Subscribe to Health UpdatesWorm Clue to Life Extension
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Scientists researching roundworms discover a gene that extends life in response to a restricted diet, opening a path to the development of human longevity drugs.
30 Second Summary
For many years, it has been known that mice, dogs, and some other animals, including roundworms, live up to 40% longer on diets that border on starvation.
One explanation for this is that restricted diets trigger a survival mechanism, allowing an organism to ride out periods of famine.
Now scientists experimenting on roundworms have found a way to fire that mechanism by manipulating a gene that controls insulin pathways.
Roundworms and humans share a surprisingly large number of genetic traits. So it may soon be possible to create a human drug that provides the life-extending benefits of a calorie-restriction diet without the pain of living on the edge of starvation.
Such a diet requires around a one-third reduction in calorie intake, a hardship few people are willing to endure.
It is still uncertain whether calorie-restriction works on people the way it does on some other animals. A primate study is underway. Though incomplete, the initial findings are positive.
One explanation for this is that restricted diets trigger a survival mechanism, allowing an organism to ride out periods of famine.
Now scientists experimenting on roundworms have found a way to fire that mechanism by manipulating a gene that controls insulin pathways.
Roundworms and humans share a surprisingly large number of genetic traits. So it may soon be possible to create a human drug that provides the life-extending benefits of a calorie-restriction diet without the pain of living on the edge of starvation.
Such a diet requires around a one-third reduction in calorie intake, a hardship few people are willing to endure.
It is still uncertain whether calorie-restriction works on people the way it does on some other animals. A primate study is underway. Though incomplete, the initial findings are positive.
Headline
“This may be the primordial gene that regulates nutrients and helps the animal live a long time through dietary restriction,” said Andrew Dillon, head of the research team. “We think it likely to play a role in the human condition.”
Source: The New York Times
Key Players
Andrew Dillin leads the roundworm research team. He is an associate professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla California, and studies “the process of aging by looking at a hormone that is most widely recognized for its role in diabetes among humans: insulin.”
Source: The Salk Institute
Related Links
Last month, scientists in Louisiana said they had found evidence that low-calorie diets could reverse the physical symptoms of aging in humans.
Source: The BBC
The American Aging Association (AGE) is a not-for-profit organization with the following aims: to increase the functional life span of humans; to inform the public of aging research and how to achieve a long healthy life; and to increase the knowledge of gerontology among medical professionals.
Source: The American Aging Association
This online longevity game estimates the probable lifespan for players, utilizing statistics such as their body-mass index and diet. The game was created by a firm of financial risk managers.
Source: The Longevity Game
Opinion
“We will inevitably be able to address aging just as effectively as we address many diseases today,” writes Cambridge University geneticist Dr. Aubrey de Grey. “I think the first person to live to 1,000 may be 60 already.”
Source: The BBC
“The fact is that nothing in gerontology even comes close to fulfilling the promise of dramatically extended lifespan.” So says Professor S. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Source: The BBC
“If scientists could create a pill that let you live twice as long while remaining free of infirmities, would you take it?” MSNBC reflects on the social and psychological implications of life extension.
Source: MSNBC
Reference Material
Scientists have yet to decide on whether calorie-restricted diets extend human life spans. These special diets are one of a number of strategies available for those seeking to live a long and healthy life.
Source: The Mayo Clinic
The average U.S. male consumes about 2,745 calories a day, and the average female 1,833. According to this site, a calorie-restricted dieter will cut those figures by about a third. Care must be taken to ensure that calories are reduced while maintaining proper nutrition levels.
Source: medicinenet.com
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