American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M)
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) is an organization established in 1992 by osteopaths Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman. A4M advocates for the field of anti-aging medicine, seeking recognition of this practice as a legitimate medical specialty. The organization promotes various strategies purported to slow or reverse biological aging, including dietary supplements, antioxidants, and human growth hormone (HGH) treatments, claiming these methods could significantly extend human lifespan. A4M provides certification for practitioners in the field and hosts educational events, including annual conferences and publications focused on anti-aging topics.
Despite its initiatives, A4M faces significant skepticism from the mainstream medical community, including the American Medical Association and the American Board of Medical Specialties, which do not recognize anti-aging medicine as a valid specialty. Critics argue that the benefits of the treatments endorsed by A4M are largely unproven and may pose health risks. Concerns about the organization's affiliations with marketing entities and the promotion of unregulated treatments further fuel debate about its practices. As the conversation around aging and wellness continues, A4M remains a controversial figure in the discourse surrounding longevity and medical ethics.
American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M)
DEFINITION: Promotes the field of anti-aging medicine and its recognition as a medical specialty.
DATE: Founded in 1992
Purpose
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) was founded in 1992 by osteopaths Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman. Their mission was to advocate for the practice of anti-aging medicine and its recognition as a legitimate medical specialization. A4M's dedication to this cause is unwavering. In addition to promoting healthy diet and exercise, A4M endorses the use of antioxidants and other dietary supplements and recommends human growth hormone (HGH) treatments to slow, or even reverse, biological aging. A4M claims this science can dramatically extend human longevity to 150 years and that it will eventually create “ageless societies” by applying currently available methods and promoting research to produce technological advances in anti-aging medicine.
A4M promotes anti-aging medicine in several ways, including through its certification program, publications, and conferences. Although the mainstream medical establishment does not recognize anti-aging medicine as a medical specialty, A4M has certified tens of thousands of practitioners, including medical doctors, dentists, nurses, dieticians, fitness trainers, and those with doctorates. The organization publishes the periodicals Anti-aging Therapeutics and Anti-aging Medical News. In addition to its annual A4M Conference, the organization sponsors the Annual World Conference on Anti-Aging Medicine and the World Anti-Aging Congress and Exposition. The latter two events are cosponsored by the World Anti-Aging Academy of Medicine, which comprises several anti-aging organizations from countries around the world; A4M cofounder Goldman heads this academy. A4M has tens of thousands of members worldwide.
Controversies
The American Medical Association and the American Board of Medical Specialities refuse to recognize anti-aging medicine as legitimate. The two organizations and numerous medical researchers claim that the reputed benefits of dietary supplements and HGH therapy are exaggerated, unproven, and potentially dangerous. The author of a 1990 study cited by A4M as support for its assertions has stated that he did not conclude that HGH could or should be used to slow aging, and he warned of the side effects of its indiscriminate use. Many articles in established, refereed scientific journals argue that research has shown that the risks of HGH therapy far outweigh the possible benefits.
Also, critics assert that A4M’s current and former affiliations with marketing organizations have generated large profits for A4M and that the organization’s non-peer-reviewed publications have allowed paid advertisers of anti-aging products to assert scientific support for their advertised claims. Indeed, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that it is a felony to provide HGH for anti-aging therapy.
In response to the criticism, A4M stands firm, contending that its critics, including the media and medical and political establishments, are motivated by conflicting professional and financial interests in trying to undermine the practice of anti-aging medicine. The association offers a wealth of educational opportunities, fellowships, and workshops to its members, empowering them to stay informed of the most recent anti-aging technology and make informed decisions in their practice.
Still, the medical community continues to question the anti-aging sector of the wellness market. They warn that the anti-aging treatments promoted by A4M and like-organizations lack critical scientific evidence to support their claims. Most concerning is promoting products without FDA approval for the uses A4M suggests. A4M continues to be accused of focusing solely on profit and making misleading claims. The lack of regulation and oversight in the anti-aging field is another concern. Finally, the medical community rejects treating aging as a disease and hopes people can see aging as a natural process.
Bibliography
American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. www.worldhealth.net. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.
Giampapa, Vincent C., Frederic F. Buechel, and Ohan Kratoprak. The Gene Makeover: The Twenty-First Century Anti-aging Breakthrough. Basic Health, 2007.
Klatz, Ronald, and Robert Goldman. "About Us - American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine." A4M, www.a4m.com/about-a4m-mmi.html. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024.
Klatz, Ronald, and Robert Goldman, editors. The Science of Anti-aging Medicine. American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, 2003.
National Institute on Aging. www.nia.nih.gov. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.
Perls, Thomas T. "Anti-Aging Medicine: The Legal Issues: Anti-Aging Quackery: Human Growth Hormone and Tricks of the Trade—More Dangerous Than Ever." The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, vol. 59, no. 7, 2004, pp. B682-B691, doi.org/10.1093/gerona/59.7.B682. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024.
Weil, Andrew. Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being. Anchor Books, 2007.
Weintraub, Arlene. Selling the Fountain of Youth: How the Anti-aging Industry Made a Disease Out of Getting Old. Basic Books, 2010.