DURK PEARSONS DEFENSE STRATEGY
Durk and Sandy
[Note by Jack Wheeler: I’ve been taking Durk & Sandy’s personal life extension formula since we mixed it up in their home lab, put it in bags and took it by the spoonful as they didn’t have an encapsulation machine. That was in the 70s before I got Durk on the Merv Griffin Show and he became famous. I’ve been taking this formula every day for 50 years.]
In this issue of Live Long & Prosper, here’s the story of how a pioneer in life extension science designed Lifeshield™ to help the body protect itself.
Durk Pearson, one of the pioneering voices in life extension science, spent much of his career focused on one central question: How can we give the body its best chance to defend itself naturally? His answer led to the creation of Lifeshield™, one of the most potent antioxidant multivitamin formulas on the marketplace.
The Problem Durk Saw
Durk & Sandy recognized that modern life places constant strain on the immune system. Stress, environmental toxins, nutrient-depleted diets, and aging itself all erode the body’s ability to protect itself. Even minor immune weaknesses can open the door to infections or chronic health issues.
Durk often said the immune system should be viewed as a shield—a frontline of defense that needs daily reinforcement. Unlike emergency medicine, which intervenes after problems appear, his focus was prevention. His guiding question was simple but powerful: If the immune system had the right tools every day, could it keep the body healthier and more resilient?
The Science Behind Lifeshield™
Drawing on decades of research, Durk & Sandy developed Lifeshield™, a Life Priority™ Designer Food Formula™ scientifically formulated with 28 essential nutrients to provide broad-spectrum antioxidant and immune support. This was not about chasing fads but about giving the body the proven tools it needs daily.
Durk believed in Lifeshield™ so strongly that he once said:
“If I could only take one supplement for the rest of my life, it would be Lifeshield™.”
Listen to Durk explain the value of Lifeshield™ here
A Life of Passion and Advocacy
Durk & Sandy devoted their lives to encouraging people to be proactive in their health. Believing deeply in free access to information, they even used their own funds in 1994 to challenge the FDA—partnering with attorney Jonathan Emord—to secure Americans’ rights to truthful claims on dietary supplements. Their case, Pearson v. Shalala, became a landmark in defending supplement health-claim speech.
That same year, Life Priority™ began working directly with Durk & Sandy to share their formulations with the public. For over 30 years, this partnership has ensured that Designer Food Formulas™ like Lifeshield™ remain available to those who value proactive health.
Educating Through Their Book
Durk & Sandy also became widely known for their bestselling 1982 book, Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach. This groundbreaking work introduced millions of readers—including doctors, researchers, and health professionals—to the role nutrition and supplementation could play in promoting wellness and longevity.
Their book helped shift the conversation in medicine by showing that nutrients were not just “optional extras” but vital tools in supporting health and resilience. Lifeshield™ reflects this same mission: to educate and equip people with practical, science-based ways to defend their health.
A Philosophy of Self-Reliance
For Durk & Sandy, Lifeshield™ reflected their belief that health is not something to be left to chance. It was never meant to replace healthy living—only to complement it. Sleep, exercise, nutrition, and supplementation all work together to keep the body strong.
To them, Lifeshield™ wasn’t about marketing; it was empowerment—providing people with a practical, science-based tool for healthier, more independent lives.
The Key Nutrients in Lifeshield™
While Lifeshield™ contains 28 essential nutrients, Durk highlighted these as especially critical for immune defense and antioxidant protection:
- Vitamin C – Supports white blood cell activity and reduces oxidative stress.
- Vitamin E – Protects cell membranes and works synergistically with Vitamin C.
- Beta-Carotene (Pro-Vitamin A) – Maintains mucosal barriers such as lungs and gut.
- Selenium – Enhances antioxidant enzyme activity and immune resilience.
- Zinc – Essential for T-cell development and overall immune health.
- Vitamin D – Regulates immune response and supports bone wellness.
- B Vitamins (B6, B12, Folate) – Vital for energy metabolism and immune cell formation.
Unique Nutrients in Lifeshield™
- Taurine – Supports cellular energy and membrane stability.
- Cysteine – A sulfur-rich amino acid that supports antioxidant defense.
- Quercetin – A plant flavonoid that modulates inflammation and protects cells.
- Hesperidin – A citrus bioflavonoid that supports vascular and immune health.
- Boron – A trace mineral important for bone strength, hormone balance, and immunity.
Together with 16 additional nutrients, they create one of the most comprehensive antioxidant multivitamin shields available.
Lifeshield™ can be found at www.lifepriority.com. TTPers get a 10% discount – just sure and enter the code DURK. So start taking the formula that’s kept Jack healthy and vigorous for the last fifty years!
Live long and prosper!
~ Greg & Michelle