Articles of Interest   Special Report: Can You Live to be 120 Years Old?   By Leslie Jacobs, M.D. & William Shoemaker, M.D.   Is it possible for you to live to be 120 years old? Many molecular biologists believe that the human body has this potential life expectancy under ideal circumstances. Yet since most Americans fail to see even their 80th birthday, it would seem that we are, quite literally, not living up to our potential. The reasons for this are very clear: we smoke, eat improperly, become overweight, become inactive and then become ill. Most people would agree that preventing an illness makes more sense than trying to treat it after it has begun. Unfortunately, the majority of us fail to adopt lifestyles that follow this reasoning. Consequently, we fall prey to diseases that are preventable, and we thereby diminish the quality, as well as the quantity, of the years we live.   As physicians, we witness daily the end result of these indiscretions. The majority of deaths in this country are a result of cancer and cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, strokes, etc.). It is believed by many experts that these two formidable illnesses could be discovered at an early stage (and subsequently cured) or prevented entirely if common-sense practices are incorporated into our daily routine. Among these practices, regular exercise and the avoidance of noxious chemicals (such as cigarette smoke and pollutants) are important enough to deserve individual attention in the future. Today, we wish to focus upon the diet and nutritional supplementation in protecting our bodies from free-radical damage.   Free Radicals Most people are aware that the air we breathe contains oxygen and that we need this precious molecule to survive. Many people do not realize, however, that oxygen can have damaging effects as well. This damage is referred to as oxidation and its effects can be seen everywhere: i.e., the rusting of iron, the tarnishing of silver, the hardening and cracking of plastic and rubber products, and the discoloration of an exposed apple slice.   Our bodies are not immune to oxidative damage. Through recent advances in medical technology, scientists are now able to detect influences on the body at a cellular level. From this information, it has been determined that the most destructive force upon our cells are molecules called "free radicals." These are extremely unstable molecules that are often the byproduct of oxygen consumption, and they accomplish their destructive effects through oxidation. Billions of free radicals are generated in our bodies each day and are required to perform some beneficial functions such as destroying bacteria and viruses, producing enzymes and hormones, and generating energy. Unfortunately, trouble begins when these compounds start to accumulate in excessive amounts.   The secret to the reactivity of free radicals can be found in the number of electrons in their outer orbit. Molecules are composed of atoms which have electrons orbiting around a nucleus. Stable molecules have an even number of electrons — one paired with another. Free radicals, on the other hand, were once stable molecules that have lost an electron either to another free radical or in response to some other factors. These factors include things that we do every day which consume oxygen, such as exercise and digestion. More importantly, free radicals are produced in large numbers in response to environmental irritants: smog, pollution, chemicals, ultraviolet light, ozone, pesticides and cigarette smoke (both direct and second-hand smoke). Once produced, free radicals circulate throughout the body searching for an electron to steal from another molecule in order to balance its own number of electrons. That molecule that has been robbed of an electron either becomes a free radical itself or undergoes another structural change. Some of these changes, in turn, can lead to disease or illness.   As an analogy, consider a society where everyone must have a spouse to survive. Married couples were ensured stability and happiness, while single people realized only isolation and sadness. In such an environment, a jealous Casanova could severely damage many otherwise stable relationships in an attempt to find a mate of his own. This, in turn, could start a chain reaction that might disrupt the entire society. The same holds true for free radicals and the damage they cause to our bodies.   What overall effects do free radicals have on the body? The implications are many and are dependent upon the site of free-radical damage. When they attack molecules in the cell wall, the resulting change may interfere in the cell's ability to absorb vital nutrients, to ward off infection, or to interact with other cells. Therefore, the cell may become "malnourished," infected by bacteria or viruses, or destroyed by the body's immune system.   If the site of the damage is the cell's DNA, genetic damage may occur and result in uncontrolled growth and multiplication of an abnormal cell, thus initiating cancer. Cancer has long been associated with many chemicals and irritants from cigarette smoke to ultraviolet light. Many people believe that the link between these substances and cancer is their ability to generate free radicals in the body.   Atherosclerosis is another disease that has been linked to free-radical damage. At the April '95 WIN conference in Dallas, those in attendance were introduced to a cartoon character, Mr. Apo, a "mailman" whose duty was to deliver lipoproteins (LDL, HDL, etc.) to the cells throughout our body. On his "route" he was confronted with many noxious and toxic influences which damaged his packages and their contents. Well, in our bodies the "carriers" are apolipoproteins, and their contents (HDL, VLDL, and especially LDL) are oxidized by free radicals. This oxidized debris accumulates in the lining of the blood vessels and proliferates. This proliferation also stimulates the propagation of many other cellular components like platelets (clotting cells), macrophages (immune cells) and smooth muscle cells. These cells begin to accumulate and become sticky, allowing clumps of cells to thicken the lining of the vessel. This subsequently compromises the blood flow through that vessel and leads to coronary artery disease, strokes and high blood pressure. Free radicals have also been implicated in the development of cataracts, arthritis and many other diseases, and may play a role in many disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, emphysema, hypertension, inflammation, Parkinson's disease and immune dysfunctions.   Antioxidants And now for some good news! There are substances in our bodies that can protect us from the damaging effects of free radicals. They are called "antioxidants" and include both enzymes and nutrients. Antioxidant enzymes produced by our bodies include glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and certain sulfur-containing amino acids and proteins. Antioxidant nutrients, on the other hand, are not made in the body and must be obtained from the food we eat. The most common of these are beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A and certain minerals (copper, zinc, manganese and selenium). Also, there have been recent scientific studies that show potent antioxidant capabilities in compounds extracted from some fruits and vegetables. These compounds are called phytonutrients and bioflavonoids. Antioxidants travel throughout our bodies and quench (neutralize) free radicals before they damage our cells. They possess an "extra" electron which they can readily donate to an "electron hungry" free radical. The free radical is then inactivated and removed from the body. To use our previous analogy, antioxidants might be similar to a group of microscopic Chuck Woolerys who, armed with a list of eligible singles, seek out other single people and make successful couples (a "Love Connection"). Our Casanova would no longer need to interfere with other stable relationships, and the society would avoid utter chaos.   Once an antioxidant neutralizes a free radical, it also is inactivated and cleared from the body. Consequently, there is an ongoing need to replenish the antioxidants in our bodies. It is also important that our diet consists of a diverse group of antioxidants because each one may have a specialized role in this neutralization process. For example, beta carotene is one of the "quenchers" for singlet oxygen (a potent free radical produced in our bodies). Likewise, glutathione peroxidase, selenium, and vitamin E are powerful quenchers of the hydroxy radical. Also, the minerals copper, manganese and zinc act with superoxide dismutase (an antioxidant enzyme produced by the body) to quench the superoxide anion (another potent free radical).   Supplementation Thus far we have discussed free radicals and the damage they cause including their association with cancer and heart disease. We have introduced antioxidants as our bodies' way of avoiding this damage and have shown the importance of diet in providing the body with an ongoing supply of these nutrients. Why then are 70 percent of American deaths related to cancer and heart disease? Quite simply, we are not eating properly. The National Cancer Institute recognizes that only nine percent of the American population meets dietary guidelines established to aid in the prevention of cancer and cardiac disease. This clearly illustrates the need for supplementing our diets with additional vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.   One might think that nutritional supplementation would be universally accepted by all physicians. Unfortunately, most physicians received little or no training in nutrition and even that was usually limited to recognizing vitamin deficiencies such as scurvy, rickets and beriberi. The conventional wisdom of the day was simply, "If you eat the right foods, you don't need vitamins." As we can see from the National Cancer Institute data, the vast majority of Americans are not consuming adequate amounts of nutrients. Fortunately, there have been hundreds of articles published recently in reputable medical journals that have caught the attention of even apprehensive physicians.   The research in support of antioxidants is overwhelming and has initiated a nutritional supplementation revolution. In the May 1994 Tufts University Nutrition Letter, the Alliance of Aging Research became the first public health organization to officially recommend vitamin supplements for the purpose of warding off life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. This health advocacy group advises Americans to take large doses of antioxidants in order to augment the amounts of those substances they get from foods. "The time was ripe to make the transition from research to lifestyle application," says the alliance's executive director, Daniel Perry. "We are less than two years away from when the first baby boomers turn 50 (years old). It's a matter of trying to provide sound, safe information for a public that is hungry for what to do in their daily life to protect against disease and aging."   The long, heated debate over nutrient supplementation has been settled. The evidence clearly identifies the need for, and demonstrates the benefits of, supplementation. What remains is for us to make a conscious and committed decision — to supplement, or not to supplement. As physicians, we are excited about any opportunity to practice preventive medicine — to protect against illness before it occurs. That is why we must all start taking supplements rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and bioflavonoids, and encourage all others to do the same.   Consequently, we feel very fortunate to be a part of a forward-thinking, health-conscious organization whose founders realize the magnitude of this opportunity and have already taken steps to ensure that we, as distributors, will represent products that are always "state of the art." A husband-and-wife team, Drs. William Shoemaker and Leslie Jacobs are both board-certified internists who practice in Las Vegas. Their family-owned internal medicine practice is one of the largest and most successful in the state of Nevada. These two doctors are also Independent Distributors of WIN.     Main Article Index click here Our copyright and Privacy statements / Medical Disclaimer © 2000, Makena Werks, Int'l, All Rights Reserved.