Pterostilbene & AMPK Activation: The Secret to Longevity?
You’ve probably heard about how blueberries are a wonderful superfood. But have you ever wondered why?
It’s because it contains a special compound called pterostilbene. Pterostilbene is an antioxidant found in almonds, grape leaves, peanuts and especially blueberries. It’s structurally similar to resveratrol (the bioactive compound in red wine), but considered ‘better’ because it has a longer half-life and is more easily absorbed by your body.
Pterostilbene’s reputation as an ‘anti-aging’ compound is largely attributed to its effect on the AMPK pathway. AMPK, which stands for 5’ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, is an enzyme that plays a huge role in cellular energy production.
If you can remember way back to your biology class back in school, ATP is the molecule that our cells’ use for energy. Well, AMPK is responsible in producing more ATP. This enzyme is found in virtually every cell of your body and is also believed to play a role in metabolism and cell growth. It’s no wonder that scientists have found that activation of AMPK declines with age. For that reason, some have coined AMPK the ‘youth enzyme’.
Since its discovery in 1988, AMPK has been extensively researched for decades proceeding it. Here are reasons why it plays such an important role in our bodies:
- Longevity - Studies using fruit flies that had a genetically mutated gene that boosted AMPK activity found that those fruit flies had a 20% longer lifespan than normal fruit flies.
- Improved blood sugar levels - The most popular drug used for diabetes is Metformin and for decades, no one really understood why metformin was good - they only knew that it worked. It turns out Metformin works by increasing AMPK activity, which increases insulin sensitivity.
- Weight loss - Aside from improving blood sugar levels, Metformin also has a positive impact on weight loss.
- Antioxidant activity - Some of the best antioxidants are produced internally by your body. And while AMPK itself is not an antioxidant, AMPK seems to turn ‘on’ antioxidant genes which are responsible for your body’s production of antioxidants.
If you're looking for a good product that has both resveratrol and pterostilbene, then check out NutraRez™, our resveratrol complex supplement.
