Researchers may have discovered an enzyme that slows aging. They have concluded that by-products of fat, such as fatty acids and glycerol, are responsible for shortening lifespan and increasing chronic disease. After conducting animal studies in the lab, the scientists concluded that they could use an enzyme called ADH-1 to lower the levels of these by-products in the body, lowering glycerol levels and extending lifespan.
What are fatty acids?
Fatty acids are the building blocks of body fat. We need them for vital body functions, but having too much of them can be a huge problem. They can interfere with metabolic processes, promote inflammation, and lead to shorter lifespans and chronic disease.
the study
“My research team and I wondered whether reducing harmful fat by-products might slow the aging process and, as a result, prevent common diseases,” Eileen Jorgelina O'Rourke, an associate professor of biology and cell biology at the University of Virginia, wrote in The Conversation.
Researchers have noticed a consistent pattern in studying animals in the lab: All anti-aging interventions reduce glycerol levels.
“When fed a calorie-restricted diet, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans lived approximately 40% longer, and we found that long-lived worms had lower glycerol concentrations in their bodies than short-lived worms that were not dietarily restricted,” the researchers wrote.
Conclusion
The scientists concluded that increased ADH-1 activity reduces glycerol levels. They found that worms fed a diet supplemented with glycerol had a 30 percent shorter lifespan. Meanwhile, animals genetically engineered to produce more of the enzyme ADH-1 had lower glycerol levels. These animals were healthier, lived longer, and did not gain excess weight, even when they ate as much as they wanted.
“ADH-1's simple molecular structure and extensive research make it an attractive target for the development of drugs that enhance its activity. A long-term goal in my lab is to investigate how compounds that activate ADH-1 affect the health and lifespan of both mice and humans,” O'Rourke said.
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Vikrant Singh
Geopolitics writer at WION. Follows Indian foreign policy and global politics and seeks truth.
