“Many scientists believe that aging is an intimately linked process, perhaps even caused by the gradual failure of the body’s immunological defense as environmental toxins accumulate, causing subversion within.”
“Maximal life expectancy for humans is theorized to be about 115 years. Since the average life expectancy in the United States is currently approximately 80 years old, 35 years have yet to be realized. Centenarians not only live longer than most individuals, they also have an extra 20 to 30 years of health as well as a shorter period of morbidity at the end of life. Some of the mechanisms underlying these extra health years have been discovered”[1] and we have more options on how to approach this topic.
Of course, with aging we are much more likely to be diagnosed with life-threatening diseases or weakening conditions. Aging research has had an unprecedented advancement in recent years: on one hand it’s primarily investigating all the factors that contribute to the aging process, on the other hand approaches like geroscience seek “to understand the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms that make aging a major risk factor and driver of common chronic conditions and diseases of older people.”[2] But before we start to think that the most reasonable solution for a long and prosperous life is an introduction of new drugs into our lives, let’s take a look at a few of the natural solutions that are familiar to our bodies.
Researchers studying the science of aging have found many answers, mostly with the discovery of how aging is controlled, and with the realization of the fact how important the endocrine glands and hormonal balance are. In this series we will be focusing on these particular areas, starting with our thymus gland.
The aging process is both mysterious and multi-faceted. If we think of a mobile, and to the younger generation not the cell phone, all parts move when one part is touched, and the same could be said to the way our endocrine system is balanced.
Many scientists believe that aging is an intimately linked process, perhaps even caused by the gradual failure of the body’s immunological defense as environmental toxins accumulate, causing subversion within. The thymus produces T-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell responsible for cell-mediated immunity that is extremely important in resisting infection by mold-like bacteria: yeast, fungi, parasites, viruses, toxins and allergens. The function of the thymus gland is to program white blood cells (the body’s immune army) in their various tasks, and then send them into the blood to recognize and destroy pathogens. T-cells come in 2 types: killer T-cells and helper T-cells.[3] The thymus “instructs” T-cells what to attack and when. Without the thymus instructions, the T-cells may fail to attack enemies like bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells, or they may even mistake some of your own cells for an invading enemy and attack you which is known as autoimmune disease. Examples of autoimmune disease are: multiple sclerosis, cancer, atherosclerosis, adult-onset diabetes, and rheumatic diseases such as arthritis.
The biggest mystery of the thymus is that it begins its own decline when it is most needed, and while many organs are still developing. Once hitting puberty, the progressive regression in size begins, and immunological changes occur while immune resistance becomes weaker—only 15% remain by the age 50 and decline 12 to 15% per decade thereafter. The question is, if the thymus gland were to be supported, could it also preserve and/or restore our immunity and with that influence the aging process?
Glandular therapy may be useful when a person’s endocrine system is under-producing or under-secreting a specific hormone. It can also be used when an organ is weak or diseased—for example, such is often the case with cancer patients. Because glandular therapy is generally effective for those diagnosed with a terminal illness, it is also recommended for preventative measures.
Another principle behind the benefit of glandular therapy is that glandular tissues are rich in many nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, polypeptides, enzymes, and many other substances. The tissues work with all other products and foods you ingest. In this sense, glandular therapy can supply your missing essential nutritional needs in a highly efficient manner. For a tissue cell to repair or replace itself, it must have the raw materials to do so. Glandular therapy provides these raw materials to your weakened organs, glands, and other tissues so that they can start the process of regeneration.
The missing link to thymic restoration is the need of adequate vitamin B6 and zinc within the bloodstream—a not so easy task due to using the proper form for cellular absorption. The active form of vitamin B6 is pyridoxal phosphate (P5P), and for zinc it is zinc picolinate (the picolinic acid form) that your human body can most easily absorb. B6 deficiency has been linked to thymic atrophy and reduced antibody production, while increased B6 enables the body to absorb thymus hormones. Zinc, is the keystone molecule for thymic proteins, which are immune substances, made in the thymus gland which means no zinc, no immunity.
This is why Doctor’s Choice® Thymus Gland also has Vitamin B6 (P5P) and Zinc Picolinate. What a better way to boost your T-cells than to strengthen the gland that supplies them?
Doctor’s Choice® offers true full desiccated raw Thymus gland concentrates (not extracts) which are sourced from New Zealand-raised, grass-fed sheep without hormones or antibiotics, from the same supplier for the past 20+ years.
As we age, our bodies must fight harder and harder to maintain optimal performance. Products like Thymus Gland can ease the body’s immunological load to help you age well, at the right pace to avoid aging prematurely.
References:
- Milman S, Barzilai N. 2015. Dissecting the mechanisms underlying unusually successful human health span and life span. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2015, 6(1):a025098. doi:1101/cshperspect.a025098PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
- National Institute on Aging. 2017. Geroscience: The intersection of basic aging biology, chronic disease, and health.
[1] Milman S, Barzilai N. 2015.
[2] National Institute on Aging. 2017.
[3] Killer T-cells detect germs or cancerous growths and destroy them. The helper T-cells creates an immune response in the body, activating other immune cells and stimulating antibody production.