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Acarbose

Acarbose is one of the most promising and clinically evaluated longevity molecules. Through its ability to block peak glucose levels, remodel gut microbiota, and increase GLP-1 levels, acarbose confers its powerful healthspan-promoting benefits.

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Prescribed by functional medical physicians

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Elana Miller, MD — Chair of the Healthspan Medical Advisory Board

Board-Certified Physicians

Our US functional medicine doctors analyze your biomarkers and clinical data to prescribe personalized health recommendations to target cellular senescence and optimize longevity.

Ongoing Care and Optimization

Healthspan provides personalized strategies to optimize your health and longevity by monitoring key health indicators through regular check-ins and lab result reviews with your provider.

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Healthspan analyzes the latest longevity research to provide you personalized medical advice.

The Benefits of Acarbose

Our Honest Assessment

When the National Institute for Aging commissioned the Interventional Testing Program to test which anti-aging therapies extend lifespan, acarbose was one of six molecules that led to an increase in lifespan. Combining acarbose with rapamycin led to the best result in the study.

Acarbose seems to be working on a number of longevity pathways simultaneously. Acarbose slows carbohydrate digestion and blunts postprandial rises in plasma glucose. Acarbose aids weight control, postponing the onset of diabetes, and decreasing the risk for cardiovascular events. It's longevity benefits also seem to pertain to its ability to remodel the gut microbiome and increase levels of GLP-1, a molecule that seems protect against oxidative stress, cellular senescence and chronic inflammation.

The data that is available about acarbose is abundantly strong, and it has been used safely for many years by diabetics. Despite the overwhelming amount of research and data, Acarbose taken for increasing longevity is still a relatively new treatment. The rating is based on these two points.

A-

Robust Research

Regulating Glucose Spikes

Acarbose supplementation can partially offset the age-related dysregulation of glucose and insulin. Acarbose can reduce many risk factors for cardiovascular diseases through its reduction of glucose peaks (post-prandial hyperglycemia), which reduces the endothelial cell toxicity that is caused by high levels of glucose.

Furthermore, acarbose-mediated reduction of post-prandial blood glucose levels can indirectly change glucose metabolism, and thereby improve insulin sensitivity.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) play a role in cellular growth. We know bodybuilders, for example, are known to take IGF-1 for its anabolic effects. Do insulin and IGF-1 stimulate the growth of healthy, senescent, and cancerous cells? We do know that people with defective IGF-1 receptors have lower rates of cancer. This could be one of the (many) mechanisms that explain acarbose's positive benefits on longevity.

Microbiome Remodeling and Optimization

Accumulating evidence has shown that dysbiosis (imbalance) of the gut microbiota can cause inflammation and that probiotics can regulate the gut microbiota and reduce inflammation. The diversity of the gut microbiota decreases with age. Age-related gut microbiota disorder triggers the innate immune response and low-grade inflammation. This ultimately leads to intestinal dysplasia, which in turn leads to epithelial dysfunction, making the host susceptible to unhealthy aging, infection, and increased mortality.

The association between inflammation and the gut microbiota suggests the role of inflammation in the extension of the life span, which is at least partially modulated by the gut microbiota. By remodeling the gut microbiota to optimal levels, acarbose reduces age-related chronic inflammation.

Microbiota Mediated Reduction in Inflammation

In addition to its anti-hyperglycemic effect, acarbose exerts an anti-inflammatory effect. Increased inflammatory activity is accompanied by brain aging, but acarbose can delay aging in mice by inhibiting the activation of the hypothalamic nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) inflammatory pathway. Acarbose has been shown to inhibit interferon-γ inducible protein-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, macrophage-derived chemokine, and TNF-α activation and to downregulate NF-κB-P65 activity in human monocytic THP-1 cells. Furthermore, the levels of IL-6 in patients with diabetes treated with acarbose are also significantly reduced.

Acarbose may reduce the expression levels of inflammatory factors by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria.

Cardiovascular Health Optimization

Acarbose increases concentrations of circulating glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) while simultaneously reducing postprandial glucose. GLP-1 is a hormone that stimulates the production, release, and activity of insulin. Simultaneously it potentiates glucose-induced suppression of glucagon, decelerates gastric emptying, and reduces appetite and food intake.

GLP-1 also seems to act directly on the vasculature, liver, myocardium, β cells, and brain to safeguard the structural and functional integrity of these organs in a way likely to slow aging and promote longevity.

GETTING STARTED

How it works

1

Online visit
Start your online visit by completing our new patient intake and providing information about your medical history and lifestyle. The online evaluation takes about 15-20 minutes to complete.
2

Doctor review
A functional medicine physician will review the information you provide and determine the prescription that best suits your needs. Scripts are available for 1 month, 3 month, and 6 month supplies
3

Free shipping
If prescribed, your treatment will be shipped directly to you, and arrive within 5-7 business days. All orders are tracked electronically, and you will have access to tracking for each shipment.
4

Ongoing Care
Healthspan provides personalized strategies to optimize your health and longevity by monitoring key health indicators through regular check-ins and lab result reviews with your provider.