It seems we always hit a limit to lifespan studies. Unless we are able to modify the organs themselves, including the insulin response and mTOR, no single substance will ever prolong lifespan in a significant way.
The difficult part is the neurons, you need to change them one by one, and restore all their connections, and internal parameters.
This is my theory on how you can “refresh” yourself while keeping you you.
> It has been widely found that the volume of the brain and/or its weight declines with age at a rate of around 5% per decade after age 401 with the actual rate of decline possibly increasing with age particularly over age 70.
I feel like that's probably a big one without getting into the functional changes.
And just adding a bunch of neurons would probably be like giving your computer a new HDD. I think that the argument is about how it's important to preserve the information contained within the old neurons somehow.
They didn't extend lifespan compared to baseline, but they restored baseline lifespan to sleep deprived subjects by feeding them various substances.
They tried a bunch of antioxidants, the most readily available one was melatonin, I think, but it's not clear to me what it all means.
If mice and fruit flies can live without sleep, would it work for humans? Do antioxidants help humans with sleep disorders?
All I know is that over the counter melatonin does not seem to work any miracles for me. I have no idea if it would make me capable of staying awake 24/7 if forced.
Lifespan is a separate issue, but you could look at eliminating sleep, if possible, as living 1/3 (or more) longer.
To make you fall asleep?
Do not take more than 450micro grams, over the counter contains waaay to much melatonin.
Melatonin is an antioxidant, but it is not a miracle hormone.
It just signals the absence of light. Owls and other nocturnal animals get wide awake in the presence of melatonin, humans and diurnal animals get sleepy.
Over the counter supplements usually seem to have way too large a dose, and I've read they can be very inconsistent too.
The point is, I read this amazing study, and it may be somehow incorrect or even fraudulent, but it is what it is. Sleep deprivation kills. The claim is that via, not one, but any of several substances, that can be reversed, at least in lab insects/animals.
I definitely am not advising anyone take any supplements. I want to clearly state that I don't experience any particular beneficial effects from anything I've tried.
I just am saying that uncovering the reason why sleep is needed has to have world changing applications, or end up as a spectacular debunking, it seems to me.
I would steer away from melatonin as a supplement for anything other than sleep, because it is a powerful hormone and while the science is lacking, it's better not to mess with such a powerful and important hormone.
What happens if I take more?
More might produce excessive grogginess after you wake up, and in my experience it leads to fast tolerance -- so it doesn't work; 300-450mcg works in perpetuity for me.
There's no single mention of diet in the abstracts and non-paywalled versions. Care to share a link or screenshot to support your claim?
If I am reading it correctly...
The other contender is Fullerene C60 which is bioavailable when diluted in oil (e.g olive oil) however it doesn't cross the blood brain barrier and hence won't stop your current neurodegeneration.