Cal Harley, Cycloastragenol, and “The Telomere Miracle”

In the video below, I reiterate this blog, describing the achievements of Cal Harley, the scientist at the heart of the discovery of telomerase-activating cycloastragenol, and the founder of highly successful telomere measurement company that makes the TeloYears test.

I have written a book entitled The Telomere Miracle: Scientific Secrets to Fight Disease, Feel Great, and Turn back the Clock on Aging

I was very grateful to have an endorsement from Cal Harley, the former chief scientist on the Geron Corporation and founder of the company that makes the $89 TeloYears test, who gave the book the following endorsement:

“Ed Park has written a wide-ranging, scholarly book explaining in detail the many facets of human aging, and the role of telomeres and telomerase in health and wellness.”

I have know Dr. Harley since 2011 and have followed his important career closely. Here are some of the highlights:

  • His patent of telomerase activators, filed in 2004 while the Chief Science Office at Geron Corporation, can be found here:

  • In 2008, he published a study with the UCLA School of Medicine to show that cycloastrogenol “retards telomere shortening, increases proliferative potential, and, importantly, enhances cytokine/chemokine production and antiviral activity.” Since AIDS is a form of immune aging and aging is a form of acquired immune deficiency, the implications are huge as discussed in my video on the subject.
  • In 2011, he published an important study showing cycloastrogenol acted to lengthen critically short telomeres and decrease the number of senescent T-cells, especially in CMV-affected individuals.
  • In 2011, he partnered with leading telomere scientist, Maria Blasco, to test TA-65, the telomerase activator widely believed to be cycloastrogenol. The mice were engineered to age like humans and TA-65 lengthened their critically-short telomeres and increased healthspan without increasing cancer.
  • In 2016, he published a randomized clinical trial showing improvement in macular degeneration using TA-65.
  • In 2016, he published this randomized controlled study with Joe Raffaele, showing that TA-65 patients had improvements in their telomere lengths.

In The Telomere Miracle, I discuss in more detail why for the last ten years, I have only taken cycloastrogenol and no other medications or supplements. I make a living selling what some might consider “snake oil” but I feel I have a solid foundation for understanding its safety, efficacy, and clinical applications. That’s why I don’t mind poking fun at everyone selling supplements, including myself, with the epigram from Chapter 9: “Your Supplements”

Step right up, son. I hold in my
hand the ancient elixir of eternal life!

For now, I’d just like to thank Dr. Harley for his contributions to the field and for describing The Telomere Miracle as “scholarly”. There are 105 citations and 250 glossary entries so I will gratefully accept is characterization.

There was an old commercial that said when E.F. Hutton talks stocks, people listen; well, when Cal Harley talks telomeres, we should all listen as well.