Re: Metabolic Rate. Formerly Thoughts on Creatine

[Guest guest]

Recalling the discussion a few months ago on metabolism and CR after

the results of study of long term CR practitioners were released, it

was thought that the lower T3 levels recorded in all the participants

was a confirmation of the theory that CR leads to lower metabolic

rates. Does anyone know if the sujects' metabolic rates were actually

mesured? Low thyroid production does not necesssaraly mean

hypothyroidsm and low metabolism. T3 levels are bound to drop when the

diet or other conditions do not provide inhibition. It might be that

CR lowers thyroid inhibition so that T3 is more effective at lower

doses??? Characteristic of hypothyroidism and diabetes (and lower

metabolism?)is the sluggish low energy state despite a sometimes high

dietary energy intake. This low energy production points out, as we

know, to serious mitochondria disfunction (defective cellular

respiration). But low levels of biological energy are certainly not

the case in long term CR. Heck no! Anyone acquainted long enough with

CR practice will tell you that energy levels can run sometimes quite

high. It is this absence of fatigue which suggests higher metabolic

rates and makes me wonder if there is any truth to the " live fast, die

sooner " theory. This might apply to energetically closed models where

it's all over once the organism runs out of energy. But most living

organisms are able to replenish nutrients and energy, and such that

dissipate acquired energy most effectivally, that is, while producing

the least biological damage by establishing a balance between tissue

repair and destruction, live longest. So which tends to be the case in

CR practice, low or high metabolism?

Pigeons offer a good clue. It is not rare that these long living birds

reach 35 years. And yet they metabolize rather fast...

> >

> > I found only this (searching creatine monhydrate and lifespan):

> > Mahoney, J. a; Parise, Gianni b; Tarnopolsky, Mark A. c

> Nutritional and exercise-based therapies in the treatment of

> mitochondrial disease. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition &

> Metabolic Care. 5(6):619-629, November 2002

> > " Summary: There is no currently recognized treatment for

> mitochondrial disease. Future clinical trials are needed, as well as

> research into the potential for in-vitro screening of various

> compounds within affected cells from patients. Until this time, an

> accurate diagnosis will facilitate treatment on a case-by-case basis. "

> >

> > Regards

> >

> > [ ] Thoughts on Creatine

> >

> >

> > Hi, I'm a newbie post, so I hope my post is in compliance with your

> > guidelines. Thanks for your patience.

> >

> > I'm wondering if Creatine could be used to help anti-aging?

> >

> > Let's consider the mitochondria for a moment -- they are what

creates

> > ATP for your body in the first place. And we know that the very

> > respiration process that they use to make the ATP can also fry the

> > genes floating around in the mitochondria. This gradual

self-damage to

> > the mitochondria is considered to be a significant source of aging.

> > The Reactive Oxidative Species (ROS) produced by the normal

operation

> > of your mitochondria gradually damage not only the mitochondria

> > themselves, but as damage becomes sufficient, the ROS can even leak

> > out into the rest of your cell and damage it too.

> >

> > But suppose you were to regularly take an external supplement of

ATP,

> > in the form of Creatine. Then your mitochondria might not have

to work

> > so hard to make it. This means less mitochondrial respiration, and

> > thus likely less damage to mitochondrial genes over time.

> >

> > People are used to only thinking of taking Creatine for workouts,

> > track meets, swim meets, sports games, dance class, etc, where

sudden

> > bursts of energy demand are required.

> >

> > But what if you were to just take small amounts of Creatine on a

> > regular basis, independent of any workout considerations. Will

it help

> > you to make your mitochondria last longer?

> >

> > Wouldn't taking Creatine still be consistent with Calorie

Restriction,

> > since you're bypassing your whole metabolism to get your ATP

directly

> > from external intake? The whole point of Caloric Restriction is to

> > deprive your metabolism of work, since that work causes wear and

tear

> > on your cells.

> >

> > We've all heard about the animal studies on CR and their superior

> > life-extending results. What if the same tests were to be done under

> > CR but also including the intake of Creatine as a supplement to the

> > regular CR diet?

> >

> > I began thinking about this after my thoughts on Chondroitin/GAGs.

> > After all, if you ingest pre-made complex/energetic molecules

through

> > your diet, rather than forcing your own metabolic processes to

> > generate them, then you are creating less work for your metabolism.

> > Less work for your metabolism means less production of ROS. And less

> > production of ROS means less damage to your genome and cellular

> > components.

> >

> > Comments, please?

> >

>