Does fasting reverse aging
According to recent studies, fasting activates a chemical
that can prevent our arteries from getting older. The discoveries may aid in
the prevention of age-related chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and
Alzheimer's.
An additional use for a chemical created while fasting has
been found by researchers: it helps maintain the flexibility and youth of our
circulatory system.
Since the time of Ancient Greece, the pursuit of eternal
youth has captured people's attention.
Moreover, a short glance at Greek mythology reveals that
youth was more highly desired than immortality, as certain myths depict the
futility of the latter if it is not accompanied by the former.
Recently, contemporary medicine and classical mythology have
begun to catch up in this area.
Recent technological developments give us reason to believe
that the myth of eternal youth will soon come true.
In the latest study, scientists were able to prevent wrinkles
and hair loss in mice. Another group of scientists was
able to restore aging human cells.
A new study has now strengthened the case that aging can be
stopped. Researchers under the direction of Dr. Ming-Hui Zou, director of the
Center for Molecular & Translational Medicine at Georgia State University
in Atlanta, demonstrated that fasting or calorie restriction can result in the
production of a molecule that slows the aging process of the vascular system.
How a
molecule called a ketone keeps cells young
According to Dr. Zou, the most significant aspect of aging is vascular aging. This is why she decided to conduct this study. Studying
vascular aging is crucial because as humans age, the blood arteries supplying
various organs become increasingly vulnerable and susceptible to aging-related
damage.
Hence,
the researchers decided to concentrate on vascular aging, senescence-related
alterations, and methods of prevention.
The researchers focused on the relationship between calorie
restriction and vascular aging. Dr. Zou conducted numerous cell culture studies
and used atherosclerosis-prone mice models to examine the aortas of the dead
animals. Similar tests were carried out on rodents that had been starved.
As they had predicted, they observed that the starved mice
produced the chemical beta-hydroxybutyrate. But unexpectedly, this chemical
also stopped the aging of the arteries.
A ketone is a substance created by the liver that serves as
an energy source when glucose is not available. Beta-hydroxybutyrate is one
such molecule. As a result of extended activity, low-carb diets, and fasting or
famine, the body creates ketones.
A fascinating finding from the study was that
beta-hydroxybutyrate encourages cell development and proliferation in the blood
vessel lining. One indicator of cellular young is cellular division.
"We discovered that beta-hydroxybutyrate can postpone
vascular aging. There is a chemical connection between calorie
reduction, fasting, and the anti-aging effect.
Stopping
chronic disease and aging with drugs
According to the study, the substance also starts a
different series of events that preserves the integrity and youth of the
endothelial cells' DNA.
Specifically, beta-hydroxybutyrate increases the activity of
a stem cell transcriptional factor known as the Octamer-binding transcriptional
factor when it binds to the RNA-binding protein heterogeneous nuclear
ribonucleoprotein A1 (Oct4).
In response, Oct4 "increases Lamin B1, a critical
factor against DNA damage-induced senescence," keeping the blood vessels
young.
The stem cell factor Oct4 "may be a pharmaceutical or
pharmacological target for slowing down or stopping aging.
Considering Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and cardiovascular
disease are all age-related conditions, a younger vascular system will be less
likely to develop any of them.
"Researchers think this is a really interesting finding, and we are focusing on discovering a new chemical that may duplicate the effect of this ketone body's activity," says Dr. Zou.
"It's hard to get people to stop eating for the next 24
hours to boost the concentration of this molecule, and not everyone can
do that. But if we can develop something that can imitate this effect and
people can still eat, it would make life more joyful and help battle
disease."
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