Brain health is a substantially important aspect of overall health for longevity, quality of life, and daily performance. Issues that arise from poor brain health range from difficulty with memory to Alzheimer’s disease which can lead to premature neuronal cell death.1 Finding interventions that can improve brain health allows for improved functioning. Current evidence suggests a lowered risk for the negative outcomes of brain disregulation.2 To date little has been done to curtail a large number of Alzheimer’s cases in the US. With this recently discovered intervention, there is hope for those with a higher risk for dementia type diseases.
To date, most of the research for Poly-MVA includes rat models. Data on these experiments result in showing Poly-MVA as a likely treatment for aging. When compared to controls, older rats treated with Poly-MVA had higher levels of mitochondrial ATP in their brains. The aged rats’ improved mitochondrial function would allow for better functioning of brain cells which is necessary when looking for improved brain health, preventative brain maintenance, and brain restoration. The comparison of control rats that had poorer outcomes showed the benefit of treatment. Without this intervention, the rats would have also maintained higher body weight levels and weaker energy function.3
Poly-MVA is a synthetically created molecule consisting of a palladium-lipoic acid complex. This molecule has a high affinity for free radicals which leads to oxidative damage, cell death, and further complications.4 With the consumption of a free radical the human cell can continue to function properly and avoid these potential outcomes. One thing setting Poly-MVA apart from other antioxidants is its ability to pass through both lipid and aqueous solutions. That allows the molecule to travel all throughout the body until contact with a free radical molecule is made. Poly-MVA remains safe to use due to the chemical bond between palladium and lipoic acid being a non-reducing bond. The molecule does not separate which allows for the safe passage of palladium.
It can improve brain health by acting as a free radical scavenger. One of the most significant differences between Poly-MVA and naturally occurring antioxidants is Poly-MVA does not dissociate in solution. The outcome being a molecule that can both pass through hydrophobic and hydrophilic layers giving Poly-MVA the ability to pass throughout all parts of the body without hindrance. This movement through the blood, through cell membranes, allows potential cell damage to be rendered harmless. This prevention maintains DNA integrity and other necessary cell functions which reduces aging outcomes which is especially important for neuronal cells that do not replicate.
Further research is needed for a stronger evidence base for the efficacy of Poly-MVA in vivo. Current data suggest a promising future in regards to Poly-MVA treatment targeted at brain health and optimal cognitive functioning. There are many aspects of brain health in which free radical quenching could be beneficial. A greater depth of research would illuminate human benefits as well as any potential side effects or unwanted outcomes.
- Freude, Susanna, et al. “Neuronal IGF-1 resistance reduces Aβ accumulation and protects against premature death in a model of Alzheimer’s disease.” The FASEB Journal 23.10 (2009): 3315-3324.
- Jesberger, James A., and J. Steven Richardson. “Oxygen free radicals and brain dysfunction.” International journal of neuroscience 57.1-2 (1991): 1-17.
- Sudheesh, N. P., et al. “Effect of POLY-MVA, a palladium α-lipoic acid complex formulation against declined mitochondrial antioxidant status in the myocardium of aged rats.” Food and chemical toxicology 48.7 (2010): 1858-1862.
- Shigenaga, Mark K., Tory M. Hagen, and Bruce N. Ames. “Oxidative damage and mitochondrial decay in aging.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 91.23 (1994): 10771-10778.