As human life expectancy has been increasing, so have chronic illnesses and diseases prompting researchers to study the biological underpinnings of aging with a range of anti-aging (geroprotective) dietary, nutraceutical, pharmacological, and physiological approaches. These studies have revealed that select small compounds may help to protect against age-related chronic illness and disease. Moreover, some of them may even potentially increase longevity.
However, much of this is emerging science and the full effects of the anti-aging compounds on humans is not known. This uncertainty can deter people from wanting to partake in the various anti-aging interventions, including supplements and drugs.
Investigating public willingness
This study was conducted to investigate the willingness of the public to engage in various anti-aging interventions in daily life, involving 178 adult Dutch participants between the ages of 18 and 85 years old, with 70% being under the age of 39. The anti-aging interventions were:
- Exercise: At least 3 hours of aerobic exercise and 2 hours of resistance exercise per week.
- Supplements: Daily intake of omega-3 supplements, or other supplements with perceived health benefits.
- Intermittent fasting: At least 5 days of 16/8 intermittent fasting (eating within an 8-hour window and 16 hours of fasting) per week.
- Drugs: One pill per week of government-approved drugs that have been repurposed to potentially slow aging (metformin and rapamycin).
More willing to take anti-aging supplements
According to the survey recently published in Frontiers in Aging, most people are more willing to take anti-aging supplements such as NMN than any other anti-aging drug such as metformin, or any other intervention. Exercise was voted as the second most popular anti-aging intervention, followed by intermittent fasting, metformin, and rapamycin.
Male participants were revealed to be more likely to participate in exercise or already have a regular exercise routine. However, only one-third of the participants reported already exercising, demonstrating the disparity between the willingness and actually taking action.
Female participants were revealed to be more willing to take anti-aging supplements than men were, with about half of the respondents reporting that they are already taking some supplements.
Around one-fourth of the respondents were willing to begin an intermittent fasting routine or take metformin regularly. However, the regular use of rapamycin was rejected by over three-fourths of the respondents, with less than 2% saying that they would be willing to take it.
Trust
The participants were also asked to what degree they trusted medical institutions. While the respondents were predominantly unsure about the use of metformin as an anti-aging agent, the analysis revealed that trust in medical institutions was associated with a higher likelihood of taking metformin in both sexes. This may explain the skepticism about taking emerging anti-aging drugs like metformin and rapamycin. While metformin does have more scientific evidence to fall back on from clinical trials than rapamycin, the long-term effects still are not clear. However, as more scientific evidence emerges on these anti-aging drugs, trust will soon replace skepticism.
Limitations
This study was not without limitations, such as being conducted in the Netherlands where cultural differences could influence the willingness of people to engage in anti-aging intervention. Additionally, the majority of participants were relatively young and healthy, older participants may be more likely to partake in various anti-aging interventions due to being more susceptible to age-related chronic illness and disease. Similar surveys conducted in other countries with a more diverse population could help to determine if the results of this study are universal or not.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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This article was written by Tamsyn Julie Webber at the WHN News Desk.
t.spiegel@uu.nl
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