Researchers find how to protect cells from age-related damage

Every minute of the day your body and brain are under fire from toxic stress.

I don’t mean the stress of too many bills or a hectic schedule.

No, this is stealth stress that’s mostly invisible. The kind you don’t know is there.

It comes from chemicals in food and drugs, heavy metals and pollutants in the air, water, and household products, and plenty of other little “toxic insults.” They all add up, setting the stage for the illnesses and diseases that we think are unavoidable as we age.

Fortunately your body has a secret weapon in the form of a potent antioxidant called glutathione. You can think of glutathione as a shield that helps protect you from these unseen attacks.

But there’s just one problem.

As your birthdays pile up, your glutathione levels start going in the other direction – straight down.

Antioxidant insurance policy

If you’re thinking, “Glutathione, where have I heard that before?” — it could very likely be right here! For 15 years I’ve been telling you about the remarkable ways that this antioxidant workhorse helps keep your body running in top form.

Now, a new study from researchers at Oregon State University confirms why there’s no time like the present to get ahead of the aging curve and start beefing up your defenses.

But this team found something else that’s just as important where this amazing antioxidant is concerned. A way to boost your glutathione levels so your tank isn’t running on empty, no matter what your age.

It’s no secret that as we get older we become more vulnerable to all kinds of bodily insults and injuries. Bouncing back from something is a much bigger deal when you’re 70 than when you were 17!

And that’s exactly what the researchers confirmed in the laboratory when they “stressed” cells from younger animals versus older ones.

They found that younger cells lost a small amount of glutathione, but had plenty left in reserve to keep them alive and kicking.

But in older cells, the level of this antioxidant was drained to nearly dry, cutting their lifespan in half!

In other words, running low on glutathione speeds up the aging process of cells.

In the second part of the study, Oregon researchers called for backup from an amino acid called N-acetylcysteine (NAC).

In many eAlerts I’ve told you about this genuine lifesaver. Not only does NAC boost the production and power of glutathione, it’s also the go-to antidote for acetaminophen overdose, used in emergency rooms worldwide to prevent liver failure.

When researchers pretreated those older cells with NAC, and then doused them with a toxic substance, it was like a fort had been built around them. In much greater numbers, they survived and thrived.

And this study isn’t the first good news we’ve heard about NAC by a longshot.

• In a 15-year-old study, NAC was found to improve cognitive function in patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer’s disease.
• For many years, doctors have used NAC to dissolve the mucus that contributes to asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and sinusitis.
• NAC appears to significantly lower homocysteine, reducing artery plaque that causes heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
• In 2013, researchers found that NAC given with chemotherapy might reduce the memory-loss effects of “chemobrain.”

Although NAC has a squeaky clean safety profile, it can possibly interfere with blood-thinning meds. So talk with your doctor first if you’re taking one of those drugs.

And while NAC isn’t found in foods, there are plenty of ways to get more glutathione in your diet.

Cruciferous veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale, bok choy, and horseradish are all excellent sources.

“Boosting levels of known antioxidant may help resist age-related decline” Oregon State University, October 24, 2016, ScienceDaily, sciencedaily.com