The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life

by Joseph Maroon

Book Overview

A groundbreaking examination of new scientific research that holds the secret to weight loss, increased strength, endurance, memory, and a healthier, longer life In The Longevity Factor , noted neuroscientist and surgeon Joseph Maroon, M.D., offers the definitive look at recent scientific breakthroughs identifying a group of natural substances -- including the much-publicized molecule resveratrol -- that can actually activate a specific set of genes...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416551085
• ISBN13: 9781416551089
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

Are you ready to live to be 120-150 years old?

In the 1930s, Clive McCay, a nutritional scientist at Cornell University in NY, was a pioneer in proving the link between calorie restriction and longevity. Since then, hundreds of studies have proven the link--studies on not only mice, rats, and dogs, but also primates. But what if you could take a pill and not have to restrict your calories? A nutrient known as resveratrol appears to have some promise. The Longevity Factor is an explanation for how this works as well as a guide for which supplements work best. During times of stress, such as drought or too much sun, plants can increase production of specialized molecules called xeno factors. When animals consume these plants, the xeno factors interact with the animals' genes and impart amazing health benefits, allowing the animals to live in some cases up to 50% longer! When xeno factors are made into an extract such as resveratrol, the compounds seem to trick the body into mounting a response similar to calorie restriction even without cutting back of food. The effects appear to cover all theories of aging (which are presented in this book). "By activating specific mechanisms within our cells, they help to control inflammation, regulate cell survival, repair cells, and prevent cell death. As antioxidants, they work to enhance the all-important performance of the immune and endocrine systems" (p. 30). Like the calorie restricted diet, resveratrol activates the SIRT1 gene, known as the longevity gene. What if you don't want to take the pill? The example is given of a French woman who lived to be 122. She claimed her secret was walking and two glasses a day of red wine. (Before you go on a drinking spree, note that with any more than 2 glasses, the toxicity of the alcohol outweighs the benefits of resveratrol.) We are given a list of which red wines are the most beneficial. Also, certain foods contain resveratrol. These include red wine, apples, dark chocolate, green tea, pistachios, peanuts and grape juice. But to get the full benefit of taking the extract, one would have to consume hundreds of bottles of wine! The book cites studies done on animals. The benefits of reseveratrol include higher energy, burning of body fat, increased aerobic capacity, sensitivity to insulin, better strength and coordination, with no negative side effects. In addition, there is an entire section with chapters on the following benefits: better memory (even helps with Alzheimer's), healing from diabetes, anticancer effect, cardio protection, stroke prevention, brain protection, and healing inflammatory conditions. The latter part of the book includes which are the best brands, dosage, safety, a four step weight loss program, and even recipes. In April of 2008, cutting edge resveratrol researcher David Sinclair told Barbara Walters's nationwide TV audience that the science of aging "has split the atom," and living to be 120 or 150 is not unrealistic. Are you on board? I know I am! (But until they get everyt

fantastic book

a must for anyone that wants to improve their health. resveratrol is amazing stuff. I have a blind cat. sick and blind since birth. 6 years old. i started giving him a tiny smiggen of the resveratrol with his nightly meds. Within a month of doing this you can now see a eye on the left side. you can see that he has golden brown with the pupil in in. AMAZING! took him to the Dr. to have blood work done. all blood came back normal except for his potassium. that was off the charts. took him off it for a week. eyes were wheeping alot during that week. taking a turn for the worse. Went back to vet and potassium was normal again. Unfortunalty it is not a win win thing here. I am now doing a smiggen of resveratrol 2x a week and we will test his blood again in 2 weeks. I will find a happy medium for him. the stuff has done wonders for his life.he can now see somewhat and is exercising, which is something that was never there before. As far as myself and husband? I'm hooked. I look better and feel better.In 20 years I will be glad I stayed with it I'm sure.

Fantastic book

As an ER nurse, I see more heart attacks than I would prefer. Thought the "French Paradox" was interesting, but I was skeptical. Turns out, the more research I do, the more credible it appears. This book had a page or two about muscadine wine. I was glad to see this as "The Red Wine Diet" did not. I give "The Longevity Factor" five stars for mentioning this. The other book was all about French red wines and did not speak one word of muscadine wine even though every source I can find suggest it is a far greater source of resveratrol. Muscadine wine is very popular in the Southeast, but not elswhere as the grapes will not grow in other regions. Muscadine was used for 8,000 years by native americans. Wines were made in the early 1500's in the New World as explorers found this grapes growing wild all over the coastal areas of the Southeast. Turns out, muscadine grapes have far more health benefits than traditional red wines. I have read anywhere from 10X to 40X the amount of resveratrol compared to traditional red wines. Bowman Gray School of Medicine (Wake Forest) did a study this past year on Natures Pearl, a muscadine seed supplement, and results should be out any time now. What I have seen so far looks very promising. A cardiology professor led the study and it is to be printed any time now for the public. Duplin Winery located in Rose Hill, North Carolina, the largest muscadine winery, sells a similar/same product Nutragrape. They have great wines and a very informative website as well. Harvard School of Medicine showed the anti-oxidants in muscadine wine increased mice life expectancy 30%, even with high fat diets. Reductions in LDH (bad cholesterol) and increases in HDL (good cholesterol) were significant. An independent lab in Wareham, Mass, Biotech, said that the muscadine seed had more resveratol in it than anything they had ever tested. I have contacted researchers from Miss State, Florida Univ, and other state level organizations and all my info says the same thing. Muscadine wine/grapes are far superior to all other red wines in regards to health benefits. It is perplexing to me. Why is so little said about this on a national level? Why do most the books and articles speak only of red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, etc..? Two thoughts on the subject. One, muscadine grapes only grow in the Southeast of the US and are just a well kept secret to the rest of the world. Two, the market for French, California, Argentina, Austalian, wines is so great, and is experiencing a surge as people start drinking red wine for health reasons, that it would hurt the sales of these wines if people found out that $7-15/bottle muscadine wine was more healthy. I am appreciative that the author of this book included the information on muscadine wine. Few books I have read to date included it. Perhaps this is a case of "sweet wines" not being given any credibility. Perhaps they just don't cost enough. Not sure. But I do know that there is no way I will b

The Longevity Factor

Dr. Maroon,a very respected neurosurgeon, has presented a very convincing set of facts supporting the premise of gene activation for longevity. Although, as a nurse I have some advantage in understanding factors in health and disease, it is not necessary to thoroughly absorb the facts he presents. The book is extremely easy to read and hard to put down. I've already highly recommended the book to my friends and family. I'm grateful for his research in this subject.

great read!

I've been taking 300mg of Resveratrol( 100mg 3 times a day before meals) since june 2008 and I have felt signicantly "better", i.e. more energy, greater exercise tolerance and better mood. I conclude that Resveratrol IS working for me or it's the placebo effect. The book is objective and well written...a must read for those who want more info. on the benefits of resveratrol.