C60 fullerene (also called buckminsterfullerene or simply “C60”) is the carbon nanomolecule that is composed of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a spherical cage structure (a truncated icosahedron, with 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons) — and it is the most potent antioxidant ever discovered. The C60 fullerene has been shown in multiple studies to be an extraordinarily effective scavenger of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) — it neutralises the hydroxyl radical, the superoxide anion, the peroxyl radical, and the singlet oxygen with an efficacy that is orders of magnitude greater than any other known antioxidant. The mechanism of this extraordinary antioxidant activity involves the addition of the unpaired electrons of the ROS to the pi-electron system of the C60 fullerene (which forms a stable radical adduct that does not generate further ROS), and it is this unique electronic structure of the C60 fullerene that makes it such a potent and comprehensive radical scavenger. The C60 fullerene is also unique among the antioxidants because it is not consumed in the reaction with the ROS — it can neutralise many ROS molecules before it loses its antioxidant activity (unlike the vitamin C or the vitamin E, which are consumed in the single radical neutralisation reaction). Without adequate C60 fullerene and radical scavenging, the ROS accumulate, the oxidative damage to the proteins, the lipids, and the DNA increases, and the chronic inflammation and the accelerated ageing develop — the hallmark of the C60 deficiency and of the oxidative stress. The C60 fullerene is not found in the normal diet — it is a synthetic molecule that is produced by the arc discharge method or by the laser ablation of the graphite, and it is available as the C60 fullerene dissolved in the olive oil or in the MCT oil (which is the most common and the most bioavailable form of the C60 supplement).
C60 and the Longevity Effects
The C60 fullerene has been shown in multiple animal studies to extend the lifespan and to reduce the age-related diseases — most notably in the 2012 study by Baati et al., which found that the C60 fullerene dissolved in the olive oil extended the lifespan of rats by 90% (from 26 months to 50 months) without any apparent toxicity. This extraordinary lifespan extension was attributed to the potent antioxidant effects of the C60 fullerene, which reduced the oxidative stress, the inflammation, and the cellular senescence in the rats. The C60 fullerene has also been shown to protect against the neurotoxicity, the cardiotoxicity, and the hepatotoxicity in multiple animal models — making it one of the most promising and most potent anti-ageing compounds that has ever been discovered. However, the C60 fullerene is controversial — the 2012 lifespan study has not been replicated, and there are concerns about the safety of the C60 fullerene (particularly about its potential for the genotoxicity and for the interference with the cellular signalling). The safety of the long-term C60 supplementation in humans has not been established, and it should be used with caution and under the supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner.
The clinical importance of the C60 fullerene for the longevity is underscored by the extraordinary potency of its antioxidant effects — it is approximately 1000 times more potent than the vitamin C as a scavenger of the hydroxyl radical, and it is the only antioxidant that has been shown to significantly extend the lifespan in the animal studies (by up to 90%). However, the translation of these findings to humans is uncertain, and more research is needed to establish the safety and the efficacy of the C60 supplementation in humans.
Practical Application
For general C60 fullerene supplementation for the antioxidant support, the evidence-based approach (based on the available animal studies) is to supplement with 5-10mg of the C60 fullerene daily (as the C60 dissolved in the olive oil or in the MCT oil, at a concentration of approximately 1-2mg/mL). The C60 should be taken in the morning (to align with the circadian pattern of the oxidative stress), and it should be taken with the vitamin E (which protects the C60 from the oxidation and which works synergistically with the C60 for the radical scavenging). The C60 is generally well-tolerated, but there are concerns about its long-term safety in humans — particularly about its potential for the accumulation in the liver and the spleen and for the interference with the cellular signalling. For comprehensive antioxidant and longevity support, C60 pairs well with the vitamin E (which regenerates the C60 after it neutralises the ROS and which works synergistically with the C60 for the antioxidant defence), with the ergothioneine (which is the master antioxidant of the mitochondria and which works through a complementary mechanism to the C60), with the CoQ10 (which is the electron carrier in the electron transport chain and which works synergistically with the C60 for the mitochondrial antioxidant defence), and with the selenium (which is required for the activity of the glutathione peroxidase and which works synergistically with the C60 for the antioxidant defence).
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