Amber, a fossilized tree resin prized for its beauty and historical uses, has been traditionally employed for wound healing and stress relief. While scientific evidence supporting these traditional applications remains limited, recent research has begun to explore the potential benefits of amber extract (AE), particularly in relation to stress, longevity, and weight management.
Amber Extract and its Impact on Stress and Longevity
A study focusing on the effects of amber extract (AE) in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) investigated its potential stress-buffering and longevity-enhancing properties. The study employed various methods, including survival assays, health span assays, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), stress biomarker detection assays, Green Fluorescence Proteins (GFP), Real Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and C. elegans mutants.
The results indicated that AE supplementation improved both health span and survival in normal and stressed worms. Furthermore, AE appeared to positively regulate stress hormones such as cortisol, oxytocin, and dopamine, while simultaneously reducing fat and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. The study suggested that AE enhances the nuclear localization of DAF-16 and the expression of heat shock proteins and antioxidant genes through the Insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway. The involvement of the IIS pathway was confirmed when AE failed to increase the survival of daf-16, daf-2, skn-1 and hsf-1 loss-of-function mutants. These findings suggest that AE supplementation may offer stress relief and promote longevity.
Stress: A Detriment to Health and Longevity
Stress, whether physical or psychological, poses a threat to an organism's well-being, triggered by environmental or psychological changes. While acute stress can be a helpful protective mechanism, prolonged exposure to stress (chronic stress) can negatively impact quality of life and longevity. Chronic stress can disrupt hormone and neurotransmitter levels, leading to various complications, including headaches, fatigue, depression, obesity, accelerated aging, and aging-related diseases. Stress also contributes to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage cells, leading to cell death and aging.
The endocrine and nervous systems, connected by the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, play a crucial role in regulating chemical signaling to maintain homeostasis. While longevity is desirable, the quality of life during that extended period is equally important. Health span, defined as a life free from disease, is often compromised by stress. While practices like exercise, meditation, and adequate sleep are recommended for stress management, their effectiveness may be limited in today's fast-paced environment.
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Amber: A Potential Nutraceutical for Stress Relief
Throughout history, plants have been vital sources of food, shelter, and medicine. Numerous natural products of plant origin, such as Emodin, Momordica charantia, and Moringa oleifera, have demonstrated the ability to increase stress tolerance and extend lifespan. Other nutraceuticals, including Ginseng, Gingko biloba, and Valerian, have also been highlighted for their ability to regulate hormone and neurotransmitter levels, aiding in the reduction of stress-related depression and anxiety.
Amber, a brownish, gum-like tree resin from the Sciadopityaceae family that has fossilized over time, presents itself as a potential, yet understudied, nutraceutical. Amber contains succinic acid and various phytochemicals, including terpenoids. Terpenoids are known for their antioxidant properties and their ability to protect against oxidative stress-induced diseases like cancers, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. Baltic Amber, in particular, contains diterpenoids such as agathic acid, primaric acid, and abietic acid as its major components.
Historically, herbal medicine practitioners utilized amber extract for various ailments, including wound healing and stress relief. Today, while amber is primarily used for decorative purposes in the fashion industry, many still believe that wearing amber jewelry can relieve stress, pain, and induce relaxation. Succinic acid in Baltic Amber is often cited as the reason for its soothing effect. However, scientific evidence supporting this claim is lacking, with studies suggesting that the release and absorption mechanism of succinic acid may not be sufficient to produce the claimed effects.
Scientific Investigations into Amber Extract
Recent research has begun to explore the potential benefits of AE. Tian et al. (2021) discovered that AE possesses anti-inflammatory properties, while Luo et al. (2021) reported that AE may be potent in managing Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, Sogo et al. (2021) found that AE could reduce fat accumulation.
To further investigate the effects of AE, studies have been conducted using C. elegans as a model organism. C. elegans is a simple but valuable model organism that has provided useful insights into longevity, stress resistance, and their associated molecular pathways. Its hermaphroditic nature and short lifespan allow for rapid turnover, making it easy to culture in the lab. Additionally, its transparent body allows for clear visualization during experiments, especially with Green Fluorescence Protein (GFP) tagged worms.
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The Impact of Amber Extract on C. Elegans
Research has explored the effects of AE on the survival of C. elegans under normal and stressful conditions. These studies aimed to determine whether AE poses any harm to the development and physiological functioning of the worms. The effect of AE on the regulation of stress biomarkers, such as hormone/neurotransmitter levels, ROS, and fat accumulation, was also investigated. The expression of longevity and stress regulatory genes was monitored using GFP-fused reporters and at mRNA levels. Furthermore, molecular pathways involved in AE-mediated activity were identified using loss-of-function C. elegans strains (mutants).
AE's Influence on Lifespan and Health Span
Studies have shown that AE supplementation increased the survival rate of C. elegans. Reproduction capacity, body length, and motility determination were employed as indicators for health span. AE supplementation did not significantly change the daily and overall fertility of worms, nor did it cause any physical changes in length. Treatment with 25 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL AE enhanced muscle movement as worms aged, while this effect was not observed in 5 µg/mL AE-treated and control worms.
AE and Stress Tolerance
The protective effect of AE against heat and oxidative stress in C. elegans has also been investigated. Exposure of worms to heat at 35 °C for 7 hours resulted in a significant increase in the survival of AE-treated worms compared to the non-treated group. When C. elegans were exposed to 0.1% hydrogen peroxide oxidative stress, a significant increase in stress tolerance, but not overall lifespan, was observed in AE-treated worms.
AE's Regulation of Stress Biomarkers
Exposure to stress can disrupt hormone and neurotransmitter levels, leading to stress-induced diseases and disorders. Studies have shown that AE treatment significantly reduced cortisol levels, suggesting that AE may possess the ability to inhibit the activities of the 11β-HSD 1 enzyme. AE treatment also significantly increased oxytocin and dopamine levels, suggesting that AE is essential to increase social bonding, interactions, and pleasure. Furthermore, AE treatment significantly reduced fat in worms compared to the control group, indicating that AE may be effective in controlling obesity. AE supplementation in worms also showed a significant reduction in the accumulation of intracellular ROS, although AE was ineffective in scavenging ROS in vitro.
AE's Molecular Mechanisms
To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in AE-mediated stress buffering and longevity effects, the expression of DAF-16, a common protein associated with longevity, has been studied. DAF-16, the human ortholog of the Forkhead box O (FOXO) family, is a key transcription factor involved in various biological activities, including longevity and stress resistance. In the nucleus, DAF-16, alone or in conjunction with other transcription factors such as heat shock factor-1 (HSF-1) and skinhead-1 (SKN-1), coordinates the expression of several stress-responsive genes, including superoxide dismutase, sod-3, glutathione s-transferase, gst-4, catalase, ctl-1, and heat shock proteins, hsp-16.2. Studies have shown an increase in the nuclear localization of DAF-16::GFP in C. elegans exposed to AE treatment.
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Amber's Impact on Lipid Metabolism
Research has also explored the effects of amber extract on lipid metabolism. A study focusing on the effects of amber extract on lipid metabolism in mouse 3T3-L1 cells aimed to clarify the physiological effects of amber extract on lipid metabolism. The study used mature adipocytes to evaluate the effect of amber extract on lipolysis by measuring the triglyceride content, glucose uptake, glycerol release, and lipolysis-related gene expression.
Amber Extract and Lipolysis
The results of the study indicated that the amount of triacylglycerol, stored in lipid droplets in mature adipocytes, decreased following treatment with amber extract. Amber extract treatment also decreased glucose uptake and increased the release of glycerol from the cells. Moreover, amber extract increased the expression of lipolysis-related genes encoding perilipin and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and promoted the activity of HSL by increasing HSL phosphorylation. Amber extract treatment also regulated the expression of other adipocytokines in mature adipocytes, such as adiponectin and leptin.
The Role of Lipolysis
Obesity is closely linked to various diseases, including type II diabetes, hypertension, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and renal insufficiency. Phytochemicals such as polyphenols and flavonoids, found in vegetables, fruits, and tea leaves, exert various physiological effects, including antioxidant effects, which can contribute to the prevention of obesity.
Lipolysis, the process of lipid metabolism, is initiated by the secretion of catecholamines and activation of protein kinase A (PKA) caused by intense exercise or nutritional deficiencies. Activated PKA phosphorylates hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), and perilipin, which induce lipolysis. Activated ATGL degrades triacylglycerols (TAGs) present in lipid droplets into fatty acids (FAs) and diacylglycerols (DAGs), followed by the action of HSLs that degrade DAGs into monoacylglycerols (MAGs) and FAs.
Amber Extract and Adipocytes
Studies have focused on the effect of amber extract on lipid metabolism in mature adipocytes. Treatment of cells with amber extract reduced the number of triglycerides stored in the fat droplets, indicating that amber extract treatment reduced the accumulation of lipid droplets in mature adipocytes without any cytotoxicity.
Amber Extract, Glucose Uptake, and Glycerol Release
Research has also assessed the amount of glucose uptake and glycerol release after treatment with amber extract. Glucose content in the medium treated with amber extract was higher than that in the untreated groups, implying that glucose uptake was significantly inhibited by treatment with amber extract. In contrast, glycerol content in the medium increased in a dose-dependent manner following amber extract treatment.
Amber Extract and Gene Expression
Studies have examined the changes in the expression of HSL, perilipin, and ATGL at the mRNA and protein levels following the treatment of cells with amber extract. Treatment with amber extract tended to increase the expression of ATGL at the mRNA level. Perilipin enhances lipolysis by phosphorylating HSL in the lipid droplet membrane. Treatment with amber extract altered the expression of perilipin at the mRNA level, which was significantly increased when the highest concentration of amber extract was used. The expression of HSL at the mRNA and protein levels was slightly increased by amber extract treatment. In addition, the phosphorylation of HSL (Ser563, Ser565, and Ser660) was examined. The phosphorylation of Ser565 and Ser660 was increased, whereas that of Ser563 was slightly decreased in the cells treated with amber extract. These results indicated that amber extract promoted lipolysis by increasing the expression of the perilipin-coding gene and inducing the phosphorylation of HSL.
Amber Extract and Adipokines
Additionally, research has investigated whether amber extract affects the expression of adipokines released by adipocytes. Adiponectin is known to prevent atherosclerosis and diabetes. The expression of adiponectin at the mRNA level showed an increasing trend, and a clear increase in its expression at the protein level was observed following treatment with amber extracts. Amber extract treatment decreased the expression of leptin at the mRNA level in a dose-dependent manner.
Amber: More Than Just a Gemstone
Beyond its aesthetic appeal, amber possesses a rich history of medicinal applications and emerging scientific evidence suggesting potential health benefits. While further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms of action and confirm the efficacy of amber extract, the existing studies offer promising insights into its potential role in stress management, longevity, and weight loss.
Additional Benefits of Amber
Amber contains antioxidants, which help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals, reducing the effects of aging and improving the health of the skin and hair. Amber is also known for its ability to stimulate the immune system, thanks to its beneficial nutrients, such as succinic acid, which increases the efficiency of the immune system and reduces the risk of infection and disease. As an anti-inflammatory substance, amber can relieve muscle and joint pain. The succinic acid in amber helps soothe inflammation and improve overall health. Amber can also enhance blood flow and help improve circulation, which contributes to improved body functions and increased activity and energy.
Amber acts as a calming stone that helps reduce stress and mental fatigue, helping to calm the mind and increase concentration. It is believed to enhance the ability to recall information by increasing blood flow to the brain. Amber is also said to have a similar effect to meditation, relieving stress and creating inner peace. In men, amber is known for its male-energy enhancing properties, as it stimulates the secretion of male hormones, which increases levels of physical activity and vitality. Amber helps improve psychological well-being and relieve stress and anxiety, which positively impacts a man's performance in his daily life. It has been used since ancient times as a sexual health enhancer due to its effect in improving blood flow, which contributes to improved sexual performance.
Ways to Use Amber
Amber jewelry, such as necklaces or bracelets, is one of the most popular ways to use it. When worn, body heat helps release beneficial elements in amber, such as succinic acid, which is absorbed into the body through the skin and works to promote energy and health. If you are not a fan of wearing jewelry, you can simply carry a piece of amber in your pocket or purse. Natural amber oil can be applied to specific areas of the body to benefit from its anti-inflammatory properties and to massage tired muscles or even to support joint health.
When buying amber, golden yellow is the most common and often the finest color. It is important to make sure that the amber is real and not synthetic. Amber from cold regions like the Baltic is some of the highest quality.