Glucosamine is a natural molecule found in shellfish and fungi. It is also present in your own body in the cartilage of your joints, and in your skin, bones, nails and ligaments. You've probably heard about Glucosamine supplementation for joint health. (It's available over the counter and can be found in almost every drug store.) But it's not just for improving your joints -- researchers recently discovered it is a potentially powerful anti-aging compound. In fact, researchers have found it can extend lifespan as much as 20%: "....an epidemiological study done in Washington state with data from 88,000 people, and it showed that those people who regularly took glucosamine had about a 20% lower risk of death." . Read about it here: * geroscience.com/glucosamine-the-new-metformin-interview-with-dr-michael-ristow-part-ii/ * https://novoslabs.com/novos-anti-aging-longevity-supplement/glucosamine-anti-aging-supplement-longevity/ . *How it works* "Glucosamine interferes with one of the enzymes used in glycolysis, or the breakdown of glucose into lactate or pyruvate. So now the mitochondria have to try to burn other sources of energy instead, including fat and some amino acids. What glucosamine essentially does is mimic a low carb diet, because the cell is forced to activate the mitochondria to survive. It has to produce its ATP from mitochondrial metabolism, which will produce free radicals that then act as signals to the rest of the cell." . *A Little Stress is Good for Your Body* Researchers studying longevity methods know that exercise is important to life extension. Pushing your body a few times a week (until you are out of breath) is key. This causes your body to go into defensive mode, strengthening your cells. Glucosamine does something very similar in that it stresses your body by triggering mitohormesis, which results in the excretion of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). "Mitochondria are important cellular organelles that act as the cellular ‘power house’. Mitochondria generate ATP as a source of energy through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. During this process, mitochondria also produce ROS as by-products." Scientists have now discovered that ROS can be beneficial for the cells. "In response to mild cellular stress, mitochondria generate low levels of ROS, which in turn act as signaling molecules and protect the cells from further damage by initiating an adaptive response (stress defense mechanism). This process is known as mitochondrial hormesis or mitohormesis." Strengthening your mitochondria is key as you age. Mitochondria are found in every cell in your body, and without them you would die. Mitochondria diminish as we age, with the lowest mitochondria levels found in nursing home residents. Besides a reduction in mitochondria in the elderly, there is another important factor to consider. **Scientists now believe that many cancers are caused by mitochondria dysfunction** -- so it's important to strengthen mitochondria to reduce your risk of disease. . *Read about Mitohormesis here:* https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/What-is-Mitohormesis.aspx . *Additional studies on Glucosamine's role in extending lifespan are available on PubMed:* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3988823/