The Life Plan (67 page)

A blood test for 25-hydroxy-vitamin D is the best way to determine your status. Levels less than 30 ng/ml are considered to be a deficiency state. Optimal levels are 60 to 90 ng/ml. Most of my patients need to take 5,000 IU to 10,000 IU daily to achieve these levels, which is significantly more than what is offered in even the best multivitamin. Make sure to talk to your doctor about vitamin D supplementation if you are currently taking antiseizure medications.

Coenzyme Q
₁₀
is a vitamin-like chemical that is found in practically all the cells in the body, especially the heart. It has antioxidant properties, and the body uses it to generate ATP, the cellular storage unit of energy. Coenzyme Q
₁₀
levels start declining after the age of 20. A low level of CoQ
₁₀
is thought to interfere with energy production pathways in our body.

The potential benefits of taking CoQ
₁₀
include antioxidant activity, prevention of age-related macular degeneration, enhancing athletic performance, improved immune function, prevention of heart disease, and slowing the aging process. Any man who is taking a statin drug to control cholesterol levels must take extra coenzyme Q
₁₀
because statins deplete CoQ
₁₀
from skeletal and cardiac muscle. The recommended dose of coenzyme Q
₁₀
is 100 milligrams if you are not on a statin and 200 milligrams daily if you are on a statin.

Saw palmetto is used mainly for relieving urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH), such as frequent nighttime urination. Several small studies suggest that saw palmetto may be effective for treating BPH symptoms. However, a 2009 review of the research concluded that saw palmetto has not been shown to be more effective than a placebo for this use.

My experience is mixed. Some of my patients, as well as I, believe it has significantly helped reduce the frequency and number of times they have to get up at night. Others feel it hasn’t helped them much. I think it’s worthwhile to give it a try, since it is well tolerated by most men. Look for a supplement that is standardized to contain 85 to 95 percent fatty acids and sterols. The recommended dose is 160 milligrams twice a day.

Lycopene is a phytochemical that creates the bright red pigment found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, such as watermelons and papayas (but not strawberries or cherries). Lycopene is an antioxidant that has been considered a potential agent for prevention of some types of cancers, particularly prostate cancer, because preliminary research has shown an inverse correlation between consumption of tomatoes and cancer risk.

I think it is prudent to take 20 milligrams daily of this nutrient to err on the safe side of nutritional health. Compare this dosage to the ingredients in your multivitamin to ensure that you are covered: Many multis include lycopene. It is better absorbed when taken with a fatty acid, so make sure to take it at the same time as your fish oil supplements.

The seeds of the milk thistle have been used for over 2,000 years to treat chronic liver disease and protect the liver against toxins. Increasing research is being undertaken on the physiological effects, therapeutic properties, and possible medical uses of milk thistle. In a 2009 study of 50 children, published in the journal
Cancer
, milk thistle showed promise in reducing the liver-damaging effects of chemotherapy.

The literature supports the benefits of milk thistle in protecting the liver, and I would encourage all men to take this supplement. Look for a standardized extract that contains 70 percent silymarin at the dose of 200 milligrams twice a day.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. It is naturally found in some foods and is added to others, such as milk products. It is also available as a dietary supplement and is present in most antacids. Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system. The body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in blood, muscle, and intercellular fluids. When our intake of calcium is low, our bodies resort to pulling calcium from our bones to maintain these critical concentrations. Then, as we age, our weakened bones break down from calcium loss, resulting in bone density loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis. Men need calcium supplementation as much as women. I frequently see men in my practice who have early or full-blown osteoporosis.

Calcium requires its own set of pills, because you need 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams daily, which is far less than what is available in a typical multivitamin. The two main forms of calcium found in supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate is more commonly available and is both inexpensive and convenient. Both the carbonate and citrate forms are similarly well absorbed, but men taking medications such as Pepcid that reduce levels of stomach acid can absorb calcium citrate more easily.

Great sex requires a strong erection, which relies on the relaxation of the cavernous smooth muscle and dilation of blood vessels, which are triggered by the chemical nitric oxide (NO). Pycnogenol, a natural plant extract from the bark of the maritime pine tree, increases the production of your own nitric oxide. When Pycnogenol is combined with L-arginine, the supplement formed has been shown to produce a significant improvement in sexual function in men with erectile dysfunction, without any side effects. The best dose is 40 milligrams of Pycnogenol, two times a day, and 2 grams of L-arginine once a day. I have personally used this combination of supplements and can attest to its effectiveness for men with or without erectile dysfunction.

One common complaint about supplements is that they are sold in a completely unregulated market. It is very difficult to know exactly what you are buying, especially if you are shopping at a drugstore or health-food store. Your goal should be purchasing supplements of the highest quality, which generally means buying the more expensive brands. Shop at a store with a good reputation that can give you good advice about the quality of their products. Checking out products online is another good idea. Remember that capsules are generally more readily absorbed into your body than tablets.

There are several excellent quality vitamin and mineral supplements available on the market. Cenegenics nutraceuticals are high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade products that I recommend. Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper has also created a line of excellent vitamin and mineral supplements. These products can be reviewed on his website, www.coopercomplete.com.

The most important rule about supplements is taking them consistently. They cannot help you if you let them sit in your cabinet. It sometimes takes several weeks to feel the effects or to notice them working, but continue to take them to maximize your results.

Vitamin and mineral supplementation alone won’t get you all the thousands of micronutrients that are responsible for a multitude of health benefits. Even the best supplementation program must work with a balanced diet, such as the ones I created for the Life Plan. This is why you need to make sure you eat plenty of nontropical fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and high-quality, lean protein.

One of his products is called Cooper Complete Elite Athlete formulation. This is a vitamin/mineral supplement designed specifically for high-endurance aerobic athletes, but I believe that it works equally well for anyone involved in high-intensity resistance training. It does lack calcium, so be sure you add a 1,000- or 1,200-milligram supplement to your regimen if you take this product.

Another great source of high-quality supplements is Nutrascriptives. For more information on all of these supplements, check out my website, www.drlife.com.

Y
ou now have a much better understanding of what it takes to become sexier, stronger, and leaner. No matter your age, you can begin the Life Plan knowing that you are doing the very best for your body now, and for your future health. I hope that you find this program to be as rewarding as I have. There is no way that I could have made this transformation without it. I know that if I can change from being a fat old man to becoming a healthier, leaner, and in all respects younger man, you can, too.

Doing the work is completely up to you. But I can tell you that the more time and effort you put in, the better the results will be. Best of all, you can continue to follow this program for the rest of your life without making too many adjustments. I can’t tell you how many men I’ve seen revert to their old ways and, consequently, their old bodies. That’s not going to be in my future, and it shouldn’t be in yours. And that’s certainly not what healthy-aging doctors like me mean by “turning back the clock.”

Now, let’s take a real look forward into what’s next in age management medicine. The three hottest topics right now are genetic testing, stem cell banking, and telomeres. I am fortunate to be involved with the cutting edge of all of these medical breakthroughs.

Today’s medical technology allows each of us to begin to take a proactive stance on future health. Preventive medicine is more than consistent diet and exercise; it’s about testing your health earlier, and often. Genetic testing can be a smart preventive step to detecting your propensity for certain conditions.

Chromosomes form your genetic material, called the genome. Each of your cells has 23 pairs of chromosomes, with each half inherited from your mother and father. These structures have extremely long, double-stranded DNA—nuclear DNA—made up of subunits called “genes.” Your genotype is determined by your cell’s unique gene combination. These aren’t the observable, physical traits (height, hair color, eye color, skin tone), but rather internal genetic variations that cause you to be unique.

Genetic testing enables doctors to analyze your genetic makeup in order to diagnose a medical condition or your risk of or vulnerabilities to inherited diseases. Clinicians isolate mutations or alterations in your genetic code that are associated with genetic disorders. Testing these mutations can help diagnose (or rule out) a possible genetic condition, or determine your risk of developing certain diseases in the future. It can even tell us whether your family members are at risk for the same disorder.