How Do Turmeric Compounds Promote Healthy Aging?

• Conventional CRM Drugs and Curcumin
• Specific Anti-Aging Activities

Experts suggest that counteracting the chronic diseases associated with growing older will lead to healthy aging. Antioxidant and anti-Inflammatory compounds in turmeric have anti-aging properties that: ^{(iii.42, 48, 70, 73, 74, 83, 84)}

• Mimic the effects of calorie restriction. Calorie restriction mimetics (CRMs) limit and prevent chronic disease. They do so by blocking aging signaling pathways and promoting healthy cell behavior. CR and CR mimetics are both associated with healthy aging and longer lifespan.
• Reduce oxidative stress. Reducing damage from free radicals is one of the most effective ways to slow down aging. That's because excess free radicals help create unhealthy aging pathways, inflammation, and chronic diseases. CR mimetics and antioxidants in turmeric can help by stimulating natural defenses, neutralizing free radicals, and reducing inflammation.
• Prevent age-related shortening of DNA. Longer DNA ends (telomeres) mean cells can safely replicate more times and live longer. Turmeric compounds and CR can prevent shortening caused by free radicals. Some turmeric compounds can even stimulate the enzyme that lengthens telomeres.

How Does Curcumin Compare to Conventional CRM Drugs?

Although conventional medicine has concerns over the bioavailability of natural substances, turmeric's curcumin compounds might even work safer and better than well-known CRM drugs: ^{(iii.48, 81, 85)}

• Metformin is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. It blocks the mTOR pathway and stimulates AMPK in muscles just as curcumin does. But unlike curcumin, metformin does not stimulate beneficial adult stem cells. It also doesn't stimulate production of the anti-inflammatory, cancer-fighting, anti-diabetic hormone adiponectin. In an animal study, metformin also stimulated production of amyloid proteins in the brain. These proteins are involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
• Rapamycin suppresses mTOR, but also suppresses immunity.

Specific Anti-Aging Activities of Turmeric Compounds