Seven Key Insights from the Integrative Practitioner Digital Summit on Aging and Longevity

2. Reducing Advanced Glycation End-Products Goes Beyond Dietary Interventions

To prevent, reduce, or reverse AGES, common sense would say to reduce the sugar load on the body, Bump said. However, there’s a lot more we can do to assist patients, he said.

There are both exogenous and endogenous sources of AGES, according to Bump. Exogenous AGES, which come from external sources like diet, food preparation, and tobacco, tend to get more airtime in clinical nutrition circles. However, the sources of endogenous AGES are just as readily dangerous, damaging, and prevalent as those that come from dietary sources, Bump said.

Endogenous sources or AGES include hyperglycemia and high oxidative stress. To treat these AGES, Bump uses several botanicals. He suggested using black seed oil to improve fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1C, and insulin resistance, for example.

One of Bump’s top supplements for AGES is berberine, as it’s been shown to lower glucose, prevent glycation, reduce cardiovascular disease, and decrease inflammation.

“Berberine is one of my most favorite of all remedies,” said Bump. “If I could only prescribe four treatments for patients, they would be magnesium, essential fats, omega-3s, and berberine.”

To reduce and prevent AGES, Bump also advises patients to exercise, eat more fruits and vegetables, follow a ketogenic diet, and increase dietary fiber to help balance the gut microbiome.