Employing an “aging paradox” to uncover effective measures for advancing productive longevity

Abstract

Data gathered from healthy and non-diabetic volunteers who previously had participated in assorted clinical research trials, reveal that many medical risk factors primarily related to insulin resistance (IR) and the metabolic syndrome (MS) gradually intensify between ages 25 and 70 years. This phase here labeled “Continuum of risks” (CR) is a period whereby the metabolic changes that correlate with health situations adjust unfavorably but never exceed nor fall outside ranges that would diagnose established pathological diseases. The strengths of some of these risk factors unexpectedly reverted in an opposite and beneficial direction. This occurred somewhere beyond age 70 years. This phenomenon is defined as “Aging paradox” (AP). Because comparing data from the CR and AP periods did not reveal any significant differences in the glucose-insulin relationships with other components of MS, the beneficial happenings in AP were attributed to “Survivor bias.” The meaning behind this is that those volunteers possessing the more promising profile of risk factors can contribute to clinical studies, while participants with poorer profiles cannot take part as volunteers in later life due to medical debilities or even death. Health-wise, the average values of the following markers changed in a favorable direction when evaluated in the later AP period: Body weight, fat mass, fat free mass, levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and alanine aminotransferase enzyme. The lowering of FBG levels signifies the lessening of IR, the well accepted driving force behind MS. In contrast, total, LDL-, and non-HDL-cholesterol levels as well as systolic blood pressure essentially did not transform favorably over time. Health parameters associated with active survival should be at the center of attention in any developing schema to extend meaningful longevity. Thus, natural regimens involving nutrition, exercise, and dietary supplement usage exist to carry out necessary therapeutic measures to mitigate IR and its disabling components – thus potentially contributing to a longer healthier lifespan.