Super Carnosine

Carnosine is a multifunctional dipeptide made up of a chemical combination of the amino acids beta-alanine and L-histidine. It is found both in food and in the human body. Long-lived cells such as nerve cells (neurons) and muscle cells (myocytes) contain high levels of carnosine. Muscle levels of carnosine correlate with the maximum life spans of animals.

Carnosine levels decline with age. Muscle levels decline 63% from age 10 to age 70, which may account for the normal age-related decline in muscle mass and function. ¹ Since carnosine acts as a pH buffer, it can keep on protecting muscle cell membranes from oxidation under the acidic conditions of muscular exertion. Carnosine enables the heart muscle to contract more efficiently through enhancement of calcium response in heart myocytes. ^{2 *}

Aging causes irreversible damage to the body's proteins. The underlying mechanism behind this damage is glycation. A simple definition of glycation is the cross-linking of proteins and sugars to form non-functioning structures in the body. The process of glycation can be superficially seen as unsightly wrinkled skin. Glycation is also an underlying cause of age-related catastrophes including the neurologic, vascular, and eye disorders. Carnosine is a unique dipeptide that interferes with the glycation process. When compared to the anti-glycating drug aminoguanidine, carnosine has been shown to inhibit glycation earlier in the process and also provides additive health benefits.*

Luteolin is a flavonoid found in olive oil, green pepper and perilla plant and has been shown to lower proinflammatory cytokine expression in vitro and in vivo. Luteolin is a strong interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor. IL-6 is an inflammatory cytokine that is involved in a host of human diseases including cancer, arthritis, coronary artery disease, rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, morbid obesity, pneumonia, sepsis, reactive airway diseases, allergies and fibromyalgia.

1. Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr. 1999. 29: 107-113.
2. Am. J. Physiol. 1997; 272(1 Pt 2):H462-H468.

Supplement Facts

Serving Size: 1 capsule
Servings per container 100
Amount per Serving
Thiamin (vitamin B1) (as thiamine HCl)	50 mg
Carnosine	500 mg
Taurine	200 mg
Benfotiamine	50 mg
Luteolin	4 mg

Other ingredients: gelatin and rice flour.

Dosage and Use
One 500 mg capsule, two to three times a day is suggested. This product can be taken with or without food.

Note
In order to derive carnosine's multiple benefits, it is critical to consume enough carnosine to saturate the carnosinase enzyme so as to make free carnosine available to the rest of the body. Small dosages of supplemental carnosine that are often sold by commercial companies provide no benefit because this small amount of carnosine is degraded by the carnosinase enzyme before it can produce beneficial effects in the body.

Water-soluble quercetin and benfotiamine are included in the Super Carnosine formula to help maintain healthy circulation and provide additional protection against sugar toxicity.

Caution
Do not use during pregnancy or lactation.

This page was last modified on Wednesday July 30, 2008