The search for the “fountain of youth” has fascinated people and medical researches for centuries. Today the anti-aging industry is projected to reach close to $300 billion in sales of various products and services promising to make users younger. As the amount of interest and sheer number of products grows, consumers are desperately in need of help navigating the treacherous waters of vast choices in anti-aging items presented to them. Unfortunately, to date, there are no officially FDA approved medications or products that can comprehensively reverse aging. This is because anti-aging needs so much time and long-term follow-up that it is prohibitive in price and practicality. Because of this, most of the advertising and claims are based on hypotheses and empiric calculations.
If you want to become serious about age reversal, doing it on your own is a doomed project. The best choice is to consult a specialist and determine the course of action most suitable for your particular needs. We are all genetically unique – we have a different metabolism and hormonal balance and as a result we will age differently – some gracefully, some not. The most important part of aging management is comprehensive medical care, thorough and regular evaluation, and diagnostic testing before attempting any serious anti-aging therapy such as Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Leaving aside skin and hair care, which are topics widely covered in the media I would like to focus on some more hidden “gems” becoming popular and offered in offices of some of the best anti-aging specialists. It usually starts with saliva testing, a cheek swab for genetic analysis and a blood test. This can diagnose hormone and vitamin deficiencies and age-related imbalances of various systems. A one-size-fits-all regimen of over-the-counter supplements is extremely ineffective.
The modern approach is a hand-tailored rejuvenation treatment designed to deliver vitamin and antioxidant cocktail directly into one’s bloodstream. Many celebrities have been spotted in infusion offices getting the weekly vitamin “detox”; although unproven, the practice has come in and out of fashion for years and is again gaining popularity. Taking these products is unlikely to reverse aging but could help overall health and are unlikely to be harmful. There is also no serious scientific backing that taking melatonin, human growth hormone, DHEA and others delay aging, but they are believed to improve sleep, mood and well-being. Another supplement that shows promise is resveratrol, which is believed to limit the growth of cancer, act as a natural inflammatory and improve cholesterol. Again, studies are few and not extensive enough, but there are few if any side effects, so it’s worth a try.
