Today’s kava fact will be regarding age-related chronic diseases such as diabetic complications, atherosclerosis, uremia, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and last but not least, the normal aging process. This has to do with the same process that causes steaks and chicken to brown and develop distinctive flavors when cooked and exposed to high temperatures known as the Maillard reaction or “browning” reaction.
In order to understand how kava works in this process a few terms will need to be understood.
Definitions:
Glycation: The covalent attachment of a sugar to a lipid or protein [1].
Aminoguanidine: Drug that acts to reduce levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) through interacting with 3-deoxyglucosone, glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and related dicarbonyls. This drug is used to compare the effectiveness of different kavalactones.
AGEs: Advanced Glycation End Product(s) (also known as glycotoxins) are proteins or lipids that become glycated as a result of exposure to sugars. AGEs affect nearly all cell types and are thought to be a contributing factor in aging and vascular complications [2].
Where do we come in contact with AGEs?
Foods that are animal-derived and high in fat and protein are generally rich in AGEs, and are prone to further formation of these chemicals during cooking. In contrast, carbohydrate-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and milk contain relatively few AGEs, even after cooking [3]. Essentially these chemicals are encountered on a regular basis in consuming cooked food. Dry heat was found to promote AGE formation 10x-100x more than uncooked raw foods.
How do AGEs work in the body?
AGEs exert their pathologic effect by their ability to promote oxidative stress and inflammation by binding with cell surface receptors or cross-linking with body proteins, altering their structure and function. AGEs have also been found to target specific cellular receptors. Activation of these receptors by AGEs cause the expression of NF-kB which is associated with inflammatory issues and atherosclerosis (the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on your artery walls (plaque), which can restrict blood flow.[4]) AGEs can also work by inhibiting vascular dilation by interfering with nitric oxide, as well as by oxidizing low density lipoproteins (LDL).
How does kava interact in this process?
Through a more complicated process involving metal ion chelation, the kavalactones kavain, methysticin, DHK, and DDK all inhibited AGE formation significantly better than aminoguanidine, the standard reference for inhibition of AGE.
Lifespan Extension?
The consumption of AGEs over a lifetime can contribute to age related disorders, hence reducing the average lifespan of the organism. It would speak to logic that reducing the intake of these compounds would increase the average life-span of an organism by reducing the risk of developing these age-related issues. In the study by Atul et al. it was found that the lifespan of the worm C. elegans, was increased by 25% with the application of kavain in a high glucose concentration, possibly by modifying the AGEs formation [5]. This worm is considered a suitable model for studying glucose toxicity, in which the glucose condition limits the life span by increasing ROS (reactive oxygen species) and AGE formation.
What does this mean to the average kava drinker?
Kava is an amazing plant with a vast number of different pharmacological properties. Today’s fact speaks to how kava may interact with the chemicals in our diet. Normal carnivorous diets will have a large number of AGEs. This may contribute to the increasing instances we’re seeing of age-related disorders and disorders such as diabetes. Kavalactones have shown to be inhibitory in nature to the formation of AGEs. Studies suggest that avoidance of AGEs in food helps delay chronic diseases and aging in animals and possible human beings [3]. Take it with a grain of salt, but there is science that would suggest a regular kava intake would reduce these levels of AGEs and therefore possibly reduce the risk of developmental age-related disorders, cancer, and to an extent aging in general. More specific studies are necessary to confirm this in vivo, so for now this is an exciting possibility.
[1] Glycation, Wikipedia. (2020). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycation (accessed February 8, 2021).
[2] Advanced glycation end-product, Wikipedia. (2021). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_glycation_end-product (accessed February 8, 2021).
[3] Uribarri J, Woodruff S, Goodman S, et al. Advanced glycation end products in foods and a practical guide to their reduction in the diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110(6):911-16.e12. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.018
[4] Arteriosclerosis / atherosclerosis, Mayo Clinic. (2018). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases...to the buildup,arteries anywhere in your body. (accessed February 8, 2021).
[5] Upadhyay A, Tuenter E, Ahmad R, Amin A, Exarchou V, Apers S, Hermans N, Pieters L. Kavalactones, a novel class of protein glycation and lipid peroxidation inhibitors. Planta Med. 2014 Aug;80(12):1001-8. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1382949. Epub 2014 Aug 6. PMID: 25098935.
In order to understand how kava works in this process a few terms will need to be understood.
Definitions:
Glycation: The covalent attachment of a sugar to a lipid or protein [1].
Aminoguanidine: Drug that acts to reduce levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) through interacting with 3-deoxyglucosone, glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and related dicarbonyls. This drug is used to compare the effectiveness of different kavalactones.
AGEs: Advanced Glycation End Product(s) (also known as glycotoxins) are proteins or lipids that become glycated as a result of exposure to sugars. AGEs affect nearly all cell types and are thought to be a contributing factor in aging and vascular complications [2].
Where do we come in contact with AGEs?
Foods that are animal-derived and high in fat and protein are generally rich in AGEs, and are prone to further formation of these chemicals during cooking. In contrast, carbohydrate-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and milk contain relatively few AGEs, even after cooking [3]. Essentially these chemicals are encountered on a regular basis in consuming cooked food. Dry heat was found to promote AGE formation 10x-100x more than uncooked raw foods.
How do AGEs work in the body?
AGEs exert their pathologic effect by their ability to promote oxidative stress and inflammation by binding with cell surface receptors or cross-linking with body proteins, altering their structure and function. AGEs have also been found to target specific cellular receptors. Activation of these receptors by AGEs cause the expression of NF-kB which is associated with inflammatory issues and atherosclerosis (the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on your artery walls (plaque), which can restrict blood flow.[4]) AGEs can also work by inhibiting vascular dilation by interfering with nitric oxide, as well as by oxidizing low density lipoproteins (LDL).
How does kava interact in this process?
Through a more complicated process involving metal ion chelation, the kavalactones kavain, methysticin, DHK, and DDK all inhibited AGE formation significantly better than aminoguanidine, the standard reference for inhibition of AGE.
Lifespan Extension?
The consumption of AGEs over a lifetime can contribute to age related disorders, hence reducing the average lifespan of the organism. It would speak to logic that reducing the intake of these compounds would increase the average life-span of an organism by reducing the risk of developing these age-related issues. In the study by Atul et al. it was found that the lifespan of the worm C. elegans, was increased by 25% with the application of kavain in a high glucose concentration, possibly by modifying the AGEs formation [5]. This worm is considered a suitable model for studying glucose toxicity, in which the glucose condition limits the life span by increasing ROS (reactive oxygen species) and AGE formation.
What does this mean to the average kava drinker?
Kava is an amazing plant with a vast number of different pharmacological properties. Today’s fact speaks to how kava may interact with the chemicals in our diet. Normal carnivorous diets will have a large number of AGEs. This may contribute to the increasing instances we’re seeing of age-related disorders and disorders such as diabetes. Kavalactones have shown to be inhibitory in nature to the formation of AGEs. Studies suggest that avoidance of AGEs in food helps delay chronic diseases and aging in animals and possible human beings [3]. Take it with a grain of salt, but there is science that would suggest a regular kava intake would reduce these levels of AGEs and therefore possibly reduce the risk of developmental age-related disorders, cancer, and to an extent aging in general. More specific studies are necessary to confirm this in vivo, so for now this is an exciting possibility.
[1] Glycation, Wikipedia. (2020). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycation (accessed February 8, 2021).
[2] Advanced glycation end-product, Wikipedia. (2021). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_glycation_end-product (accessed February 8, 2021).
[3] Uribarri J, Woodruff S, Goodman S, et al. Advanced glycation end products in foods and a practical guide to their reduction in the diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110(6):911-16.e12. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.018
[4] Arteriosclerosis / atherosclerosis, Mayo Clinic. (2018). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases...to the buildup,arteries anywhere in your body. (accessed February 8, 2021).
[5] Upadhyay A, Tuenter E, Ahmad R, Amin A, Exarchou V, Apers S, Hermans N, Pieters L. Kavalactones, a novel class of protein glycation and lipid peroxidation inhibitors. Planta Med. 2014 Aug;80(12):1001-8. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1382949. Epub 2014 Aug 6. PMID: 25098935.
