Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #593721 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 625 pages

Synopsis
This book will give you a clear understanding of the biological processes involved in aging, the ten key body systems where decline first begins, and the culprits largely responsible for tipping the clock: vitamin and mineral deficiencies and diminishing hormone levels. Learn how to weigh the pros and cons of hormone therapy, replenish your nutrient stores, strengthen your immune system, and much more.

Customer Reviews

Excellent guide to health and longevity
This is the revised and expanded edition of the groundbreaking work Stopping The Clock. It contains the latest research results plus more information on cutting edge supplements and other longevity factors.

Chapter One discusses various theories of aging and the top 10 biological processes in the human body that decline with aging. Chapter Two explores hormone therapy in longevity with a look at natural hormones like HGH, DHEA, Melatonin, Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone and Thyroid Hormone.

Chapter Three: Longevity and Nutrition, investigates the role of vitamins and their co-factors, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients like green tea, griffonia seed, tea tree oil, essential fatty acids, saw palmetto, bilberry, echinacea, cayenne, ginkgo, ginseng, bee products, colostrum, soy isoflavones and polyphenols.

Chapter Four deals with lifestyle factors such as diet, detoxification, exercise and sleep, and also provides various anti-stress tips. Chapter Five includes a longevity test and supplies the personal longevity programs of the pioneers of anti-aging medicine, including their personal supplement regimes, diets and exercise programs.

There is also a chapter on biotech human enhancement/augmentation. This cutting edge book on living a longer and healthier life concludes with a glossary, a list of anti-aging resources, info on the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, a bibliography and an index. It is a detailed and extensive guide to living a longer and healthier life.

Not the best anti-aging book by a long way
I found the approach taken by the book to be overly-technical, with references to papers that the average reader cannot access or understand, combined with a rather lazy and un-rigorous set of conclusions.

A typical chapter might run along the lines of this: Melatonin is a wonder drug! Studies have shown that it has the following benefits [obscure references]. Young people have high levels of Melatonin; old people don't. Conclusion: you should take Melatonin supplements.

There is little discussion of why, for example, Melatonin levels are lower in older people, or what dietary or lifestyle factors might contribute to this. Just pop the pill and live for ever!

There are also plenty of contradictions in the book. The chapter on exercise quotes studies suggesting that 1 hour of exercise per day is optimal, and that professional athletes and those who exercise for 2 hours per day won't live as long. A later chapter in the book then gives personal stories of people in their seventies or eighties who can perform outstanding physical feats such as running marathons, etc. These people are nearly all professional athletes, or people who train for several hours per day. Duh! What is the message here?

There is very little dicsussion of diet, calorie restriction, etc. The emphasis seems to be on which pills you should take and which wonder-foods from the Amazonian rainforests might add an extra year to your lifespan.

Also the claim that this is in some way "official" seems far-fetched. There are better books on this fascinating subject.