a calcium salt of the molecules AKG. This form of AKG is more easily absorbed and utilized by the body, making it more bioavailable than regular AKG.
CaAKG has been shown to slow the rate of age-related DNA methylation and reduce the inflammation caused by senescent cells: two major contributors to aging.
Age Reversal Experiments with AKG
Three genes that play a key role in aging were discovered in 2006, and these are called the OSK Genes, which are part of a set of genes called the Yamanaka Factors.
These genes keep stem cells young and they’re normally only switched on in embryos.
In this video, Sinclair said, “We discovered three genes in particular that were very safe to reverse aging by about 60-75%.”
“What was discovered was that those three genes that we reversed aging in the mouse and in human cells can be activated or assisted by this Alpha-Ketoglutarate or AKG. And, if you put it on human cells their age goes backward.”
Research is ongoing, and here we’re just barely scratching the surface of the potential benefits of this molecule.