The search for the fountain of eternal youth goes back to ancient times: the first known reference dates back to the 4th century BC. Science has been doing something similar for centuries: exploring keys to agingbiology. Researchers at Stanford University believe that the secret may be fully revealed thanks to a short-lived small fish. african turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri).
The study, published in the journal ‘eLife’, made it possible to examine in detail the aging of killifish and its relationship to diet. Now there is a new target: Discover all the mysteries to prolong one’s healthy life as long as possible; in short, to ‘pause’ aging.
Science has shown that Food is decisive for the health and longevity of living things.. For example, the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well known.
There are also studies on intermittent fasting, low-carb diets, eliminating breakfast, or separating intakes by food groups.
The general opinion is that Putting meal plans in order is the key to reaching a healthy old age and living for many years.. This latest study seems to confirm this: effect of diet on life expectancy of killifish.
While there is partial evidence for some claims about the effect of certain diets, it is difficult to rigorously test them. Reasons? There is something fundamental: people live very long, so it would take decades to complete the necessary lifelong studies To break his relationship with diet.
Here comes the killifish, an animal whose short life span of four to six months displays many characteristics. aging-related disease processes seen in humans.
Embryos in suspended animation
Scientists believe they have discovered a promising source to explore, if not the fountain of eternal youth.treatable and translatable anti-aging interventions“. And the unique characteristics of killifish ” identify new principles underlying vertebrate aging“, they guess.
By replacing humans with these fish, scientists can track every aspect of the lifespan of hundreds of these species, from birth to death. It’s like a pretty intense version of the human aging process. Months instead of decades.
Researchers have found that it is possible to survive in dry seasons and in scorched ponds during dry periods. these fish can stop the growth of their embryos for up to two years.
Embryos enter suspended animation And They hatch only when the rainy season comes. and their habitats are filled with sufficient water. Surprisingly, the duration of this suspension matches and sometimes even exceeds the lifespan of the species.
To develop the research, the authors automatic feeding system and is built from networked, open source, easily transferable, and widely available components.
Compared to manual feeding, this system is very precise and flexible. Monitor exactly what your fish eat and when, 24 drops a day, 7 days a week. Moreover watch how they grow and age.
“The ability to precisely control food distribution to Killifish opens up new areas for assessing lifespan and cognitive behavioral dynamics and detect dietary interventions and medications on a scalable basissomething that has hitherto been impossible in traditional vertebrate models,” says the study.
Less food prolongs life
Supporters of the research proper nutrition for the growth and fertility of African killifish and for another dietary restrictionhere both the time and the amount of food were reduced.
Research shows the impact of precise control of food intake on aging. Translation: Eating less prolongs life, at least for men. because if it’s good Restricted diet caused them to live longer, no effect on life expectancy in womenregardless of food intake
Study is also a first step to understanding. How does cognitive ability change with age?. And, ultimately, for the team to seek interventions that can help preserve cognitive ability in old age.
As people age, their immune systems work worse. You become more susceptible to infections and vaccines no longer work as effectively as they used to. Killifish already have less diverse circulating antibodies at four months of age compared to younger fish.
“By testing how different organs age in the same animal, we can provide a basis for understanding the course of the disease. natural aging“This provides a basis for comparing the effectiveness of different methods for extending human lifespan,” the researchers add.
Reference report: https://elifesciences.org/articles/69008
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