We’re always on the lookout for research that pushes regenerative medicine into new frontiers; and when we find a study that may provide relief for over 20% of the United States population, we have to share it. In this case, we’re referring to a recent piece from Lifespan.io that shares a recent breakthrough involving sirtuins, DNA and the healing of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis, as you know, is the most common form of arthritis and involves the wear and tear of your joints over time. Lupus, gout and rheumatoid arthritis also make up a large percentage of arthritis sufferers as well.
Unfortunately, many of the risk factors can’t be avoided as they involve advanced age, gender and genetics. On the flip side, we do have control over several lifestyle choices that affect whether or not we’re afflicted with arthritis as well as the severity of our pain. Among those include maintaining a healthy weight, reducing inflammation, working on mobility and flexibility, exercise, strength training, a diet rich in fish, olive oil, seeds, nuts and other foods high in omega 3 fatty acids.
But even those of us who follow the perfect diet, exercise regularly and take yoga may feel pain from our daily activities or physical hobbies over time. This is where sirtuins come in.
Sirtuins are a type of protein involved in regulating cellular processes including the aging and death of cells and their resistance to stress. In addition, sirtuins, as deacetylases, catalyze the removal of acetyl groups from these amino acids in target proteins. This deacetylation process can influence the function of the target proteins and, consequently, have a broad impact on cellular processes, affecting genes.
A new study published in Aging describes how a method activating the sirtuin SIRT6 may “reduce DNA damage, reducing senescence and possibly arthritis.”
According to the piece, “Extensive previous research has found that SIRT6, a deacetylase that is dependent on NAD+, is instrumental in DNA repair and naturally homes in on places showing signs of DNA damage. Other work has found that it maintains cellular functions in chondrocytes, the cells responsible for cartilage and whose dysfunction is linked to osteoarthritis.”
NAD is a potent stimulator of sirtuins and heat and cold shock proteins are potent stimulators as well. This is exciting news because at PUR-FORM we have a variety of modalities to improve sirtuin activity along these lines, including:
1. Intermittent hypoxia therapy, which bounces between hypoxia and hyperoxia, will increase sirtuin function.
2. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) will increase sirtuin function, especially SIRT 1 function.
3. Cryogenic temperatures increase blood levels of SIRT1 and SIRT3 and systemic antioxidant defense. This can be achieved using our whole-body cryotherapy or the cold plunge pool.
4. Infrared saunas will increase sirtuin activity via its effects as a cell stressor.
5. EBO2, which involves blood oxygenation and ozonation, stimulates the NRF2 pathway. By stimulation of the NRF2 pathway, the sirtuins will be activated.
In addition, the research shared in this article goes hand-in-hand with a post Dr. P shared earlier in the year about sirtuins and anti-aging.You can read it here:
