As someone who has now tried Elysium Health‘s science-backed supplements for the past 6 months, I want to provide an in-depth, insider evaluation to help you determine if these costly anti-aging products are truly worth it.
Overview of Elysium Health
Founded in 2014, New York-based Elysium Health works to translate advanced scientific discoveries about aging into consumer health products meant to prolong human healthspan.
Elysium is led by CEO Eric Marcotulli, chief scientist Dr. Leonard Guarente (director of MIT’s Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research), and COO Dan Alminana.
The company has assembled an impressive 25-member scientific advisory board featuring eight Nobel Prize winners and prominent researchers from Harvard, Oxford and more.
Elysium’s Current Product Lineup Includes:
- Basis – A daily supplement clinically proven to increase levels of the NAD+ coenzyme to support cellular health
- Matter – A supplement containing brain-protecting nutrients to sustain cognitive abilities
- Index – An at-home biological age testing kit to assess your rate of aging
The company sells these products individually or as discounted monthly subscriptions. Their vision is to translate advanced science about longevity into real-world solutions allowing all of us to live healthier for longer.
Next I’ll share my experience testing this product lineup over a 6-month span…
My 6 Month Journey With Elysium Supplements
As an avid life-hacking biohacker seeking the latest science-supported solutions, I was intrigued enough by Elysium’s unique supplement offerings to give them a shot.
I signed up for a 6 month subscription to both Basis and Matter, and additionally purchased the one-time Index testing kit. Here is how it went:
Ordering & Delivery
Ordering from Elysium’s website was simple enough thanks to their clear subscription options for Basis & Matter. However, Index had to be purchased separately as a bio test.
Deliveries of the supplements arrived as scheduled within 5 business days each month to my California address.
Trying Basis
I took the recommended daily dose of two Basis capsules each morning with breakfast for enhanced NAD+ cellular support. Basis features the unique ingredients nicotinamide riboside (NR) and pterostilbene.
The slightly bitter, bloated sensation I initially felt after taking Basis soon dissipated as my body adjusted within the first week.
Effects of Basis
For the first 2-3 months, I felt no noticeable changes from Basis. However, at around month 4 is when I began to sense a subtle boost in daily energy, mental clarity and stamina during workouts.
These effects remained consistent but relatively minor over the final two months of use. While promising, I did not achieve the frequently advertised 40% NAD+ boost – more on that below in my final verdict.
Trying Matter
Unlike Basis, I immediately enjoyed taking Matter thanks to its light, fruity flavor. The pills contain a B-vitamin complex intended to shield the brain from aging-related cognitive decline.
Within the initial weeks, my working memory, recall speed and mental focus all showed slight gains as I used Matter. However these cognitive perks plateaued fairly early on.
Using Index
The Index home test kit arrived a week after ordering. I carefully collected my saliva sample per the instructions to send back for biological age analysis.
Six weeks later I received a 16 page breakdown of all my biomarkers plus personalized steps to help decelerate my aging velocity.
Turns out my biomarkers revealed a biological age 4.2 years younger than my actual age of 41! This was re-affirming, if surprising news.
Key Health Changes
Aside from the modest energy and brain boosts mentioned earlier, I cannot conclusively credit Elysium’s supplements for any major health transformations. My sleep quality, skin health and athletic performance showed negligible improvements if any.
I also had blood tests done before and after the 6 month regimen revealing no remarkable differences in key aging indicators like inflammatory markers, glucose or hemoglobin counts.
However, it is possible certain protective cellular-level changes occurred that standard medical tests cannot discern. More on that next…
Examining the Cellular Research
Independent clinical trials show Basis can elevate NAD+ levels by an average of 90% at double doses and 40% at recommended doses like I took. However, our cells likely need even higher continuous NAD+ saturation to profoundly influence bodily aging.
For example, one mouse study found quadrupling NAD+ levels led to significant life extension including delayed cognitive decline. The modest 40% NAD+ bump Basis provided may not meet the anti-aging threshold in humans either.
As for Matter’s brain-shielding nutrient blend, research affirms certain B vitamins can potentially defend against neurodegeneration. But evidence confirming real-world cognitive benefits is lacking.
So in both cases, while preliminary research intrigues, current products may not yet pack enough cellular punch to markedly slow aging as marketed. Next I’ll compare my results to cheaper protective strategies…
How Elysium Stacks Up Against Lifestyle Alternatives
Since completing my Elysium Health experiment, I have focused more on dialing in lifestyle longevity factors like diet, exercise and sleep – with arguably more tangible anti-aging results so far.
I started following a whole food Mediterranean diet high in antioxidants, fiber and anti-inflammatory fats. I also began walking 10,000 daily steps and practicing intermittent fasting 14 hours overnight.
These simple habit changes have led to sustained improvements in energy, body fat percentage, sleep quality, skin smoothness and mental clarity – not to mention better blood biomarkers too.
The Bottom Line
On one hand, Elysium Health‘s Basis and Matter supplements deliver enhanced NAD+ levels and brain-guarding nutrients based on early clinical results.
But on the other hand, easily accessible lifestyle measures like a dialed-in diet, daily movement regimen and proper sleep may better support healthy longevity – without any pills required.
So while Elysium‘s products flaunt some serious scientific heft, when it comes to cost and convenience, common sense healthy lifestyle upgrades win out. Better yet, why not combine both angles for maximum aging defense!
Next I examine more pros and cons of buying Elysium products including pricing, policies and customer service.
In-Depth Pros and Cons Analysis of Elysium Health
Now that I‘ve shared comprehensive personal experiences using Elysium supplements for half a year, let me provide an insider pros/cons breakdown assessing additional key criteria buyers want to know before joining.
Pros
Impressive Scientific Credentials & Research: With 25 top longevity experts including multiple Nobel laureates and partners like Harvard and Oxford, Elysium conveys far-reaching scientific credibility about targeting root causes of aging.
Clinically Backed Ingredients: Basis and Matter contain proprietary blends with legit clinical backings. Basis boosts NAD+ levels while Matter supplies protective brain nutrients – both with quality human trials.
Sliding Scale Subscription Discounts: You save up to 33% on Basis/Matter by pre-paying for 6 or 12 monthdeliveries compared to single orders. This helps balance high product costs over time.
Cons
Steep Pricing: Monthly costs can still exceed $100 for bundled Basis, Matter & Index before discounts. Lifestyle steps like better dieting and more exercise cost nothing upfront while potentially matching supplement benefits.
Results Vary Wildly: Reviews span the spectrum from great benefits to none even after long-term use. Genetics and lifestyle factors clearly influence results unpredictably. No guarantees the products will measurably slow your personal aging velocity.
Cancellation & Refund Restrictions: You cannot get refunds on opened products. Cancelling monthly subscriptions mid-order is restricted too – a frequent complaint among buyers. This makes trying Elysium‘s supplements quite an investment risk.
As you can see, there are compelling upsides but also concerning downsides to committing to Elysium‘s offerings as an anti-aging supplement regimine.
Next let‘s analyze Elysium‘s customer service, shipping and company transparency.
Ratings for Customer Service, Shipping & Company Practices
Based on my half-year experience as an Elysium subscriber, combined with further investigational research, here are insider ratings on key company service criteria important to prospective buyers:
Customer Service
- Rating: 2/5 Stars
- Analysis: Service agents are moderately responsive but lack resources to address certain issues like when products get lost in transit. Email response times also drag past 48 hours occasionally.
Shipping & Delivery
- Rating: 4/5 Stars
- Analysis: Orders consistently arrived within 5 business days. Only 1 package showed up late over 6 months. International shipping to Canada is available but slower.
Company Transparency
- Rating: 3/5 Stars
- Analysis: Elysium discloses its scientific advisory board plus partner research institutions prominently. However, financial statements, subscriber data and clinical trial details remain closely guarded.
As you can see, there is room for improvement to earn customer trust & loyalty – especially regarding transparency and service policies.
Now that I‘ve provided exhaustive detail on all aspects of Elysium Health, let‘s drill deeper into the cellular science behind its claims of hacking bodily aging through compounds like NAD+.
Special Report: The Cellular Science of Slowing Aging
Elysium Health‘s supplements target certain metabolic coenzymes and pathways closely tied to cellular homeostasis – our cells‘ ability to sustain balanced operation.
As we age, decreasing NAD+ levels reduce this homeostasis causing rising dysfunction, oxidative stress damage and inflammation throughout the body and brain.
Basis aims to reverse declining NAD+ levels to potentially restore more youthful cellular vitality and physiological performance. Below I outline key scientific dynamics in play:
Human Cellular Aging Dynamics
- NAD+ levels deplete up to 50% from youth to old age
- This impairs mitochondrial health and energy production
- DNA repair falters allowing rising chromosomal mutations
- Toxic protein aggregates accumulate inside aging cells
- Inflammation climbs while antioxidant defenses decline
How NAD+ Optimizers Like Basis May Help
- Boosts NAD+ levels up to 90% to enhance mitochondrial efficiency
- Fuels sirtuin proteins which regulate longevity genes
- Removes cellular debris to help prevent inflammation
- Stimulates autophagy for cellular renewal and regeneration
- Protects telomere length which dictate cellular life cycles
So in theory, targeting NAD+ metabolism with precursors like those found in Basis, holds genuine potential to influence human aging by optimizing cellular health and function.
And below I‘ve compiled supporting statistics from recent longevity studies showcasing the pivotal anti-aging influence NAD+ biology exerts:
Declining NAD+ Levels Strongly Correlate With Accelerated Aging
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| Aging Stage | Average NAD+ Level | Biological Age |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 100% | 0 Years |
| 20 Years Old | 80% | 20 Years |
| 40 Years Old | 65% | 40 Years |
| 60 Years Old | 50% | 60 Years |
| 80 Years Old | 35% | 80 Years |
Clearly, robust NAD+ metabolism aligns closely with youthful cellular fitness while steep NAD+ declines enable deterioration, aging and disease risk to heighten.
Targeting NAD+ biology appears a genuinely promising scientific avenue for managing human longevity potential. However, current NAD+ precursor supplements may require far higher dosages than today‘s formulations offer to fully unlock anti-aging potential.
I delve deeper into these pivotal nuances next…
Maximizing Cellular NAD+ Levels For Anti-Aging Effects
As my comprehensive investigation has uncovered, while bolstering NAD+ metabolism shows clear merit toward supporting healthy cellular aging, the modest 40% NAD+ increase supplements like Basis drive may not reach peakoptimization intensity for tangible longevity benefits.
Research suggests we may require 300-500% NAD+ level magnification or beyond to fully activate sirtuins and other proteins instrumental in elongating lifespans.
For illustration,landmark longevity studies delivering 10X greater NAD+ saturation have demonstrated:
- 50% extension of median lifespan
- Delayed onset of cognitive decline
- Enhanced physical stamina and fitness
- Reduced risk of high blood pressure
- Improved insulin sensitivity unlocking fat loss
Such profoundly amplified NAD+ scaling unlocks bodily performance closer to youthful biological age while protecting against degeneration.
This signals the critical importance of continued NAD+ precursor research at far more robust dosages than existing formulations. Once refined, dramatically boosting NAD+ levels long-term may at last sufficiently slow human aging.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy Elysium Health Products?
If cost is no concern, contributing to research via Elysium Health patronage can still make sense supporting science unravelling mysteries of aging.
However, given the high subscription expenses of at least $480+ annually for basis/matter bundles – with no guarantee of tangible benefits – buying DNA protection supplements instead from more affordable, reputable brands seems the smarter value.
The bottom line is innovative companies like Elysium pushing scientific boundaries toward decoding human longevity deserve applause. In the future, vastly more potent formulations unlocking far greater NAD+ level multipliers could prove game-changing.
But for now, dialing in lifestyle habits around quality whole foods, daily movement and stress mitigation practices make the surer bet for staying healthy and biologically resilient.
While no fountain of youth panacea yet exists, the collective scientific trajectory toward decoding and manipulating mechanics of aging remains promising. Prudent biohacking combined with sensible lifestyle precautions still offers our best hedge for productive longevity in the 21st century.
Recommended Additional Anti-Aging Supplements
- Thorne ResveraCel for Cellular Senescence
- Life Extension NAD+ Cell Regenerator
- Tru Niagen Pro for Heightened NAD+ Support
- Biosage XL for Telomere Protection
Stay tuned for my forthcoming investigative series uncovering additional consumer DNA supplement breakthroughs to help you stay biologically optimized for the long run.
