What did I just say?

Looks like I'm not the only one who's got concerns about excessive antioxidant loading. I'll probably still take antioxidants, just not megadoses of them.

Fooling around a bit with the blog layout. More links added to the sidebar, including a rough draft of the cyclic telomerase activation plan I'll be following.

I'm starting to see some problems with the dietary portion of this plan. Whole grains, many seeds, and dairy, for example, contain acetyl-l-carnitine (in the telomerase-on phase) and vitamin E (in the telomerase-off phase). So...both? Neither?

I may need to research and collate the following:

- degree of effect of target nutrients/substances on telomerase activation/suppression

- concentration of target nutrients/substances from various foods

- bioavailability of target nutrients/substances when ingested

From there, I should be able to build more comprehensive information about what foods are phase-neutral or should be restricted to one of the two phases.

Strangely, it looks like my previous research into protein combining and the chemical food-pairing aspects of molecular gastronomy will be useful.

Subjectively, I'm feeling pretty good physically. Possibly better than I've felt in a couple of years. Not so much massively energetic, just...capable, if that were a bodily feeling. It's probably too early for my (incomplete) implementation of the CTA protocol to be having an actual youthening effect, so I'm blaming the reishi for now. Seriously craving tuna and tomato, though.

Well, heck.

It turns out that commercially prepared astragalus extract might be more economical than consuming astragalus root directly, after all.

NOW "Immune Renew", $24.99/90 capsules, @ 2 capsules/day, = $0.56/day

vs.

Astragalus root, $3.75/150g, @ 30 g/day, = $0.75/day.

And the NOW product also has a bunch of musroom and fungus extracts, particularly reishi, which I was planning on adding to my diet anyhow. They also carry just the astragalus extract by itself, but it wasn't in stock when I picked up the "Immune Renew". This seems to fly in the face of what I've grown accustomed to w.r.t. health supplement product pricing.

However, the "min. 70% polysaccharides" might be a touch misleading. I've requested feedback from NOW regarding more precise information about any and all astragalosides present. Heck, I can't even find information on whether astragalosides are considered polysaccharides. Hopefully this product contains sufficient amounts of what I'm looking for, as it's much more convenient than 30 grams of boiled or powdered wood* per day.

*Not literally wood. See previous posts.

Reading up about mitochondrial hormesis raises some concerns regarding mega-doses of antioxidants. It appears that I might want to reduce, but not entirely eliminate, free radicals from my body, now that I know what they do. Sure, free radicals may tear my DNA to snippets of ribbons, but they also (a) encourage DNA repair, in low concentrations, and (b) are an important part of a functional immune system. Hrm. Still considering supplementing with idebenone, as a "tweaked" alternative to CoQ10.

Carnosine is a bit pricey, but beta-alanine might be a better way to go anyhow - it's apparently the rate-limiting factor in carnosine synthesis.

Today's revision of supplements:

NOW "Immune Renew", 2x525mg capsules (=280 mg astragalus polysaccharides)

B12, 1x500 mcg

B Complex, 1x500(?)mg

Vitamin C, 2x500g