Hold the mayo, but easy on the Sirtuins?

[Kuanyin]

In discussions of Reservatrol we are now entering the world of Michael Crichton. All of this talk of “nano” this and nano that with regard to supplements reminds me of the Crichton techno-thriller novel, “Prey,” in which tiny machines attack human beings and threaten mankind. Although Crichton wrote the novel in 2002, much of what he said—good and bad—about the use of “nanomachines” has not fully materialized but naonotechniques are being employed in a number of technologies, including supplements.

In “A balance between elongation and trimming regulates telomere stability in stem cells” we learn that there is a delicate balance between the forces that maintain telomere length in stem cells and that “Excessive telomere elongation compromises telomere stability and promotes the formation of partially single-stranded telomeric DNA circles (C-circles) in hESCs, suggesting heightened sensitivity of stem cells to replication stress at overly long telomeres" ( ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl... Thus, tight control of telomere length homeostasis is essential to maintain telomere stability in hESCs.” Therefore, the ability to activate Sirti 1-7 claims, made by advocates of stronger, more potent Resveratrol, could have unforeseen consequences, especially over a relatively extended period of time. Viewed in this light, the cautionary nature of Crichton’s novel is further strengthened.