Best Anti Aging Supplements for Dogs?
Most of us wish we had more time with our furry family members. They provide us with unconditional love, companionship, laughs, kisses, and a whole lot more. Unfortunately, we don’t get nearly enough time with them. What if, however, there was a way to potentially extend their lifespan? This article focuses on research and a couple pet products that claim to do just that.
There’s a growing effort in human research to try and determine the mechanisms behind why we age. This is spearheaded in part by a Harvard researcher named David Sinclair. He and his colleagues believe aging occurs at the cellular level. Their theory is that if we intervene in certain cellular mechanisms, we can initiate DNA repair and activate other life prolonging processes.
Fortunately, our cells repair themselves regularly while we are young. Unfortunately, as we age, our cells lose the capability to do so effectively. Evidence suggestions that certain molecules can activate these repairing mechanisms, even as we age. This is how we can potentially slow our biological clock.
What does this have to do with our pets though? These mechanisms seem to be preserved at the cellular level among many animals, including those in our fur famly. If this is true, could certain supplements help extend our dog's lifespan? It seems logical to believe so. How does it work though?
There are a few factors to consider when it comes to cellular health and aging according to this theory.
- As we get older, we don’t produce as much NAD+. NAD+ provides energy for cells to repair themselves, reproduce, and heal. Research suggests that if we can boost NAD+ levels our older cells will have more fuel to repair damage they’ve accrued over time - much like when we were younger. Some common NAD+ boosters are NMN (Nicotinamide mononucleotide) and NR (Nicotinamide Riboside).
- Certain compounds facilitate DNA repair/healing - Many people have heard of resveratrol. It’s the “miracle” compound found in red wine. Resveratrol is a sirtuin activating compound. Sirtuins are proteins in the cell that initiate DNA repair and trigger many other beneficial metabolic processes. If we can activate these proteins with compounds such as resveratrol, fisetin, and quercetin, we can in theory repair any cellular damage. This should slow how quickly our cells age.
- Senolytic compounds - Over time, our body accumulates senescent cells. These are also known as zombie cells. They are cells that quit multiplying, but don’t die off. They chronically secrete inflammatory factors that negatively affect our health. One of the hallmarks of aging is the accumulation of these senescent cells according to David Sinclair. Senolytic compounds help kill off these zombie cells. Examples of senolytic compounds include fisetin and spermidine.
Knowing this, it seems to make sense that if we can add supplements that provide these benefits we can slow the aging process. That's what David Sinclair's research shows as well. This is a somewhat new take on the science of aging, but it looks very promising.
Some companies have reviewed this research and created pet products that feature the molecules described above. These companies are Renue by Science and Leapyears (this link will get you 25% off your first purchase). It may very well be worth supplementing periodically with these longevity products as our pets get a little older. David Sinclair's brother is actually involved with Leapyears. Both have great ingredient panels and you probably can't go wrong with either. We actually give our senior beagle both.
We did our best to keep the information in this article fairly basic with respect to the science behind aging. If you prefer more in depth reading, we recommend the book Lifespan. It is written by David Sinclair and provides a little more depth on the topic!