When it comes to ageing well, there have been some serious developments in the world of academic research over the last ten years that could have significant implications on enhancing the advice and services offered by professionals.
It all starts with the finding that biological ageing – the decline in cellular processes that result in the symptoms and conditions we associate with ageing – isn’t as closely linked to chronological age as initially thought.
And if this is the case, then it must mean that something is happening with biology that doesn’t necessarily need to happen at that chronological age.
And if that is the case, then there is an opportunity to change it.
A Whole New World of Anti-Ageing Research
These findings have led to an abundance of academic research into biological ageing, resulting in a number of clearly defined areas that independently influence the rate of cellular decline. The potential of this research is so great that the UK government has recognised the need to support research in this area and to focus now on translating this research into products and services that enable people to live healthier for longer through the creation of the National Innovation Centre for Ageing.
In July 2021, Ageing was established as one of the priority healthcare challenges in the UK Government’s 10 year vision for Life Sciences with molecules such as NAD+ cited as important targets for slowing the rate of biological ageing.
Anti-Ageing Research in Practice
Whilst our health system in the UK leans heavily towards prescription only medicines, there are many other countries in the world that are already embracing this new level of wellbeing science and the emerging practice of longevity. The US, for instance, has seen a growth in private clinics offering evidence-based products and services – completely separate to aesthetic procedures.
So where do these products and services come from? And are they credible?
There is a high level of activity in the world of drug discovery with pharmaceutical companies investing millions in finding specific targets for which they can develop treatment. The intellectual property on those treatments must be protectable in order for the company to get returns on their huge investment. So, here’s the thing; there are already compounds with the evidence base demonstrating activity on the target pathways. But they simply don’t fit in with the pharmaceutical industry’s business model because they are either previously protected or derived from natural ingredients and are, therefore, unpatentable.
Translating Research into Products
There are a growing number of new companies that have established a different business model in order to bring this research to people. One of the UK’s most established companies in this area is Nuchido. Founded by a team of research scientists from the world of anti-ageing drug discovery, Nuchido was created to translate the abundance of anti-ageing research into products that people can access more quickly. CEO and Founder, Dr Nichola Conlon has been working in the field of anti-ageing research for seven years and explains how she spent years researching novel compounds for the pharmaceutical industry:
“There are so many compounds that have been proven to work on the exact pathways and enzymes that are associated with the cellular decline that leads to the symptoms and conditions we associate with ageing. But they weren’t being pursued because the pharmaceutical industry is looking to develop unique, novel compounds. It was so frustrating because this takes a decade to do this and yet here we had compounds that I knew, if turned into a supplementary product, would benefit people today. So, I set up Nuchido to do just that.”
Sharing the Science
Nuchido is on a mission to share this science with the general public in a way that is accessible and meaningful to their lives and the team know that the best way to do this is through working with professionals and clinics across the UK. Professionals who already provide advice and services that help people age well and live a healthier life.
To enable this, Nuchido has created a private, online educational resource, The Nuchido Partner Portal, where professionals can access:
- The latest insights into the world of cellular aging
- Links to CPD accredited webinars on cellular aging
- The biology and research behind NAD+ - one of the most exciting targets for slowing cellular aging
- Social media assets for passing on this new insight to your clients
- The latest news from Nuchido on products for your clinic