The molecule that slows the aging process is why eating less is important
How Bile Can Prolong the Life Of a Population Of Least Fat People: The Case Of D. A. S. Galilei and MetroBiotech
Across the ancient world, physicians from Greece to China touted the health benefits of bile and fasting. Today, the focus is on regular meals and exercise, but perhaps those ancient doctors were onto something. In two Nature papers, Qu and colleagues showed that a component of bile calledLCA could help prolong the life of people who eat low-fat food.
D.A.S. is a co-founder, consultant, board member and equity owner of Galilei Biosciences and MetroBiotech, companies working to treat diseases with SIRT6 activators and NAD boosters, respectively. He is the shareholder in a company called Tally Health. Some activities are listed at a website.
For decades, researchers have been trying to understand why a reduction in calories can prolong life for animals. Now, a team has found a molecule that could provide caloric restriction in a pill ― For flies and worms, at least.
Studies show that constant hunger can lead to a loss of lean muscle mass and possibly increased risk of infections if you reduce your calories more than half; this is one of the reasons why many people choose to restrict calories.
The evidence for long-lived organisms that supplemented with lithocholic acid did not prolong the lifespan of flies or nucleons
The team fed acid to animals. The fruit flies and nematodes lived significantly longer than those that had not consumed added lithocholic acid.
The study of ageing and longevity is littered with claims that certain compounds extend lifespan — claims that did not survive closer scrutiny. But the papers are remarkably thorough, says Nicholas Schork, lead investigator of the US National Institute on Aging’s Longevity Consortium and a genomicist at the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. “I found them very compelling,” says Schork, who was not involved in the works. “They went way beyond what many other groups have done to make claims about potential health benefits.”
In a study published in Nature, researchers have found that bile can help extend the lifespan of people who eat low-fat food. The team said that the compound, called lithocholic acid, prolongs the lifespan of flies and worms. In another study in Nature, researchers found that the compound extends the lifespan of nematode and fruit flies.