Watch CBS News

Pill May Be Key To Fountain Of Youth

MIAMI (CBS4) - The state of Florida was first discovered on a journey looking for it, and billions of dollars have been spent since trying to capture it, but does the fountain of youth exist? Some say it does in the form of a pill called TA65.

Billy Turon is seeing more clearly these days. He's a heart attack survivor who says he feels great and his gray hair is even coming in darker.

"Basically you went from having eyes equivalent to the age of 66-year-old to a 40-year-old," said his doctor.

He believes it's all because he's taking TA65 a dietary supplement.

"The energy that you get from using TA65 and the eye improvement that I had is just remarkable," Turon said.

This little pill claims it increases energy, boosts the immune system, improves one's sex life and aging skin.

"I think that TA65 is a wonderful addition to our ability to protect our DNA and hopefully keep us in good health as long as we live," said endocrinologist Dr. Florence Comite.

She has been taking TA65 herself for about 8 months and noticed physical changes shortly after starting it.

"I stopped using reading glasses over the past year and that was a complete shock," Dr. Flroence Comite. "You can feel the difference like running up or running down the stairs. I mean I don't hesitate to run up the stairs."

Researchers believe damaged telomeres or DNA make people more vulnerable to diseases linked to aging, like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. And if the telomeres can be preserved, the hope is health will be extended.

"Instead of waiting for disease to happen I am a strong believer in figuring out what's emerging and trying to prevent it."

TA65 comes from the astralagus plant. It's extracted from the root and used as an immune enhancer in traditional Chinese medicine.

But not everyone is a TA65 supporter.

"We have no large trials for this new supplement to measure what it says it's doing," said internist Dr. Roberta Lee.

She is an expert in botanical medicine.

"What happens if you take it every day for 15 years? In theory it's a great idea. In practice it's a big question mark," Dr. Lee said.

Lee recommends fighting the clock by eating antioxidant rich foods, getting enough sleep and reducing stress.

"All of those things put together is probably ten times more powerful than this new supplement if not more," added Lee.

And while TA65 may not be the fountain of youth, "if you're aging and you feel like you're ready for the wheelchair I say take some," said Turon.

Experts believe more research is needed on TA65 before it can be recommended to patients on a larger scale.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.