Some billionaires have made news for their bizarre attempts to extend their lives, including drawing blood from younger people in an attempt to channel their inner vampires. The problem is that the majority of us do not have endless reserves of disposable income to invest in anti-aging treatments. Nobody has two million dollars to spend on an anti-aging regimen à la Bryan Johnson.
So, imagine a world where your anti-aging regimen was as simple as popping a gummy candy into your mouth on a daily basis—and for the cost of around $2 per day! That is the goal of NOVOS’s new Vital chews, which aim to increase longevity.
This may sound pretty gimmicky, so what are these gummies all about and are they worth considering as a part of your routine to live longer?
The Theory
Optimization of our physiological function throughout the lifespan is critical for longevity, and our essential organ system is central to that. Organ functions decline with age, but science-based formulations like this can help elevate the performance of our six essential organ systems in a major way that keeps us feeling younger for longer.
The purpose of NOVOS Vital chews is to promote and enhance vital bodily processes. Improving the body’s ability to function by supporting organ health can lead to increased longevity.
“By supporting healthy organ function, we’re supporting longer, healthier lives with a supplement that works and tastes good too—an added bonus for those of us that crave a sweet treat after a meal,” said Chris Mirable, Founder and CEO of NOVOS.
Lucky number 7 (ingredients)
Each tropical-flavored chew contains a combination of seven substances proven to preserve and improve key organs that diminish with age, including the brain, eyes, heart, liver, kidneys, muscles, and gut. According to NOVOS, the science behind these Vital chews has received support from over 50 peer-reviewed research papers.
Each ingredient works together and contributes to healthy functioning organs in NOVOS:
- Trehalose: This sugar has been associated with improved cognitive function by assisting in the removal of harmful proteins linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Also, a study using Caenorhabditis elegans, a type of worm often studied in aging labs, showed that increasing trehalose resulted in an extended lifespan and promoted healthy aging.
- Acetic acid: This colorless liquid found in vinegar can support cardiovascular health by helping maintain healthy cholesterol and fasting glucose levels. A 2009 study in Japan found that consuming apple cider vinegar resulted in weight loss in mice. In 2012, a Dutch study found that in North African culture, women who consumed a cup of apple cider vinegar daily achieved greater weight loss.
- Nattokinase: This Japanese food item is produced from soybeans that have been tenderized through boiling or steaming and subsequently fermented with a bacteria named Bacillus subtilis var. natto—it’s called “natto” for short. This bacteria can be found in a variety of environments, such as soil, plants, animals, and even the human digestive system, and can be shown to support cognitive functions by protecting against oxidative stress and inflammation. Natto has also been shown to extend the life span of Caenorhabditis elegans through biological pathways related to innate immunity and longevity and partially improve stress tolerance.
- Rutin: This natural molecule is widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom, especially in vegetables and fruits, and aids in muscular health by enhancing strength, mobility, and exercise recovery while also reducing oxidative stress in muscles. Rutin has also been shown to significantly extend the lifespan and healthspan of mice by maintaining liver health. Continuous sodium rutin supplementation in drinking water significantly extended the lifespan in mice by roughly 10%, improved physical performance, and delayed aging characteristics. The present findings render sodium rutin a promising candidate for clinical application in aging-related diseases.
- Lutein: This molecule is found in many fruits and vegetables. It accumulates in the brains of both infants and adults. Some studies suggest that dietary lutein can have beneficial effects on cognitive and visual health throughout life. Lutein can help protect the retina from the effects of aging, ultraviolet light, and oxidative damage. It can also help protect the macula from degradation that’s common with aging and oxidative stress. Lutein can also have anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce blood pressure and arterial thickness. A study of fruit flies found that lutein can increase their average lifespan by 63%.
- Zeaxanthin: This orange-red, crystalline powder is a type of molecule that’s found in dark green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, paprika, corn, saffron, and goji. Like lutein, it supports vision by protecting the retina by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Zeaxanthin can help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. It can also protect against UV light and cell stress. A clinical study found that zeaxanthin can increase brain blood flow and protect the brain from aging. Zeaxanthin can also protect against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD).
- Inulin: This prebiotic supports metabolic health by increasing insulin sensitivity and improving glucose tolerance and cholesterol levels. A study found that inulin extended the lifespan of male fruit flies but not that of female fruit flies. The study also found that inulin impacts the gut microbiota of male flies.
The Verdict
Why not buy in when a company has such a stacked scientific advisory board, featuring Dr. George Church, whom Time magazine has named one of the 100 most influential people, and Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, who is one of the faces of aging science?
A great scientific board doesn’t mean that they have any data on how this product influences health and aging, which they don’t.
So, should you buy into what NOVOS is selling? There isn’t any evidence that this particular chew extends lifespan, but so far, NOVOS’ other longevity products have been shown to achieve improved biological aging results.
For example, take Amy Hardison, a 62-year-old grandmother of 11 who was featured in Business Insider, or Julie Gibson Clark, a 55-year-old single mom from Phoenix, featured in Fortune, Business Insider, Fortune Well, and NewsNation, both of whom are making waves for achieving remarkable biological age results with NOVOS Core.
In the world of longevity and anti-aging, where billionaires spend fortunes in an attempt to slow and reverse the effects of time with blood transfusions and all sorts of crazy new fads, it is that much more noteworthy when stories emerge of everyday people outperforming them with modest budgets and achievable lifestyles.
The verdict is that it probably can’t hurt. At best, you may maintain your health, if it’s in good shape, just a little bit longer. We don’t know if it can fix any aging-related conditions, and definitely don’t expect it to turn you into a younger version of yourself, no matter how many gummies you chew. For all we know, too many can have negative consequences, and the last thing you’d want is to turn your health into a gummy situation.
But if I had to choose between a starburst and one of these gummies, I’d probably go for the one that isn’t made of sugar goo.
Comments