Epigenetics: “The next megatrend for our industry”
Greg Macpherson, a biotechnologist, pharmacist and founder of SRW Laboratories, said this may be the first time in human history we finally have the right tools to age well.
For more than a decade, Macpherson has been working in the biotechnology sector, focusing on the aging process at the cellular level. This work led him to discover ways to target the nine identified, scientific hallmarks of aging, which is the premise of his newly released book, “Harnessing the Nine Hallmarks of Aging.”
While writing the book, Macpherson was inspired to develop a company focused on cellular health supplements.
“Up until now, we’ve aged fairly well with basic lifestyle management and a little luck. Today, we have the precise tools to take it to another level – the cellular level,” said Macpherson. “Using the nine hallmarks of aging, or identified causes of aging, we can literally reprogram our cells to function at a much younger biological age than our current chronological age. No other generation has had this technology available to them.”
2-HOBA
The key ingredient is hobamine, a compound found in Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat that protects DNA against free radical damage. It acts as a scavenger for reactive carbonyl species that cause stress in cells. The extract was discovered by Vanderbilt University scientists through the research spearheaded by Dr. Naji Abumrad.
“Hobamine (2-HOBA) is a very exciting breakthrough that is gaining significant interest from the research community. It is a genuine advance in our ability to protect our DNA, cellular components and proteins from the downstream effects of free radical damage and, as the research is showing, the associated immunogenicity (inflammaging) that is triggered by it over time. Further, we now have a tool that allows us to address this damage and not interfere with healthy levels of free radical signalling at the same time,” said Macpherson. “Hobamine is going to be a valuable tool for practitioners as it becomes more available.”
Macpherson told us that SRW sources its 2-HOBA through the team at TSI USA Inc. He added that the compound is so rare that Macpherson said SRW is only the second company in the world to offer it. It is vastly different from what is commonly associated with the class of phytochemicals known as antioxidants, in that it can stop the cascading damage in the cell which can ignite inflammation. Research shows that 2-HOBA can help the immune system stabilize to a restful, healthy state, versus being over-stimulated, which can happen over the long term as we age.
As easy as Cel1 Cel2 Cel3
SRW’s Cellular System Range of nutraceuticals includes Cel1 Stability, Cel2 Nourishment and Cel3 Renewal. When taken in combination, the trio aims to support the body’s ability to defy the nine identified hallmarks of aging. The hallmarks include: genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, deregulated nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion and altered intercellular communication.
Each Cellular System supplement has a different cellular health focus. A person’s biological age (e.g. the age of the cell) can be determined by DNA testing and reveals the actual age cells are acting, which could be vastly different from a person’s chronological age or number of years lived.
“SRW Laboratories has evaluated a number of molecules for their effectiveness against each of the nine hallmarks and combined them in a system of three products each designed to address the hallmarks at the right time of our lives. This can be different for everyone depending on their general fitness and health,” explained Macpherson. “Cel1 Stability specifically addresses DNA health, the primary driver of aging and provides something that everyone concerned about aging will benefit from. Just like we apply sunscreen to our skin DNA to slow skin aging driven by UV damage, we can apply the same logic to our system-wide DNA. Cel2 Nourishment is designed to address age-associated mitochondrial dysfunction. Cel3 Renewal is designed to target cellular senescence and is useful to those in their mid-40s. We recommend our customers take Cel1 initially, take the combination of Cel1 and Cel2 in their 30s and the full system in their 40s and beyond.”
The rise of epigenetics
Macpherson told NutraIngredients-USA that epigenetics is a developing field that, for the first time, allows consumers to look inside their cells and measure the effectiveness of lifestyle and various interventions they are making.
Whether it’s validating the effectiveness, a way to spark lifestyle changes or to measure and reverse cellular age, Macpherson sees the field as means to ultimately deliver an increased healthspan.
“Proactively supporting healthy aging to defer the development of the symptoms of aging is the next megatrend for our industry,” said Macpherson. “We are excited to make this formula available for sophisticated consumers who are seeking science-based nutraceuticals to combine with a diet, exercise and mindfulness for a holistic and proactive healthy aging strategy.”
