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Omega-3 DHA may boost male fertility: For mice at least

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for clarifying the anti-aging role of Telomeres

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Biotivia Bioceuticals is a leading manufacturer and distributor of Resveratrol based supplements, which were designed based upon recent discoveries in the field of longevity and anti-aging. This is based on the same research which won three American doctors a Nobel Prize for medicine.

Bio Span contains a compound that has been shown to support increased telomere viability in humans. The deterioration of cell telomeres may be one of the fundamental processes of aging. In several studies it has been shown that the actual vs chronological age, of a person can be determined by the length of his or her telomeres, the cap at the end of the chromosomes.

As we age the telomere becomes shorter but an enzyme called telomerase prevents the shortening of the telemere thereby extending the life span of the cell.

Scientists have found that if they can slow or stop the shortening of telomeres then they can slow cell aging and extend the cells’ life span. This accomplishment is the basis for the Noble Prize in medicine.

In 2007 Biotivia scientists were also looking at a way to extend Telomeres and came across evidence that the rare Astragaloside IV molecule could increase production of telomerase. Since that time other studies have shown that purified Resveratrol also has a telomere protective quality and may increase both the production and survival of stem cells as well.

Another critical factor in reducing aging are the sirtuins, a class of proteins which are closely associated with the aging process in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. Dr David Sinclair of Harvard, and later Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, published a landmark study in the journal Nature in 2006 which concluded that Resveratrol activated these enzymes resulting in a 31% extension of the life span of obese mice in his study. Other studies have shown even more dramatic results in fish and other animals.

Bio Span, the longevity supplement created by Biotivia, combines telomerase precursors with sirtuin activators and neurotropic agents to attack the aging processes and promote extended life span.

James Betz, founder of Biotivia says: “Bio Span is the only scientifically formulated Resveratrol-based supplement which provides a truly synergist blend of longevity compounds in one capsule. It contains SirT-1 activators, telomerase precursors, and neurotropic agents, the three major anti-aging bioceuticals.”

Bio Span combines Resveratrol, Silymarin, Astragulas and Curcumin which are all well documented ingredients proved to have anti-aging and disease resistant properties, as well as being potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.

Inpidually all the ingredients boast medicinal qualities and benefits that have used in traditional Chinese medicine but only recently embraced by western scientists.

Betz continues: “Our scientists’ objective was to create a totally natural product which attacks aging at the metabolic, epigenetic, mitochondrial and neural levels. The end result is slower physical, cellular and mental aging. It also helps to raise energy levels, lower inflammation and improve general health.”

Bio Span can be seen, along with Biotivia’s other Resveratrol supplement range at http://www.biotivia.com

If you want to be kept upto date on the latest research and development then click here to subscribe to the Biotivia newsletter and receive $10 off.

About Biotivia Bioceuticals

Biotivia was established in 1992 in Vienna, Austria as a supplier of natural raw materials and botanicals to the supplement and functional food industries and to researchers and scientific institutions worldwide. The company evolved into one of the world’s leading developers and suppliers of potent vitamin supplements and skin care therapies, with most of their products centered around the use of concentrated Resveratrol, the wildly popular red wine extract attributed to longevity plus many other beneficial effects.

Biotivia presently has US offices in New York, Los Angeles, Kansas City and international offices in the UK, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Singapore, Xi’an, China and Mumbai, India.

Beyond its strong consumer base, the company currently supplies researchers, physicians and scientists at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Georgetown, The Albert Einstein Medical Center, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the University of California.

Transmax and Bioforte in particular are being tested by several major universities as a possible treatment for a variety of conditions that seriously impair the health and well being of millions of people around the world.

Biotivia’s Resveratrol products, Transmax and Bioforte, have been independently assessed by Consumer Labs, the leading American quality watchdog, and were deemed both ‘most potent’ and ‘best value’ resveratrol supplements.

All of Biotivia’s supplements are also certified Vegan by the American Vegetarian Association.

Men’s Health. Can tap water cause male breasts and reduced libido?

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Nowadays, most people tend to think of the hormones estrogen and testosterone as being exclusively male or female. But the reality of it is that women and men produce both hormones, because our bodies need a healthy balance of them both for healthy bone development, muscles and sex drive.

The downside to this is that the balance between the estrogen and testosterone levels can change due to age or environmental factors. This can have an adverse effect on men as they get older as they begin to produce more estrogen and less testosterone. This is not good as over production of estrogen in men can lead to a heightened risk of blood clots and encourages middle-aged spread, including gynecomastia or male breasts. A hormonal imbalance can also lead to an increase in heart disease and may play a part in the problems faced with diabetes and the prostate.

But not all these issues are related to age. Some experts believe these changes are occuring more often, and at a younger age, due to more estrogen being in our everyday environment.

Estrogen analogs are found in plastics, processed foods and drinking water. Estrogen in tap water is a result of urine from women taking birth control pills and the flushing of out-of-date birth control pills down the toilet. Chemicals and pesticides add to the problem.

Whatever the cause, the end result is that men are being increasingly feminized.

Even athletes can get ‘man boob’ gynecomastia.

Feminization of male bodybuilders is becoming more prevalent because of the use of anabolic steroids. Due to their low level of body fat, bodybuilders and other athletes are sometimes afflicted with gynaecomastia in its purest form. Gynecomastia in most adults is composed of glandular tissue, but can also contain varying quantities of adipose and fibrous tissue.

Treatment of pure gynecomastia can be done only by removal of the breast tissue, which in the case of bodybuilders is sufficient to achieve a flat nipple-areola complex.

A good way for bodybuilders to avoid these fibrous tissue build ups is to use a supplement with a high forskolin content. Forskolin raises cAMP levels in fat cells, this is important because it boosts lipolysis function. Forskolin exerts powerful lypolitic effects as well as being a potent anabolic agent. It increases cAMP independently of adrenaline, providing increased energy without the need to use any type of traditional stimulant like caffeine, and without the undesirable effects of stimulants.

Forskolin and Testosterone helps cAMP increase anabolism, which is a crucial signal for steroidogenesis (testosterone production) in the Leydig cells of the testes.

By increasing levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), you are helping to achieve higher levels of androgen. Androgen is a Leydig cell cholesterol protein and is the main building block for testosterone production.

So it’s important for bodybuilders to find the right supplement with the right balance of these crucial proteins without any of the unwanted side effects … this is where Bio Forge can help.

Increase testosterone, muscle building and fat burning.

Bio Forge is the ultimate answer to every bodybuilder’s request. It is a bodybuilder’s dietary supplement that is able to amplify the natural muscle-building and fat-burning signals of your body without any harmful unwanted side-effects resulting in an improvement of your overall health!

The ingredients in Bio Forge’s Natural Bodybuilding supplement are clinically proven to:

- Enhance lean body mass
- Reduce fat mass to support better definition
- Support libido and sexual function
- Ensure faster recovery times and more productive work outs
- Boost both total and free testosterone, as verified by serum profiles.

This unique, natural bodybuilding formulation has an extraordinary scientific foundation and is perfectly balanced in its revolutionary ingredients profile and ratio, bringing you the future of natural muscular enhancement.

Not just for body builders. It’s inner strength for all men.

Although Bio Forge is a firm favorite with the bodybuilding community, this potent supplement isn’t just for athletes. Adult males who want to feel fitter can benefit from increased testosterone, muscle building and fat burning.

In conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise, Bio Forge can help men to feel more powerful and achieve a better chemical balance.

Men considering liposuction or breast reduction surgery for gynecomastia might consider Bio Forge and a healthy lifestyle as a natural alternative to surgery.

Estrogen can affect cholesterol levels, weight and libido.

Research indicates that too much estrogen can raise the levels of cholesterol. A study from Leicester Universityfound young men with slightly raised levels of estrogen in their blood had the highest levels of cholesterol. The higher estrogen levels seemed to encourage the production of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol (which is linked to heart disease), while reducing levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol (the protective form that can help prevent clogged arteries).

Regarding weight, rising levels of estrogen encourage the development of male ‘beer bellies’. Elevated estrogen levels encourages fat to accumulate around the central part of the body. The problem is that these fat cells, in turn, produce an enzyme that encourages testosterone to be converted into estrogen.

It’s a downward spiral: you end up with even more estrogen and lower testosterone levels than normal – as well as weight gain. This can lead to tiredness, flabby muscles and reduced libido.

Bio Forge is available online from biotivia.com

Bio Forge costs $49.95 (plus delivery) for 84 servings.

Bodybuilders typically take three servings a day. Those on a light exercise regime typically take one or two servings a day.

This unique formula contains a potent blend of four natural ingredients:

- Forslean (20% forskolin) – 250mg

- Epimedium (40% icariin) – 400mg

- Indole-3-carbinol – 300mg

- OptiZinc – 50mg

To read more about Bio Forge, please visit: http://www.biotivia.com/bioforgenaturalbodybuilding.html

Medical note: Bio Forge supports substantially increased muscle mass and density. May increase testosterone levels by up to 100%. Consult physician before taking. Not recommended for pregnant or lactating women. Combine with resistance exercise and plenty of rest.

Regulatory note: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drugs Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Extending the healthy years. It may be smart to consider Resveratrol.

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

The older we get, the younger we want to feel. And even people who don’t want to live to be 120 would still like to extend the healthy middle years of their life. Fifty years ago, hitting 65 was a reason to buy slippers and give up on exercise. But today’s 65 year olds want to be buying golf, tennis and walking shoes … not putting their feet up in front of the TV. In the case of Dave Noble, a regular resveratrol consumer, it is the time to break world swimming records and beat swimmers half his age.

But what is aging? Apart from changes in the way we look, aging is characterized by simply having less energy. As your doctor might put it: “Aging is highlighted by a progressive deterioration of cellular functions and metabolic processes.”

So, what is Resveratrol?

Anyone who has been listening to the news around aging over the last few years will have heard about Resveratrol, the natural molecule that’s found in grape skins and many other plants.

Research studies continue to find more interesting benefits from this molecule, its role in protecting DNA, fighting malignancies and protecting us against other degenerative illnesses. As to its anti-aging potential, Resveratrol activates a cell’s mitochondria (the cell’s energy factories), which prolongs the time cells have to repair their damaged or corrupted DNA and telomeres.

Scientists around the world have found that Resveratrol appears to work as a powerful antioxidant, helping quench free radical damage in the body. But it also has a unique mechanism that may prove to have significant life extension properties.

Part of a healthy lifestyle.

James Betz, the founder of Biotivia and a pioneer of Resveratrol, is passionate about the molecule. “More good anti-aging news is that Resveratrol’s antioxidant action could be very important for heart health because it can reduce the blood pressure by increasing the elasticity of the arteries and raising the blood flow through them … almost like removing the blockage from a pipe.”

Betz continues: “Scientists believe it’s down to the fact that Resveratrol not only has anti-plaque building capabilities but also stimulates the production of Nitrus oxide NO, the compound that dilates blood vessels. Resveratrol is also a powerful anti-inflammatory which maybe a reason it can help alleviate the symptoms in auto-immune conditions. In a recent study, scientists in the UK showed that Resveratrol helped increase cerebral blood flow, which in turn can enhance mental agility.”

Worldwide research shows antioxidants like Resveratrol have other abilities: like minimizing cell damage and slowing down the progression of degenerative and other age related illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It has also shown to improve organ, eye and skin health … All of these can extend the healthy years.

Resveratrol is 100% natural and vegetarian.

Resveratrol is found in a number of foods and berries, such as peanuts, blueberries and grapes such as Muscadine. It also found in abundance in the Japanese knotweed – polygonum cuspidatum.

This ‘miracle molecule’ maintains cell viability and exerts an anti-oxidative action by enhancing the intracellular free-radical scavenger glutathione. Resveratrol is an active polyphenol that has effects that are believed to fight tumor growth.

Maintaining a healthy heart.

Research also indicates that Resveratrol helps lower cholesterol, and is up to 20 times more potent than vitamin E in protecting against LDL oxidation, which has been connected with cardiovascular disease.

Resveratrol protects the circulation in the heart and other organs in several ways, including protection against ischemic transient global amnesia, improving circulation, reducing the hardening of the arteries, slowing down lipoprotein oxidation and the reduction of blood clotting.

Antioxidants show benefits for over-50 sporty-types

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

Supplements containing antioxidants and arginine may boost athletic performance for the over-50s, says a new study from the US.

The combination supplement was associated with a 17 per cent increase in the anaerobic threshold – the amount of work done before lactic acid begins to accumulate in the blood, according to findings published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

“The loss of exercise capacity with age often results in a reduction in physical fitness and more rapid senescence,” explained lead researcher Zhaoping Li from the University of California, Los Angeles. “A dietary supplement that increases exercise capacity might help to preserve physical fitness by optimizing performance and improving general health and well being in older people.”

Read more on Nutra Ingredients

Why is fish oil the wrong way to get your Omega 3 requirement?

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

The benefits of Omega 3 have long been promoted as playing a vital role in health and well being. The most commonly promoted source of Omega 3 fatty acids has been from the consumption of oily fish, but recent studies and a growing battery of evidence suggests that this may not be the right way to get your daily dose of these essential fatty acids.

Western diet

The western diet, as eaten by average consumers, has become highly deficient in Omega 3. With convenience and processed foods becoming the norm to fit in with most busy working lifestyles, our consumption of fish, the usual source of Omega 3, has declined dramatically. Now, our diets are mainly composed of meat such as chicken, beef and pork. But although beef, for example, is a source of Omega 3, changes in how cattle and other farmed animals are fed has broken that chain and resulted in commonly consumed meat no longer providing any Omega 3 at all.

Over the last few years, more farmers are supplementing their feeding regimes with corn and grain. Although this fattens up the animals quickly and is highly profitable for the meat producers, it lessens the effect of their natural diet – grass – and reduces the amount of Omega 3 produced. So, to counteract the effect of this, fish has been widely promoted as the best source of Omega 3. But once again, changes in how fish are produced may now be starting to affect this source, contaminating it with other, more harmful substances.

Aquaculture – the perils of fish farming

The diminishing stock of fish in the ocean has led to an explosion in the popularity of aquaculture or fish farming over the last 30 years. Farm raised salmon may mean that cheap salmon is available to the consumer in the shops, but serious questions are beginning to be raised concerning not just the welfare of the fish, but of the possible knock-on effect of intensive aquaculture methods. Farm raised salmon and other fish species are fed on food pellets, and not their natural diet of sea algae. They are also injected with a range of chemicals including growth hormones and even colouring, to ensure the flesh of farmed fish is the same ‘pink’ as wild salmon (as a selling point with consumers). But even if you decide to avoid the chemical cocktail that may be present in farmed fish and stick to wild fish to get your Omega 3, you could still be consuming some rather nasty chemicals as well.

The seas suffer from man’s contamination. We use the world’s oceans as a dumping ground for our unwanted industrial waste, and prolonged studies by biologists specialising in wild fish stocks have shown that fish absorb many of these chemicals readily. Included in this toxic mix are some of the most poisonous substances known to man such as mercury, PCBs and lead. Mercury, if consumed by pregnant women, can cause mercury poisoning and damage the foetus’s development and the well-known effects of PCBs and lead on human physiology have been well documented.

The alternatives

So if our wild fish stock is contaminated with heavy metals and chemicals known to be detrimental to our health and our farmed fish are being injected with hormones and colorants that have no place in our diet, how are you supposed to get your Omega 3 daily dose?

Purified fish oil capsules are an easy alternative and one of the best ways to get all the benefits of Omega 3 without running the risks of ingesting mercury or growth hormones. Look for fish oil supplements that have been molecularly distilled. This process removes contaminants such as mercury, making them safe for consumption. Alternatively, Omega 3 from plant sources such as flax are becoming more popular, and not subject to the same type of contamination as fish oil-based products. Products such as Resveratrol, primarily designed to act as an anti-ageing product, work in synergy alongside other antioxidants, supplements and vitamins to ensure that your diet is supplemented with the right amount of nutrients for overall health, fitness and weight control. Combine this with a balanced diet and plenty of exercise and a good skin care routine and the benefits quickly become apparent.

It may be time to start thinking about an alternative source of Omega 3. As much as you may enjoy that piece of salmon or fresh mackerel, looking at the bigger picture could mean that you uncover some truths about your food source that may be hard to swallow.

What is the limit on life extension possible today with existing technology and life style changes?

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

The search for the Elixir of life, everlasting youth and even slowing down the ageing process is one that has dogged mankind since the Egyptians thought that mummification would preserve their bodies for eternity. Today, despite huge leaps forward in technology, we’re still succumbing to the last ‘great adventure’ at the end of our relatively short lives. So how close are we to extending our four score years and ten?

Life extension – a scientific approach

Life extension, also known as anti-ageing medicine, experimental gerontology and biomedical gerontology, refers to attempts to slow down or reverse the processes of ageing to extend both the maximum and average lifespan. Some researchers in this area, and “life extensionists” or “longevists” believe that future breakthroughs in tissue rejuvenation with stem cells, molecular repair, and organ replacement will eventually enable humans to have indefinite lifespans through complete rejuvenation to a youthful condition. But as yet, the maximum life span a human can reach is around 120 years, with most of us shuffling off the mortal coil in our 70s and 80s.

The best we can hope for at the moment is to ensure that the lifespan we do have is as healthy as possible, and this is why in the Western world we have looked back to what nature can provide us in the way of supplements, vitamins and plant extracts. The television is filled with cosmetics companies, all lauding the latest anti-ageing product complete with plant complexes, antioxidants and even things not normally associated with beauty products such as caffeine, but is there any proof that these products actually help prolong if not our lives, then at least our looks?

Ageing is an accumulation of damage to macromolecules, cells, tissues and organs. As yet, science is unable to stop the ageing process at the genetic level, but superficially, it can help to at least make us look younger. A good level of fitness, weight control and a healthy diet free of damaging ‘free radicals’ can help to reduce cell damage, but halting the inevitable march of time is as yet a distant dream.

Turning back to nature for the answers

But the relentless search for miracle elixirs goes on. And there are some products that have the scientists excited. One of the most interesting is Resveratrol.

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis and is sold as a nutritional supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed. In experiments, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-lowering and other beneficial cardiovascular effects of resveratrol have been reported, and it is undergoing further trials across the world to see if these effects can be replicated in humans. If the trials are successful, reservatrol could play an important part in the future of genome research and the continuing efforts to find a trigger that can turn off the ageing gene.

The use of vitamins, supplements, antioxidants and minerals such as Resveratrol for the purpose of prolonging life is backed up with a good helping of scientific fact, such as ensuring you maintain a healthy diet and keep your weight under control. While some products rely on anecdotal evidence, that doesn’t stop the public spending millions of pounds every year in the search for eternal youth and prolonging their life. A healthy diet, regular exercise and supplementing your diet with natural products such as Resveratrol may certainly make you healthier and more likely to live longer. But that magic bullet to eradicate ageing, whether it comes from nature, from man’s efforts in the laboratory or by nanotechnology, is still a long way off. The best we can do now is to make sure that every day we live is as healthy as possible, no matter how long we’re here for.

What this forum is all about

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008

Welcome to Biotivia’s Resveratrol blog. This forum was created to facilitate the exchange of information amongst resveratrol users focusing on their experiences, observations and comments. Comments regarding specific manufacturers, suppliers and resellers are expressly forbidden.

Comments directed at specific brands, personalities or companies are not welcome and will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be unsubscribed with prejudice.

Please contact the administrator if you have ideas in which this forum may be improved or expanded. Thank everyone for their participation. Warm regards, James Betz

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