In recent history: Atherosclerosis, fish oil supplements, coenzyme Q10

In 2000, The Foundation revealed how COX-2 inhibiting drugs could increase pro-inflammatory factors in the body, potentially leading to permanent joint damage and vascular disease. In year 2004, one of these drugs (Vioxx®) was taken off the market because of increased risks of heart attack in those who took it. For the COX-2 inhibiting drugs like Celebrex® that remained on the market, black-box warnings are now placed on their label cautioning about increased heart attack risks when using these drugs.

In 2000, The Foundation unveiled a European therapy (polyenylphosphatidylchline) that may protect against fatty liver disease and hepatitis C, alleviate pancreatitis, and ease drug-induced gastric toxicity.

In 2000, a Foundation-sponsored bill was passed and signed into law that enabled Americans to obtain lower-cost prescription drugs from other countries. (This bill was later sabotaged by the FDA.)

In 2000, The Foundation introduced a combination therapy used in Europe to boost cognitive function and that may alleviate the symptoms of senility.

In 2000, The Foundation conducted original research using carotid ultrasound tests to show that people taking high doses of antioxidants over an extended period of time may be protected against atherosclerosis.

In 2000, Life Extension introduced members to revolutionary research to transform cloned stem cells into tissues to replace diseased ones.

In 2001, Life Extension introduced high-dose carnosine to prevent the formation of advanced glycation end-products, a key molecular mechanism linked to premature aging and diabetic complications.

In 2001, The Foundation funded research to identify genes linked to aging, versus those that act to extend life. This research has led to the discovery of agents that mimic the longevity-promoting effects of calorie restriction.

In 2001, The Foundation published methods of suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines that contribute to the development of multiple degenerative diseases.

In 2001, The Foundation recommended a drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease called memantine that had been used in Germany since 1991, but was not approved by the FDA. (The FDA approved memantine 2.5 years later.)

In 2002, The Foundation documented that a large number of Americans are needlessly dying of anemia and provided definitive methods to guard against this disorder.

In 2002, Life Extension showed that doctors are overlooking thyroid hormone deficiency because of the improper interpretation of a common blood test.

In 2002, The Foundation introduced methylselenocysteine, the form of selenium found naturally in garlic and broccoli that protects against mammary tumor development.

In 2003, The Foundation advised members to stock up on an anti-viral drug called Tamiflu® in case they were exposed to the common flu virus. Two years late, the world became so frightened about a potential SARS virus pandemic that Tamiflu disappeared from pharmacy shelves worldwide. Foundation members who heeded Life Extension’s early warning already had their personal supply of Tamiflu in their medicine cabinet.

In 2003, The Foundation introduced the first therapeutic program to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

In 2003, The Foundation published research showing that topical and orally ingested antioxidants can prevent and reverse skin aging.

In 2003, The Foundation revealed an effective strategy for reducing the frequency and intensity of debilitating migraine headaches by restoring hormone balance.

In 2003, The Foundation warned that eating foods cooked at high temperatures (over 250 degrees) promoted weight gain and damaged the body’s proteins in a way that accelerated the aging process.

In 2003, The Foundation discovered that the drug metformin could mimic many of the beneficial effects of calorie restriction. The findings from Life Extension’s study were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In 2003, The Foundation published research showing how the topical use and oral ingestion of certain antioxidants could help prevent and reverse signs of skin aging.

In 2003, Life Extension introduced a plant extract to protect against DNA mutations and neutralize carcinogens.

In 2004, The Foundation warned of the hidden dangers of osteoporosis in men.

In 2004, The Foundation introduced a novel fiber that reduces after-meal insulin release and limits carbohydrate absorption.

In 2004, Life Extension reported that optimal glucose levels should be lower than current guidelines to reduce heart attack risk by 40%. (Soon thereafter, national standards for the upper sale limit of blood glucose were lowered, but still not to the lower levels recommended by Life Extension.)

In 2005, The Foundation conducted a clinical study showing that sesame lignans significantly enhance the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of gamma tocopherol. Furthermore, Life Extension reported that standardized sesame seed lignans increase vitamin E activity and enhance the benefits of fish and borage oil supplements.

In 2005, Life Extension announced the startling finding that PSA (prostate specific antigen) itself could promote prostate cancer and provided novel methods to lower PSA levels in aging men.

In 2005, The Foundation revealed how olive fruit polyphenols could boost beneficial HDL.

In 2005, Life Extension conducted a clinical study showing that an orally ingested agent could naturally increase superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in the body. SOD and catalase are naturally produced antioxidants that are more potent than orally ingested antioxidants.

In 2005, Life Extension reported on a powerful phytochemical that suppresses the growth of prostate cancer cells. Derived from milk thistle extract, this novel compound, isosilybin B, may also protect the prostate gland by reducing the secretion of PSA.

In 2005, The National Academy of Sciences released a report confirming what the Life Extension Foundation has argued for years—that x-rays at any dose pose health risks to humans.

In 2005, The Foundation alerted the public to the disease-causing toxins present in fish, and provided a strategy for safely capturing the health-promoting benefits of fish oil supplements.

In 2005, The Foundation reported the startling news that conventional sunscreens may not prevent skin cancer, and revealed how you can help protect yourself against skin cancer using topical antioxidants.

In 2005, The Foundation revealed data showing that blueberry extract can help reverse the memory and motor impairments associated with aging.

In 2005, The Foundation revealed an effective strategy for reducing the frequency and intensity of debilitating migraine headaches using an herbal extract from Europe, and for restoring youthful hormone balance.

In 2006, The Foundation introduced a novel method of capturing the health-promoting benefits of caloric restriction without hunger.

In 2006, The Foundation revealed a new method for lowering homocysteine levels that fail to respond to standard nutritional therapies.

In 2006, the Foundation set forth a comprehensive strategy for guarding against metabolic syndrome, a deadly, often overlooked condition that drastically increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.

In 2006, The Foundation revealed why vegetarians do not live that much longer than meat-eaters and how easy it is to correct this problem by supplementing with one critical nutrient (carnosine).

In 2006, The Foundation exposed how drug companies are seeking to shut down compounding pharmacies that offer Americans access to safer and less expensive drugs.

In 2006, The Foundation warned readers about an FDA-approved fish oil drug that is 797% higher priced than what consumers pay for the same amount of EPA/DHA in supplement form.

In 2006, The Foundation showed how a novel form of vitamin K could guard against arterial calcification and osteoporosis.

In 2006, The Foundation presented a summary of cumulative findings showing how the proper intake of a plant extract could reverse atherosclerosis and slow the progression of prostate cancer.

In 2006, The Foundation identified how one missing plant extract was responsible for the epidemic of macular degeneration afflicting aging humans.

In 2006, The Foundation introduced a form of coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) that is vastly superior to commercial CoQ10 supplements in absorbing into the human bloodstream, reducing fatigue, and slowing age-related markers.

In 2006, The Foundation published findings about how new cruciferous vegetable extracts may prevent certain human cancers.

In 2006, The Foundation uncovered findings to show that new stem cell formation can be promoted in the body by ingesting commonly available nutrients.

In 2006, The Foundation exposed how the American FDA was attempting to censor truthful information about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables.

The Life Extension Foundation today: Green tea, omega-3, DHEA

In 2007, The Foundation revealed how the ubiquinol form of CoQ10 reversed congestive heart failure in cases where conventional CoQ10 was shown to be ineffective.

In 2007, The Foundation ascertained what dose of green tea was required to protect against certain cancers and vascular diseases, and why drinking only a few cups of green tea a day may not be enough.

In 2007, The Foundation showed how cancer cells lurk in the prostate glands of many aging men, and how to inhibit an enzyme (5-lipoxygenase) that enables these isolated malignant cells to develop into full-blown prostate cancer.

In 2007, The Foundation showed that those drinking bottled water were at significant risk of a lethal magnesium deficiency.

In 2007, The Foundation revealed one overlooked reason why humans contract the flu much more frequently in winter months and what could be done to guard against this.

In 2007, The Foundation revealed published findings about how people with higher blood levels of vitamin E slashed their risk of dying over a 19-year period and showed that it was not possible to attain adequate vitamin E levels through diet alone.

In 2007, The Foundation unveiled a comprehensive program to sharply reduce the high cost of prescription drugs while also protecting consumers against dangerous side effects.

In 2007, The Foundation showed for the first time how Coumadin® drug users could safely benefit from low-dose vitamin K. Most doctors still tell their Coumadin (warfarin) patients to avoid even foods that contain vitamin K, whereas Life Extension showed that most Coumadin users can benefit from consistent low-dose vitamin K, which can help stabilize coagulation markers in the blood while protecting against arterial calcification and bone density loss—two common side effects associated with this drug.

In 2007, The Foundation showed that low blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are independent risk factors for heart attack and angina.

In 2007, The Foundation exposed how pharmaceutical special interests were seeking to ban over-the-counter sales of DHEA so they could sell this safe anti-aging hormone as a prescription drug. Life Extension members inundated Congress with protests and prevented DHEA from being removed from the supplement marketplace.

In 2007, The Foundation uncovered five anti-cancer drugs that the FDA was not approving, despite human clinical studies documenting both safety and efficacy. Life Extension organized patient advocate groups to contact their members of Congress to protest the unjust denial of these medications to terminally ill cancer patients.

In 2007, The Foundation alerted its members about the potential danger of inhaled insulin drug therapy. The company making this drug soon withdrew it from the marketplace.

In 2007, The Foundation compiled data showing that supplementing with higher-dose vitamin D could significantly reduce the risk of the most common age-related disorders, including cancer, chronic inflammation, and heart disease. The Foundation wrote the President of the United States urging that a national emergency be declared to urge every adult to consume at least 1000 IU a day of vitamin D. The Foundation also offered to donate 50,000 one-year-supply bottles of vitamin D to the federal government to give to those who could not afford this low-cost supplement.

In 2007, The Foundation showed how mainstream oncologists are failing to optimally prescribe FDA-approved therapies, and offered a practical solution for cancer patients to consider.

In 2007, The Foundation introduced standardized cocoa polyphenols to help correct endothelial dysfunction and improve arterial blood flow.

In 2007, The Foundation introduced an enhanced form of ubiquinol CoQ10 that was shown to absorb into the blood even better than the ubiquinol Life Extension had introduced to the world just one year prior.

In 2007, The Foundation unveiled its multi-prong scientific research program to more efficiently develop new cancer drugs.

Membership in the nonprofit Life Extension Foundation is at an all-time high. The Foundation is growing because people are becoming aware that many recommendations published by The Foundation in the early 1980s are now scientifically validated and many even accepted by the medical establishment.