Guest Author - Maria Hester, M.D.
What is the longevity pill? Does one exist? It depends on whom you ask. While most in the scientific world agree there is no magic bullet to sustain health, beauty, and vitality until the ripe old age of, say, 150 or older, many must concede there are a variety of pills that can add to the life expectancy as well as the quality of life for many seniors.
What does one begin? It is not possible to cover every piece of scientific literature addressing this issue, but I will give a few examples of pills that help many people reach their goal of staying active and healthy as long as possible.
Recommendation #1
Statins. Drugs in the statin class are cholesterol-lowering drugs. These drugs are the most powerful ones known to date to decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes, two of the three leading causes of death in America.
Some drugs in the statin class you may have heard advertised include Mevacor, Crestor, Pravachol, Lipitor, and Zocor. While all drugs have the potential to have serious side effects in a small minority of people, the risk to benefit ratio favors taking these drugs for many, many, and many more individuals. If you are not sure what cholesterol is, click on this LINK to watch a brief video on cholesterol.
You should ask your doctor if a statin is right for you, and if so, do your due diligence to learn about the drug she recommends.
Recommendation #2
Calcium and vitamin D. While not as fancy as statins, these over-the-counter supplements are vital. For instance, osteoporosis is a leading cause of nursing home confinement in senior citizens. Weak, brittle bones predispose to fractures, including hip and spine fractures. While many people heal and are able to go home and continue life as they knew it before, many others become bed bound as a result of the pain and weakness. As a result, a nursing home may be the best alternative.
While most people are aware of the benefits of calcium and vitamin D for warding off the untoward effects of osteoporosis, most are unaware of their impact on breast cancer. Recent research has shown that women with breast cancer who succumbed to their illness were significantly more likely to have a low blood level of vitamin D as compared to breast cancer survivors. In addition, other studies have shown that premenopausal women who had a high intake of calcium and vitamin D were less likely to develop breast cancer in the first place. Of course, the body has the ability to manufacture vitamin D when we get adequate sunlight, but for many, an extra supplement is just what the doctor ordered.
Bottom line…see your doctor regularly and don’t be afraid to ask about simple things, such as those noted above, that can dramatically improve the quality and quantity of your life.
