“Anti-aging medicine” isn’t perhaps the best term to describe his field of interest, says Dr. Craige Golding, specialist in anti-aging medicine and founder of the Golding Institute.
“It tends to suggest a focus on the exterior, giving the impression that it’s all about wrinkles and Botox treatments.” But the focus is much broader. Anti-aging medicine is really about the prevention, early detection, and reversal of the chronic diseases that become more common with age, and which constitute nearly 90% of the illnesses doctors treat on an ongoing basis.
How to age better
As you age, the body’s demand for nutrients increases to help fight off disease, aging, and decay. Many of the body’s systems, such as the digestive, excretory, and circulatory systems, become tired from years of use, functioning less efficiently.
“I think the biggest shift is that people are realizing that chronic, complex diseases are best managed with integrative medicine,” he says.
Most people understand why we age. The mechanisms of aging are well known, from oxidative stress to glycation, to telomere shortening, decreasing NAD+ levels, cellular senescence, mitochondrial DNA damage, loss of proteostasis, inflammation, over-activation of the mTOR system, and over-activation of the autophagy system. “So, if you can go through all of those and have a lifestyle and nutraceutical combat package – to negate all of those aging processes or mechanisms – you certainly can live past 100.”
Control your NAD levels and keep your mitochondria healthy
By the time a human is middle-aged, levels of NAD+ have fallen to 50%, with a resulting loss of sirtuin activation and PARP activity. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) protects tissues, induces DNA repair, and increases lifespan. It plays an important role in transferring energy released from glucose and fatty acids to the mitochondria, so it can be converted into cellular energy.
A decline in cellular NAD levels causes aging-related disorders.
You need to get your NAD levels up – the higher your NAD levels, the fewer free radicals and the less oxidative stress you have. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has been shown to increase NAD and mitigate many age-related dysfunctions.
“So, the lowered oxidative stress, combined with the healthy mitochondria – that’s what’s going to take you past 100. As long as you’re doing a lot of preventive screening, you’re not missing things like cancer or autoimmune diseases, and other chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, along the way,” Golding explains.
Telomere shortening is a critical issue
“You have to protect against the wearing down of protective caps on chromosomes. A supplement such as astragalus membranaceus is an mTOR inhibitor, and should only be taken in the mornings when intermittent fasting or longer fasting, to promote autophagy.”
Get a grip on autoimmune diseases
There are about 100 autoimmune diseases. There are many that you can reverse using the integrative model. “We do this by methods such as healing the leaky gut, cleaning up the diet and detoxifying. We also work with estrogen detoxification, and we use immune modulatory agents, such as low-dose naltrexone and DHEA,” Golding says.
Your longevity starts here…
Role models for longevity are the Okinawans. Research shows that this culture eats 30% to 40% fewer calories than that of the Western world, while their flavonoid consumption is up to eight times more than in the Western world. Their daily exercise programmes are moderate to high. It’s not unusual for Okinawan people to live to 100 years and beyond.
For longevity
- Eat seven servings of fruit and veggies per day;
- Eat seven servings of grains per day;
- Eat two servings of soy-laden foods rich in flavonoids;
- Eat two to three servings of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids per week;
- Get 30% of their total calories per day from fat;
- Have less than 6g of sodium intake from all sources per day;
- Participate in moderate exercise daily;
- Have a strong social and family network;
- Focus and calm your life, with relaxation and meditation techniques; and
- Balance your life – everything in moderation.
Restrict your calories
“Caloric restriction increases longevity,” Golding explains. This helps to prevent inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
It’ll improve mitochondrial function, activate sirtuin genes, and have positive anti-inflammatory effects. Importantly, a low-calorie diet doesn’t equal becoming nutritionally compromised.
According to Golding, mimetics simulate decreased calorie intake. They don’t have weight-loss effects of low-calorie intake. Their key value is in having life-extending effects linked to low-calorie intake.
He shares his calorie-restriction mimetic protocol:
- Resveratrol (100mg twice daily)
- Pterostilbene (50mg twice-daily)
- Carnosine (500mg twice-daily)
- Grape seed extract (100mg twice daily)
- Alpha lipoic acid (R-forms) (150mg twice-daily)
- Acetyl-L-carnitine (500mg to 1,000 mg twice daily)
- Metformin (on prescription only) with vitamin B12 if insulin-resistant
- Good-quality complete antioxidant formula
Have a plan, and find the right medical partners to help you achieve it
Any longevity plan needs to be personalized.
“With this in mind, individual anti-aging nutrients need to be taken into context, and if you’re going to supplement, make sure you do so wisely, and always read the labels on your packaging. If you’re not sure about what added nutrients you need, speak to a reputable healthcare expert.”
For anyone looking for an integrative or aging specialist, he recommends consulting SASIM, a non-profit network of medical and allied health practitioners who support the practice of integrative medicine (IM). SASIM also educates the public on integrative self-care, disease prevention, and the effective and sustainable application of IM for treating chronic disease.
NOTE: For those reading this article who reside outside of South Africa, such organizations exist in every country.
GRAB YOUR LONGEVITY 2025/6 COPY
While the aforementioned article featured in the previous issue of Longevity, our latest issue includes even more incredible articles and features. Our “Back to Earth” issue is Longevity’s must-have edition for anyone ready to reflect on what we put in and on our bodies.
From expert insights with Dr. Zach Bush and Dr. Ash Kapoor to Oscar Chalupsky, Dr. Ela Manga, Dr. Maureen Allem, Dr. Anushka Reddy, Dr Des Fernandes, Dr. Craige Golding, and many more, this issue explores everything from food, clean beauty, sustainable living, fashion, travel, and other mindful choices.
While available nationally in Southern Africa at your nearest Woolworths, Exclusive Books, and selectively at Superspar, Pick’n Pay, Airport lounges, and your local garage shop, you can also buy a digital copy at Zinio.com
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