Quicksilver Science recently launched Longevity Elite, a blend of adaptogenic herbs, phytochemicals, and the hormone pregnenolone to optimize cellular function and promote resilience and longevity. The product targets the activation of AMPK and sirtuin, mitochondrial biogenesis, telomere lengthening, and cellular regeneration, the company said.
 
“Today, people constantly contend with life stressors,” Dr. Christopher Shade, founder and CEO of Quicksilver Scientific, said. “A stressed body pumps out high levels of cortisol, a known accelerator of aging, and causes outcomes that the HPA axis is not evolutionarily designed to handle.”
 
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) describes interactions between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands, and is responsible for stress responses in the intertwined central nervous and endocrine systems.
 
The ingredients found in Longevity Elite are all tied to some aspect of HPA axis functionality, Quicksilver reports, in order to support healthy aging and hormonal balance.
 
Pregnenolone, an endogenous steroid, is a hormonal precursor which can influence memory processes and brain aging, the company said, and supplementing with it can help the body maintain a normal hormone balance. Astragaloside IV and Cycloastragenol, two herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, are evidenced to support AMPK activation, telomerase expression, and healthy inflammatory response, all three of which are tied to cellular longevity.
 
Two ginseng extracts are used in the study, each of which are evidenced to confer unique health benefits, Quicksilver Scientific reports. Gs15-4, a fermented Korean panax ginseng extract, is evidenced to exert adaptogenic effects including a healthy stress response and improving the activity of hormone receptors. Ginseng Plus Panax Notoginseng, which is from the same plant genus as panax ginseng, contains phytochemicals which may modulate cellular senescence – senescent cells are implicated in chronic inflammation and declines in immune function, the company said.
 
The herbs He Shou Wu and Zhi Gan Cao, both of which have origins in traditional Chinese medicine, are evidenced to have some modulatory effects within the HPA axis. The former is evidenced to beneficially modulate immune function, while the latter is believed to positively balance both active cortisol and inactivated cortisone, the company said.
 
Lastly, the formula includes ashwagandha, a root extract popular in the India-based Ayurvedic traditional medicine, and has been shown in clinical studies to improve responses to stress, such as alertness and sleep quality. It is also linked to improvements in testosterone levels in aging males.
 
The new supplement joins two others in Quicksilver Scientific’s portfolio of healthy aging products, which also includes NAD+ Platinum and Membrane Mend. All three of these formulas use the company’s proprietary nanoparticle delivery technology, which the company states can sheathe ingredients in miniscule particles so small that they can pass between cells and enter the bloodstream.