Decline of life’s energy theory of ageing 2. Restoration of anabolic and regulatory processes

Abstract

The precipitous decline of anabolic hormone levels that occurs as humans and animals age results in a decline of cellular energy production throughout the whole body. It is this decline that allows the deterioration of the body and leads us to pose the obvious questions: should we attempt to re-establish the hormonal synchrony and mid-life hormonal levels? And, if we restore both the hormone regulation and the hormone levels will the body be revitalised to a stable mid-life metabolic status? The answers to these questions have significant social, economic and personal implications. The body and mind fail progressively, after mid-life, in the absence of any hormonal restoration. The failure is due to a decline in the energy producing capacity of individual cells as an effect of declining stimulation by anabolic hormones. The lower levels, particularly of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and growth hormone (GH), precede the dysfunctional changes that occur in bodily tissues. A wealth of literature and multiple patents have been published that reflect the practicality of DHEA, melatonin and growth hormone replacement to constructively stimulate cellular energy production and the body’s synthetic capabilities. Melatonin administration is reported to synchronise dampened and offset circadian cycles and to support the return of tissue and cellular homeostasis. Recombinant growth hormone and/or insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) administrations positively restore many metabolic processes but the effects of boluses of these hormones, while therapeutic, do not stimulate circadian pulsatile rhythms of hormone secretion. Physiological (diurnal and pulsatile) secretion of growth hormone has been shown to require the administration of patented synthetic growth hormone secretagogues (releasing factor mimics that are not yet widely clinically available). Or alternately, oral administration of Alcarnor™, a patented composition of acetyl carnitine and L-ornithine that stimulates growth hormone secretion patterns that are both diurnal and pulsatile. The restoration or maintenance of mid-life [33-38] anabolic hormone rhythms and levels promises to thwart the physical and mental ailments and chronic diseases that are presently identified with old age.