Additional L-Carnosine articles:
A crucial longevity supplement, set to take the world of anti-aging medicine by storm.

L-Carnosine can help to protect us from unwanted and potentially catastrophic glycation damage.

Carnosine extending the life of every cell in your body through Glycosylation .

L-Carnosine – A crucial longevity supplement, set to take the world of anti-aging medicine by storm

We are all growing older. Hardly headline news in itself but increasing age almost inevitably brings with it a whole range of health problems. Better living and health care standards have undoubtedly played their part in increasing average life expectancy. But just extending the length of time that we can live is only part of the battle, the quality of that life is also crucial. To really know how to tackle the aging process head on and to be able to live a better quality of life for longer, we must first try and understand how and why the human body ages in the way that it does.

Ongoing research all around the world means that the mysteries of the aging process are slowly revealing themselves and, of course, this knowledge is vital if we are to discover what to do about it. L-Carnosine is right up there at the forefront of research into anti-aging supplements and medications. It is set to become one of the crucial supplements for longevity with the potential benefit of extending the life of every cell in your body.

Why is L-carnosine thought to be so important in the fight against aging?

To answer this we first need to look at the aging process itself and, in particular, a process known as glycation.

Glycation and aging – what happens to our bodies as we age?

This is, of course, is the 64 thousand dollar question and one that has taxed some of the most brilliant scientific minds the world over. Although there is still much to learn, one of the things that we do know is that a process known as glycation (sometimes referred to as non-enzymatic glycosylation) plays a very important part in the aging process.

Glycation occurs throughout the body during normal everyday metabolism. It refers to the series of chemical reactions that occurs when protein molecules bind to sugar molecules. It’s a haphazard process which impairs the functioning of biomolecules.

Glycosylation, on the other hand, is where enzymes control the addition of sugars to protein or to lipid molecules. It occurs at defined sites on the target molecule and is required in order for the molecule to function.

The initial product of the glycation/glycosylation process is called a Schiff base. The Schiff base spontaneously rearranges itself into an Amadori product. At this stage the process is still reversible. A cascade of further chemical reactions then occurs with Amodori products undergoing dehydration and rearrangement to form cross-links between neighbouring proteins and DNA molecules. Ultimately, the process results in the formation of advanced glycation (or glycosylation) end products – usually termed AGEs.

AGEs are formed in the body throughout our lives beginning in early embryonic development. Although the rate of formation is constant, it is usually slow. However, in diabetics the formation rate is noticeably increased because glucose (the fuel required for glycation and glycosylation to occur) is available in greater amounts.

These constant processes eventually lead to a build-up of AGEs, because our bodies cannot rid themselves of AGEs quickly. Although some AGEs are benign, many of them are far more reactive than the sugars that they were originally derived from. This means that long lived cells and proteins can suffer significant damage as a result of these protein to sugar binding processes and the subsequent accumulation of AGEs. It’s hardly surprising therefore to find that AGEs are implicated in many age-related chronic diseases including type II diabetes mellitus (where there is beta cell damage), Alzheimer's Disease (amyloid proteins are side-products of the reactions progressing to AGEs), and cancer (acrylamide and other side-products are released).

Cardiovascular diseases are also affected by glycation. For example, the epithelial cells of the blood vessels are damaged directly by glycation and this damage is implicated in atherosclerosis - the root cause of various cardiovascular diseases such as angina, heart attack and stroke. Atherosclerotic plaque has a tendency to accumulate at areas of high blood flow (such as the entrance to the coronary arteries) because of the increased presence of sugar molecules, glycations and AGEs at these points. In addition, AGEs can modify LDL cholesterol in such a way that it tends to become easily oxidized and deposited within vessel walls which in time can also lead to atherosclerosis.

Glycation damage may also lead to an increase in blood pressure. This is because glycation damage can result in the stiffening and weakening of collagen in blood vessel walls. The stiffening leads to high blood pressure. The weakening can result in micro- or macro-aneurisms. If this happens in the brain, it can result in a stroke.

Smokers should pay particular attention. AGEs can also be introduced into the body from exogenous sources and perhaps one of the most well known of these is tobacco smoke. The combustion of various pre-AGEs in tobacco during smoking results in various reactive and toxic AGEs.

What is L-Carnosine and how does it help to prevent damage caused by glycation?

L-Carnosine is a di-peptide - a chemical compound formed by linking two amino acids. In the case of L-Carnosine, the amino acids are beta-alanine and histidine. L-Carnosine occurs naturally in the human body and is found in relatively high concentrations in several body tissues particularly in the brain and in skeletal and heart muscles.

As we have seen above, glycation involves the cross linking of proteins and DNA molecules which eventually results in the production of AGEs. L-Carnosine helps to stop this from happening and protects against the cross-linking of proteins, the cross linking of proteins to DNA molecules, and the formation of other abnormal proteins, all of which are fundamental features of the aging process.

But not only does L-Carnosine help to reduce glycation and the formation of AGEs, it also binds to already formed AGEs and deactivates them. This is very important given that the body does not rid itself of AGEs quickly and, as we have discussed, many AGEs are potentially extremely harmful. Normally, macrophages (cells from the immune system) act as scavengers to remove AGEs. They carry special receptors called RAGEs. L-Carnosine assists in this elimination process by helping the macrophages to better recognise AGEs.

L-Carnosine and longevity.

Although L-Carnosine has been known about for over 100 years, its anti-aging properties have only really been researched during the last few years. It is now known that high concentrations of L-Carnosine exist in long lived cells such as those found in neuronal (brain cell) tissues. Furthermore, scientists have also confirmed that the concentration of L-Carnosine in muscles directly correlates with maximum life span. For example, in 1999 Australian researchers were able to confirm that, in the laboratory, L-Carnosine had been shown to increase the longevity of human fibroblast cells. L-Carnosine extended the Hayflick limit (the maximum number of times a cell can divide) from 50 to 60 times. Researchers have also been able to demonstrate that animals with higher levels of L-Carnosine appear to live longer.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that it is now thought that L-Carnosine may have the potential to extend the longevity of every cell in your body and why L-Carnosine now sits at the vanguard of research into supplements that may have a dramatic effect on the aging process.

Does L-carnosine have any other uses?

As well as the ability to prevent damage from glycation/glycosylation and AGEs and the fact that L-Carnosine is clearly implicated in longevity, L-Carnosine helps to support the health of our bodies in a number of other important ways including:

L-carnosine and its Antioxidant Properties

The action of free radicals and the damage that they can cause is another crucial element in the aging process. L-Carnosine acts as a potent anti-oxidant, helping to protect us from free radicals and the havoc that they can wreck. L-Carnosine is a water-soluble free radical, a natural counterpart to lipid soluble antioxidants such as Vitamin E. It acts to help stabilize and protect cell membranes.

But not only does L-Carnosine act to prevent free radicals from actually entering cells and causing damage, it is also active if free radicals breach this first line of defence and react to form other dangerous chemical compounds. This stands L-Carnosine apart from many other antioxidants which are only capable of preventing entry and are ineffective if free radicals transgress their protective mechanisms and actually manage to enter tissues. For example, L-Carnosine will sacrifice itself in order to inactivate MDA (malondialdegyde), a highly reactive product of free radical reaction which if left uncontrolled can damage lipids, enzymes and DNA and has been implicated in atherosclerosis, joint inflammation, cataract formation and aging in general.

L-carnosine and Amyloid Protection

Beta amyloid is considered to be a key player in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). AD is an irreversible, incurable, progressive brain disease. It slowly but surely destroys memory and cognitive skills, and eventually leads to total dependence for the sufferer.

Although AD can affect anyone, it is much more common after 65 at which age about 1% of the population has the disease. The risk increases with age, doubling every 5 years survived beyond age 65, so that by the time a person is aged 85, 25% (or 1 in 4) of the population have AD. This makes AD it the most common form of dementia amongst older people.

The brain of an Alzheimer’s patient is characterised by the presence of beta amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Experiments have demonstrated that L-Carnosine is capable of reducing or even completely preventing the damage caused by beta amyloid. L-Carnosine was found to inactivate beta amyloid, preventing it from interacting with certain RAGE receptors, which would otherwise cause the damage to the nerves and arteries in the brain that result in dementia.

L-carnosine and blocking the accumulation of lactic acid

You know the feeling – you’ve exercised hard and then you feel pain in your muscles. The chances are that the pain is being caused by an accumulation of lactic acid. Lactic acid is always being produced but as your exercise intensity increases so does the amount of lactic acid that you produce. And once you have passed your anaerobic threshold, this build up of lactic acid actually begins to reduce your efficiency. By helping with the pH buffering capacity of muscle tissue, L-Carnosine can help to prevent the reduction in pH which happens due the accumulation of lactic acid and this in turn can lead to an improvement in exercise performance. And if you take L-Carnosine before and after exercise you can reduce, and often even eliminate, the aching pain that lactic acid accumulation can otherwise cause.

Cataracts and L-carnosine

No article about L-Carnosine would be complete without mention of the fact that L-Carnosine has been used successfully in the treatment of senile cataracts. The work in this field has been especially promoted by Russian scientists. However, it must be stressed that a special kind of L-Carnosine is used known as N-alpha acetylcarnosine or NAC for this purpose. This is not the same as L-Carnosine which should not be used directly in the eyes.

Conclusion

With its ability, amongst other things, to prevent damage caused by glycation/glycosylation and AGEs, to act as a potent anti-oxidant, to potentially increase the life span of cells, to rid the body of harmful toxins through chelation, to reduce inflammation and support our immune systems, to help protect us against age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and to help protect our cardiovascular systems, it’s little wonder that L-Carnosine is set to take the world of anti-aging medicine by storm.

Dosage

Usual anti-aging dosages are from 100mg to 300mg (maximum 600mg day) per day with occasional breaks.

Caution

Oral doses larger than 600mg per day are not recommended. Cases of muscle twitching have been reported with doses of 1g plus.

L-Carnosine can help to protect us from unwanted and potentially catastrophic glycation damage

Imagine a natural supplement that you could take that not only has the ability to potentially increase the life span of all the cells in your body but that could, amongst other things, act as a potent antioxidant, rid the body of harmful toxins, reduce inflammation and support the immune system, help protect against age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and help protect the cardiovascular system. You may think that such an incredible supplement cannot possibly exist but you would be wrong. L-Carnosine can do all this and more and is set to take the world of anti-aging medicine by storm.

L-Carnosine is a di-peptide - a chemical compound that’s formed by linking two amino acids. In the case of L-Carnosine, the amino acids are beta-alanine and histidine. It occurs naturally in the human body and is found in relatively high concentrations in several body tissues particularly in the brain and in skeletal and heart muscles. And if the above list of its capabilities wasn’t enough, perhaps the most remarkable feature of L-Carnosine is its ability to interfere with the glycation (or glycosylation) – a chemical process that’s up there with free radical damage when it comes to the cardinal processes of aging.

Glycation (sometimes called non-enzymatic glycosylation) occurs every day during normal metabolism. It refers to the series of chemical reactions that occur when protein molecules bind to sugar molecules. It’s a haphazard process. Glycosylation, on the other hand, is a more controlled process where enzymes govern the addition of sugars to protein or lipid molecules.

A whole cascade of chemical reactions occurs during glycation/glycosylation. Cross links between neighbouring proteins and DNA molecules are formed. Ultimately, the process results in the formation of advanced glycation (or glycosylation) end products – usually termed AGEs.

Unfortunately, although some AGEs are benign, most of them are bad news – they are very harmful, can cause extensive damage and are implicated in many age-related chronic diseases including type II diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's Disease and cancer.

For example, glycation, and the damage it causes, plays a big role in the health of your cardiovascular system. The epithelial cells of blood vessels can be damaged directly by glycation and this damage is implicated in atherosclerosis - the root cause of various cardiovascular diseases such as angina, heart attack and stroke. AGEs can lead to the stiffening and weakening of collagen in blood vessel walls. The stiffening leads to high blood pressure. The weakening can result in micro- or macro-aneurisms. If this happens in the brain, it can result in a stroke. AGEs can also affect the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol that gets deposited in blood vessel walls and in time this can also result in atherosclerosis.

But L-Carnosine can help to protect us from unwanted and potentially catastrophic glycation damage - protecting us against the cross-linking of proteins, the cross linking of proteins to DNA molecules, and the formation of other abnormal proteins, all of which are fundamental features of the aging process. What’s more, not only does L-Carnosine help to reduce glycation and the formation of AGEs, it also binds to already formed AGEs and deactivates them. This is good news because not only are AGEs potentially incredibly harmful to us, our bodies cannot get rid of them quickly so over time the number of AGEs in our bodies gradually accumulates.

And as we’ve already mentioned, L-Carnosine doesn’t just help to protect us from glycation damage, it also provides a whole range of other health benefits. In particular, L-Carnosine acts as a potent anti-oxidant, helping to protect us from free radicals and the havoc that they can wreck. It’s well established that the action of free radicals, and the damage that they cause, are key elements of the aging process. Like most anti-oxidants, L-Carnosine helps to protect cells from free radicals by stabilizing cell membranes in order to stop free radicals from actually entering cells. But, unlike many other anti-oxidants, L-Carnosine is also active if free radicals breach this first line of defence and react to form other dangerous chemical compounds.

L-Carnosine can also help to protect our brains as we grow older. For example, aging is recognised as a major risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s Disease (the most common form of dementia to affect the elderly). In fact, the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease appears to double every 5 years survived beyond age 65. At age 65 about 1% of people have Alzheimer's. This increases to 25%, or 1 in 4, of people over the age of 85. One of the main characteristics found in the brain of an Alzheimer’s sufferer is the presence of beta amyloid plaques. However, experiments have shown that L-Carnosine is capable of reducing or even completely preventing the damage caused by beta amyloid!

But not only can L-Carnosine help to overcome some of the major health issues associated with getting older, it may also be able to extend life itself. Over recent years researchers have become increasingly interested in L-Carnosine and its associations with longevity. For example, it is now known that high concentrations of L-Carnosine exist in long lived cells such as those found in neuronal (brain cell) tissues. Scientists have also been able to confirm that the concentration of L-Carnosine in muscles directly correlates with maximum life span and that animals with higher levels of L-Carnosine appear to live longer.

Added to all of this, researchers have been able to use L-Carnosine to increase the number of times human fibroblast cells can divide themselves. The process of cell division is vital if the cells in our bodies (the essential building blocks of life) are to be able to repair and renew themselves. Once they can no longer divide themselves, they enter a phase of senescence. Senescence encompasses all of the biological processes of a living organism approaching an advanced age. But if cells can repair and renew themselves for longer, then senescence will be delayed and we should be able to live life to the full for longer. Potentially, L-Carnosine may have the capability of extending the longevity of every cell in your body.

No wonder L-Carnosine now sits at the forefront of research into supplements that may have a dramatic effect on the aging process and allow us to live healthier, happier lives for longer.

Carnosine extending the life of every cell in your body through Glycosylation

Antioxidants are molecules within the body that can slow or inhibit the oxidation of other molecules. While oxidation reactions are vitally important for life, they are also damaging, as they produce free radicals that damage cells. Antioxidants hinder or reduce these oxidation reactions.

Carnosine is one such potent antioxidant that prevents cell damage and improves cell function. It is a natural amino-acid that aids in chelating ionic metals from the body. It is thought to reduce, and may even prevent, cell damage caused by beta amyloid (a substance found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients).

Carnosine helps to prevent the process of glycosylation. This occurs with the cross linking of proteins and DNA molecules, which is caused by sugar aldehydes reacting with amino acids and protein molecules. Cross linking occurs when an apple, after being cut in half, turns yellow when exposed to the air. Its ability to prevent glycosylation may be beneficial in treating diabetes, kidney failure, cataracts, neuropathy, and skin conditions.

In 1999, a team of Australian research scientists determined that Carnosine increased the longevity of human fibroblast cells in the laboratory. In fact, it extended the Hayflick limit (the maximum number of times a cell will divide) from 50 to 60.

The Russians use carnosine in eye drop form as a means of eliminating senile cataracts. This type of eye-drop however, is a different kind of carnosine, referred to as N-alpha acetylcarnosine or NAC. Can-C.

Animals exposed to the antioxidant effects of Carnosine appear to live longer, and it is thought that, despite the current paucity of research studies, it may well become a commonly used and prescribed supplement.