Procaine Revisited
Dr. Stephen Sinatra's newsletter "Heart, Health & Nutrition"
1/1/2008

Some of you may remember Dr. Ana Aslan and her Gerovital H3 injections. During the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, this anti-aging treatment drew thousands of rejuvenation seekers to her clinic in Romania. A number of my own patients made that pilgrimage, and their feedback was positive. But, like the majority of medical doctors at the time, I was skeptical.

The key ingredient in the Aslan program was procaine hydrochloride (procaine for short). In her original research, which was supported by hundreds of clinical studies throughout the world, Dr. Aslan found that procaine and its metabolites (para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and diethylaminoethanol (DEAE) ) regulated and balanced an enzyme called monoamine oxidase, or MAO. In the brain, MAO breaks down chemicals called monoamines—a class of neurotransmitters that includes dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These substances help you maintain a relaxed and normal mood.

The level of MAO in your body is fairly consistent until around age of 40 when it begins to increase. Researchers believe this increase contributes to the aging process, depression, and even senility. Indeed, many of the clinical studies on procaine that supported Dr. Aslan’s thinking showed the substance had a significant positive effect on physical and mental functions. Unfortunately, procaine was rejected by the establishment, and it has languished for years.

What’s Old Is New Again

I’m taking this trip down memory lane because Dr. Aslan’s work came up during a conversation with Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, a longtime friend, author, and nutritional expert par excellence. She had tried a reformulation of the original Romanian product and had a resoundingly positive experience with it. In fact, she’s been offering this supplement to health-conscious consumers for more than five years and thought I might be interested in sharing it with my subscribers. After trying it myself, I am indeed interested.

Dr. Gittleman told me that in the early 1980s, while she was director of nutrition at the Pritikin Center in Santa Monica, California, she used to ask clients to identify the most beneficial thing they had done for their health. Now, keep in mind that these were very wealthy individuals who could afford to do pretty much anything.

“Hands down, the most common answer was going to Romania to get the Aslan treatment,” she told me. “I wanted to get some myself and try it out, but then the supply of Gerovital H3 dried up.” (Gerovital H3 was the name of the original treatment formula.)

Dr. Gittleman says the feedback from clients who are now using the reformulated supplement—which she calls Ultra H-3—closely matches the benefits of the original treatment. Here are some of the results her clients have reported:

• More Energy • Greater feeling of well-being • Less reaction to stress • Improved athletic performance • Improved Sleep • Decreased carbohydrate cravings • Improved sex drive • More stabilization of heart rate • Improved blood pressure • Less depression and anxiety • Return of more youthful hair color • Slowing of hair loss and, in some cases, even a return of hair growth • Lessening of age spots

These kinds of improvements don’t usually happen overnight, Dr. Gittleman says, and they can be so gradual that some people may not even realize they’re happening. Results vary according to the individual, but have been positive overall.

The reports of improved sex drive may be related to the supplement’s ability to increase phenylethylamine, a neurotransmitter with a reputation as a “love hormone.” Years ago, I used to prescribe low-dose deprenyl, an MAO-inhibiting drug, to patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease and dementia. That drug also contributed to an elevated phenylethylamine level in people who took it—as well as a noticeable increase in “friskiness.” Ultra H-3 appears to have a similar effect.

How to Use Ultra H-3

The current oral reformation enables the original product’s ingredients to remain in the system for an extended period of time, which prolongs their benefits. To further improve the product, its makers added a nutrient matrix that includes niacin and ginkgo to help boost brain activity, and bilberry to enhance vision.

Although this supplement offers promise for a wide range of conditions, there are some precautions you must follow when using it. If you are sensitive to Novocaine there is a possibility you could have a reaction. (Novocaine is a close relative of procaine.) Also, because the supplement contains a small amount of ginkgo—which has a known blood-thinning effect—I would advise against using Ultra H-3 if you take Coumadin or low-dose aspirin because there could be an amplified blood-thinning effect. Additionally, individuals with diabetes may find that the supplement helps keep blood sugar in a more normal range. If you take insulin or oral diabetes medication, be sure to regularly monitor your glucose level.

Ultra H-3 may also interact with MAO-inhibiting medications for depression, but Dr. Gittleman says that many users take both without any problem. She points out that the supplement doesn’t lower the level of the enzyme, but rather balances it. “That’s an important distinction,” she adds. “You don’t want to suppress MAO the way certain drugs do, because that leads to side effects. MAO is needed in order for the body to work properly.”

My advice is to tread cautiously if you are taking any pharmaceutical drugs for mood or depression.

If you are interested in trying Ultra H-3, call Dr. Gittleman’s distributor, Uni Key Health Systems, at 800-888-4353. She suggests starting with three bottles (a month-and-a-half supply) to realize a sustained effect. If you mention my newsletter, the company will give you a 20 percent discount off the price of three bottles.

Remember, individual results will vary according to your biochemistry. Some of you many not see a noticeable effect, but I believe that most of you will. So stick with it—and let me know how it works for you!