In early March 2002, I wrote an article that was posted on the LifeLink website [Rejuvenation—it’s really happening], describing a promising new method for reversing a certain part of the aging process. The method simply consisted of the daily use of two nutritional supplements that are readily available and have a substantial history and safety record. This rejuvenation technique had been tested in rats by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley, and found to produce some remarkable improvements in the rats’ physiological well-being and memory after only one month. [ALA+ALC-press-release-UCB.html]

I decided to try the method on myself, although the doses involved (if scaled up proportionately by bodyweight from rats to humans) were sizeable and rather costly. When I mentioned the project to LifeLink, David and Troy generously contributed a month’s supply of the supplements to the project.

This article is a brief report on the experiment. The reader should bear in mind that this was not a scientifically conducted experiment—there was only one subject, no controls, and no medical testing. However, I was mainly interested in finding out two things that even such a crude experiment might well be able to answer:

• First, are there any really obvious bad side effects from taking such large amounts of these supplements?
• Second, are there any really obvious benefits from using this regimen?

THE REGIMEN

The two supplements involved are Acetyl-L-Carnitine (7.5 grams/day) and Alpha-Lipoic Acid (1.5 grams/day). These daily doses were divided into three equal portions taken roughly 8 hours apart.

SIDE EFFECTS AND FIXES FOR THEM

From the beginning of the experiment I noticed a few minutes of heartburn after ingesting each dose of 2.5 grams ALC + 0.5 grams ALA. By the third week I began to notice a cramping sensation in my stomach similar to that I used to experience when I had stomach ulcers. I eventually concluded that these effects were due to irritation of the stomach lining by the Alpha-Lipoic Acid, which does not dissolve well in the acidic environment of the stomach.

I came up with the following fix, which completely eliminated both the heartburn and the cramping: stir a half teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) into about 50 ml (2 ounces) of water and drink it right before taking the supplements.

There were no other unpleasant side effects.

BENEFITS

I noticed several types of improvements, most of them so striking that I feel confident attributing them to the regimen. However, two hoped-for improvements were too subjective or mild to be sure of.

• During the first week, and continuing throughout the entire experiment, I noticed a marked decline in my sensitivity to cold temperatures. My whole body felt a bit warmer than usual, as if my metabolism had been revved up, but the effect on my hands was dramatic. Normally when I walk outside in cool weather with my hands exposed, my fingers quickly become numb and discolored (with purple and white patches), and require dousing with warm water in order to recover, whereupon they turn bright red. (This is called Raynaud’s Syndrome, I think). Before starting the regimen I was having two or more such experiences every day. During my four weeks on the regimen, I had only two such incidents, and they were mild ones—despite the weather having turned colder.
• Being a daily gym-goer, I have a regular routine using weights and resistance machines. During the experiment I did not alter my routine. I normally do 3 to 5 sets of each exercise, each set consisting of 10 repetitions (or as many of the ten as I can manage). Usually I finish 10 repetitions on the first set, but by the last set I usually conk out at 6 to 8, depending on the exercise. This pattern hadn’t changed in at least six months—I was “plateaued out”. By the end of the second week of the experiment I noticed that I was able to complete all 10 repetitions of every exercise, and by the fourth week, it had become fairly easy to do so. This struck me as remarkable.
• The third improvement I thought to detect is a notoriously subjective one: my face seemed to be looking slightly younger—smoother in texture, more even in color. I’d be the first to admit that this could be wishful thinking or an indirect effect of having my metabolism revved up. So I’ll leave it at that. What’s needed here is a longer experiment, with before-and-after photos taken under constant conditions.
• As for memory or cognitive improvements, I can only say that if there were any, they were not dramatic. Had I suddenly developed the ability to memorize a paragraph after reading it once, or found that previously difficult concepts now seemed simple, I would have noticed. But less dramatic improvements would be easy to overlook, at least in the short run.

Generally speaking, from the end of the first week my body began to feel more lithe and responsive. By “lithe” I don’t mean “limber”, rather I mean that physical movement had become more pleasurable. For example, if I were walking uphill, each muscle that was being used seemed to be asking to be used again instead of protesting at the exertion.

OFF THE REGIMEN

After five weeks I ran out of Acetyl-L-Carnitine. I continued taking Alpha-Lipoic Acid since I still had some. And I continued paying close attention to my physical condition to see if the lack of ALC would have noticeable effects. It did.

After about a week without ALC my Raynaud’s symptoms began to return: numb, discolored fingers whenever my hands were exposed to cool air or cool water. And after a second week, my performance at the gym began to suffer: the end of each set of exercises became more of a struggle, even though I hadn’t changed anything about my exercise routine. Therefore, I am doubly convinced that the supplement regimen is effective—while one adheres to it, at least.

WHAT NEXT?

I have now decided to do a 4-month experiment to find out whether the benefits continue to increase, or whether they reach a maximum after a few weeks.

The prices of both supplements have plummeted during the past two months, presumably because more manufacturers are starting to make them. The high doses required for this regimen, which used to cost more than $250 per month, are now less than $175. For me this would still be an unacceptably high price if the regimen had only marginal benefits; but for a regimen that markedly improves my well-being, as this one seems to do, this cost no longer seems excessive. And if the benefits continue to increase over the months, then I’ll have to conclude that it’s a bargain!