Cross-Link Inhibitor Confusion

Dear Dr. Dean:Re-studying your November 2004 piece about AGE’s and cross-linking, I could not determine what combination of aminoguanidine, goat’s rue extract, P5P, benfotiamine should apply. When the VRP new catalog came I thought I would find the answer. I see two products, AGEBlock™ and benfotiamine. The catalog doesn’t say which is best, if both are needed, if the other items on page 30 should be added. Can you help? Should Metformin also be considered?In addition, I’m told that taking Lithium Orotate lowers thyroid function. Might two Lithium Orotate capsules per day require an adjustment, such as beginning thyroid supplementation or increasing the dose of thyroid supplementation used? CH

Dear CH, You asked a very good question. AGEBlock combines VRP’s standardized goat’s rue extract, which contains 100 mg aminoguanidine equivalent, plus Carnosine and P5P (which has been shown to be synergystic with the drug, Metformin)—all of these substances are powerful cross-link inhibitors. Benfotiamine is also known to be an excellent cross-link inhibitor. All of the substances in these two products work by various mechanisms, and attack the formation of cross-links at different stages, as indicated in the figure accompanying the article. As you know, we are prohibited from saying much by the FDA—who claim that our cited facts are "drug claims." It’s hard to say which product is best. The products were formulated based on scientific articles documenting the clinical effects of each individual ingredient. Frankly, I think they should both be taken. However, some people have budgetary constraints that prevent them from taking both. No comparative clinical studies have been performed. I’m hoping to conduct such tests this year, and hope to get an answer for you. Ideally, the two products should be combined into a single product. However, it would become unaffordable for many people. Also, to really optimize these formulas, AGEBlock should probably have about 500 mg of Carnosine per capsule. However, that would really drive the price up. Hopefully, as the price of these raw ingredients comes down with increased sales volume, we’ll be able to make these changes in the future. Should these products be taken along with Metformin? Another perceptive question. All of these products are designed to be "nutritional alternatives" to Metformin. Which works best? We don’t know. Unfortunately, comparative studies haven’t been done. With regard to the anti-thyroid effects of Lithium. Prescription forms of Lithium (carbonate or citrate) are poorly absorbed into the cells, and must be taken in very high-near-toxic-doses. That’s why the patients need to have their lithium levels tested frequently. The near-toxicity is probably also the cause of the anti-thyroid effects. Lithium Orotate is 20 times more bio-available than the prescription forms of lithium. Consequently, it is very effective in fractional doses (compared with prescription lithium), and does not cause the toxic effects normally associated with "lithium" therapy. I’ve treated hundreds of patients with Lithium Orotate, and haven’t seen any evidence of a thyrotoxic effect. Ward Dean, M.D.