Nutraceuticals and Nutrition Supplements

Biography

Biography: Jiankang Liu

Abstract

Due to the limitation and ineffectiveness of antioxidants in extending life span and preventing age-related diseases, scientists have being tried to find new solutions beyond antioxidants for delaying aging and preventing age-related diseases. The French paradox-derived resveratrol has become a star of nutraceutical because of the discovery of its effect on Sirtuins regulation by Sinclare’s lab at Harvard on. Nowadays, resveratrol has been widely studied on retarding aging and preventing/ameliorating numerous disorders in cellular and animal models as well as clinical studies. We have recently investigated a number of naturally occurring nutraceuticals and found that hydroxytyrosol (HT) has a unique and potent effect on regulating mitochondrial metabolism (biogenesis and degradation). HT is abundant in olives and virgin olive oil, which are widely used in Mediterranean diets. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that the people of the Mediterranean basin enjoy a healthy lifestyle with decreased incidence of heart disease, prostate and colon cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. One of the possible reasons is that Mediterranean people have a high intake of HT from olive and olive oil. The beneficial effects of HT have been mainly attributed to its antioxidant effect. However, we have demonstrated that HT is an effective mitochondria-targeting nutraceutical in various cellular and animal models, including age-associated macular degeneration, metabolic disorders, cancer, osteoporosis and muscle atrophy. Because mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in aging and various diseases the potent effects of HT on regulating mitochondrial metabolism suggest that HT is a rising star of nutraceutical after resveratrol and will be widely used for delaying aging and preventing/ameliorating age-associated diseases