Supplementation with GlyNAC, a combination of glycine and N-acetylcysteine as precursors to the natural antioxidant glutathione, can improve various processes that deteriorate with the natural aging process by supporting muscle strength, cognitive function, and promoting healthy aging. This is revealed by a pilot clinical study carried out by the Baylor University School of Medicine (Texas), published in Clinical and Translational Medicine.
The results of this study show that the older people who took GlyNAC for 24 weeks showed improvements in many of the typical alterations associated with aging such as intracellular glutathione deficiency, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, body fat, genomic toxicity, decreased muscle strength, gait speed and exercise capacity and cognitive decline. The benefits diminished after 12 weeks after stopping the supplementation.
Mitochondria generate the energy necessary to carry out cellular functions in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and other energy nutrients from food. Thus, the health of mitochondria is essential for life. During the last 20 years, the Dr Sekhar and his team have been studying the natural aging process. Her work includes mitochondriaTogether with the free radicals and glutathioneamong the causes of why we age.
GlyNAC supplementation helps promote healthy aging
Sekhar considers that improving the health of mitochondria in aging is key. As well as generating energy, they also naturally generate waste products such as free radicals, highly reactive molecules that can damage cells, membranes, lipids, proteins and DNA. Cells depend on antioxidants such as glutathione, which is the most abundant in our cells, to neutralize these toxic free radicals and maintain balance. If this is not achieved, it results in harmful oxidative stress which can affect mitochondrial function.
It is interesting to note that glutathione levels in older people are much lower to those of young people and that oxidative stress is much higher. Animal studies carried out in Dr. Sekhar’s laboratory have shown that if glutathione levels are restored providing GlyNAC reverses glutathione deficiencyreduces oxidative stress and fully restores mitochondrial function in aged mice.
“In previous work, we showed that supplementing with GlyNAC in HIV patients ameliorated multiple deficiencies associated with premature aging observed in such patients. In this study, we wanted to understand the effects of GlyNAC supplementation on many of the deficiencies associated with aging in older adults.” points out the Dr Sekhar.
The world population of elderly people is increasing rapidly and this entails a increase in many age-related diseases. To understand what causes accelerated or unhealthy aging, scientific research has identified nine key hallmarks that are thought to play a role in the aging process. “It is believed that correcting these characteristics can improve or reverse many disorders associated with age and help people age in a healthier way”points out the specialist of the .
In order to better understand why GlyNAC is key to mitochondrial recovery, Dr. Sekhar and his team came up with this new pilot clinical trial. The study was carried out with eight adults between the ages of 70 and 80 and they were compared with young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 of the same gender. were measured glutathione levels in red blood cells, the mitochondrial oxidationthe plasma biomarkers of the oxidative stress and oxidative damage, inflammation, endothelial function, glucose and insulin, gait speed, muscle strength, exercise capacity, gene damage, glucose production, and muscle protein catabolism and body composition and cognitive tests were performed.
“We work with eight adults. All of these determinations, measured prior to GlyNAC supplementation, were out of normal in the older adults compared to those in the younger individuals.”explains Dr. Sekhar. Older participants took GlyNAC for 24 weeks, then rested for the next 12 weeks. The same measurements were repeated at 12 and 24 weeks after taking GlyNAC and again 12 after stopping GlyNAC, with very encouraging results, according to the researchers.
As Dr. Sekhar explains, “after taking GlyNAC for 24 weeks, all these deficiencies improved in older adults and some reversed reaching the levels found in young adults”. The researchers also determined that the older ones tolerated taking GlyNAC well during the 24 weeks. However, benefits declined 12 weeks after discontinuation of said GlyNAC supplementation.
The trial results were encouraging: GlyNAC supplementation for 24 weeks appears to improve markers related to four of the nine key age-associated impairments, especially cognitive function and muscle strength. As Dr. Sekhar points out, the Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairments (MCI) are important medical conditions that affect the memory of the elderly, lead to dementia and for which there are no effective solutions. “We are exploring the possibility that GlyNAC could help in these situations by taking improve cognitive functions”explains this expert.
And it is that the results are highly encouraging and suggest that GlyNAC supplementation could be a simple and viable method to promote and improve healthy aging in older people. “We call it the ‘Power of 3’ because we believe the combined benefits of glycine, NAC and glutathione are needed to achieve these good results and general improvement. We have also completed a randomized clinical trial on GlyNAC supplementation versus placebo in older adults whose results will be announced shortly”Sekhar explains. Baylor University School of Medicine is the owner of the GlyNAC patent of which is a licensee.