Does a New Pill Contain the Fountain of Youth?

knowledge_of_self

The Living Force
Hi all:

While I was driving home the other day, I heard on the radio about a pill that is said to be "The Fountain of Youth". Here is an article I found on the net that explains a little about this new pill.

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Health/story?id=814805&page=1

Does a New Pill Contain the Fountain of Youth? said:
Dr. Joe McCord's latest research may unravel the mystery of aging. And if he succeeds, the answer could come in the form of a little yellow pill called Protandim.
Now, I have always been a skeptic about new-age medicine, and this is just something very new and strange for me.

I was wondering if the group has heard or discussed this matter and what everybody thinks about it.

Personally it creeps me out, and I think it is just another sign of how STS this world is, and how people always want to find new ways to live forever and be immortal, immortally physical that is.

Nina
 
Reading the article it truly doesn't sound like they really know what they are doing. "It appears this, it might be that", Also....


"It is a combination of five plant ingredients. Two of them are pretty commonplace - green tea and turmeric, a spice used in Indian cooking. The others, among them withania somnifera and silybum marianum, are more exotic. "

You know that even if there were something to this, they would make a chemical monster to the herbs stated above so that they could patent them and make LOTS OF MONEY and of course the "wonder drug" would work the same as the herbs.

We also know who are the one's that want to live for 150 years.
Or they could keep humans living longer, more food supply for them.

Nope. Not interested.

Tarri
 
Yeah, anyone who sells something with those claims shoudn't be supported. HOWEVER, you could research the herbs in question and buy them yourself in bulk.

I have been taking Turmeric, because it is an anti-inflammatory and much heart disease seems to come from inflammation. Other problems, too. I also read a study that says turmeric is good for preventing Alzheimers (apparently Indians, who eat tons of turmeric, have lower Alzheimer rates) and my mother had Alzheimers. Green tea is definitely VERY good for you, but why not just drink green tea? I looked up Withania Somnifera and it is known as Ashwagandha and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine. It also seems to be an anti-inflammatory and immune system booster, see this link for clinical studies http://www.herbmed.org/Herbs/Herb136.htm#Category1Herb136:
Clinical Trials
A new polyherbal drug Immu-25, produced good symptomatic improvement within 6 months in 36 patients with a mean age of 35 +/-10 years, with confirmed HIV infection and the herbal drug have a good immunomodulatory effect. Usha 2003

Increase in urine sodium, urine volume, decrease in serum cholesterol, triglycerides, LDLand VLDL cholesterol observed in 6 NIDDM and 6 hypercholesterolemic subjects treated with Ashvagandha, indicate that its is a potential source of hypoglycemic, diuretic & hypocholesterolemic agents. Andallu 2000

The necessity of cleansing therapy in Ayurveda medication (a concoction in cow's milk of 4 drugs including powdered Withania somnifera and Sida cordifolia roots) prior to palliative therapy was established in 18 clinically diagnosed parkinsonian patients. Nagashayana 2000
I also found this http://www.viable-herbal.com/herbdesc5/1ashwagh.htm

Ashwaghanda is also known by the names Ashwagandha, Winter Cherry, Indian Ginseng, and Withania. Ashwaghanda, which belongs to the pepper family, is found in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Africa. The medicinal part of this herb is the root. The shoots and seeds are also used as food, and to thicken milk. Ashwaghanda is an important herb used in Ayurveda. The name comes from the peculiar odor of this herb, a smell similar to that of a sweaty horse. Ashwaghanda in India is similar to Ginseng in other parts of the Orient. Both herbs are touted for their longevity enhancing and sexually stimulating properties, however Ashwaghanda is considered to be milder and less stimulating than Ginseng. Ashwaghanda has been used for 4000 years in traditional Indian medicine - it was used for tumors, inflammation (including arthritis), and a wide range of infectious diseases.

Traditional uses of Ashwaghanda among tribal peoples in Africa included fevers and inflammatory conditions. Modern herbalists classify Ashwaghanda as an adaptogen, a substance said to increase the body's ability to withstand stress of all types. Like other adaptogens, Ashwaghanda is supposed to improve physical energy, exercise capacity, and overall health. It also strengthens immunity (against colds, flu, and other infections), increases sexual capacity, improves fertility, and normalizes cholesterol levels. As its name "somnifera" suggests, it is also sometimes said to produce mild sedation (an effect potentially useful for those troubled by insomnia or anxiety). However, as yet the evidence for these and other potential benefits is limited to highly preliminary studies at best. The primary chemical constituents of this herb include alkaloids, steroidal lactones, and iron. Studies with rats and human volunteers have shown that Ashwaghanda is helpful in putting cancer tumors into regression (used as an alcoholic root extract) and in reducing inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. The plant's high steroid content was found to be more potent than hydrocortisone in animal and human arthritis.

Compounds known as withanolides are believed to account for the multiple medicinal applications of this herb. Ashwaghanda has also been shown to relieve pain by lowering serotonin levels, which contribute to the sensitivity of pain receptors in the body. It is considered a good tonic for the mind and useful for those who have overindulged in work, drugs, or alcohol.
And this http://www.naturalcareonline.com/p6.php?herbdataPage=2
Ashwagandha: Practitioners of Ayurveduc medicine, the traditional medicine of India, regard this root as the Indian answer to ginseng for the male libido. Some reference do not recommend on a daily basis but others do. It is considered to reduce vata and kapha. It is mainly used in the West as a restorative for the elderly and the chronically ill. For such regenerative purposes, it can be taken as a milk decoction to which may be added raw sugar, honey, pippali and basmati rice. As such, it inhibits aging and catalyzes the anabolic processes of the body. It is a good food for weak pregnant women, it helps to stabilize the fetus. It also regenerates the hormonal system, promotes healing of tissues, and can be used externally on wounds, sores, etc. Five grams of the powder can be taken twice a day in warm milk or water, sweetened with raw sugar. By reducing overactivity and encouraging rest and relaxation, withania is useful in countering the debility that accompanies long-term stress. Its high iron content makes it useful for anemia. Withania has been widely researched in India. Studies in 1965 indicated that the alkaloids are sedative, reduce blood pressure, and lower the heartbeat rate. Research in 1970 showed that withanolides, which are similar to the body's own steroid hormones, are anti-inflammatory. They also inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The herb may be of use in chronic inflammatory diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and as a cancer preventative. Trials in 1980 indicated that withania increases hemoglobin levels, reduces graying of hair, and improves sexual performance. It also helps recovery from chronic illness. Traditional use: acne, adrenal disorders, age spots, anemia, anorexia, arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammatory diseases, convalescence, debility, depression, diabetes mellitus, diarrhea, edema, endometriosis, failing memory, fatigue, frigidity, hyperlipemia, hypertension, immunodeficiency, impotence, indigestion, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, poor attention span, ulcer.
All in all not bad.

Now, Silybum Marianum is just Milk Thistle, available everywhere. It is supposed to be good for the liver.

So the concoction probably does increase health and youthful feelings. But why not bypass the hucksters and buy (or pick) the herbs yourself?
 
Hi Don, and group:

Thanks a lot Don for all the great info. Especially the little bit you wrote about Turmeric. I have been looking for something that would be anit- inflammatory for quite some time. I did a research my self on many of the things that are said to be contained in the pill and I also wondered why people would just not do their own research and take a little bit of the herbs that are supposed to be in this pill, the way you have suggested. That is why I love this group, because people think here. But I guess consumer society doesn't like thinking. They like everything to be handed to them in pill form.

Thanks again Don,
Nina
 
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