Has Science Really Found Anti-Aging Remedy?

Health Wellness

The main reason our body can live as long as it does is that many of our cells replicate themselves with new, young cells that replace the old cells. That’s why our skin constantly sloughs off dead skin, which according to many, accumulates and adds many pounds to your mattress. (Some years back, I recall reading a report where a man weighed his mattress when he bought it and then weighed it every year for 10 years, when he would flip and rotate the mattress. He was shocked at how much heavier the mattress was after tens years of accumulating dead skin cells.)

The process of our cells getting older is called ‘cellular senescence’. The term senescence refers to aging and when applied to our bodies, we age at the cellular level. What happens is that senescent cells no long replicate themselves. They continue to function, but not nearly as well as younger cells do. As senescent cells accumulate, the body ages. We don’t function like we used to and we look aged.

There have always been myths and stories about the fountain of youth and some special water, food or potion that would make someone younger and reverse the aging process. If you recall your history lessons, Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon led an expedition onto what would be known as the Florida peninsula in 1513 to search for the legendary Fountain of Youth. Some historians consider this expedition of his to be as much of a legend as the Fountain of Youth, but regardless, man has been searching for ways to stay younger and either slow or stop the aging process for many centuries.

In modern times, there have been millions of dollars and thousands of hours spent in research to find some magic anti-aging elixir. Imagine what it would be worth if someone really did discover such a miraculous anti-aging tonic?

Researchers at the University of Exeter may have just discovered such an anti-aging concoction, as reported:

“A great deal of work is currently being done by researchers around the world hunting for ways to both clear senescent cells from the body, and reverse the process of senescence. Last year the University of Exeter team revealed a novel technique that successfully rejuvenated older senescent cells, making them return to behaving like younger cells again.”

“Now, a new study from the same team has focused on the specific mechanism that causes this rejuvenating effect, revealing that when a tiny quantity of hydrogen sulfide is delivered directly to the mitochondria in cells it can effectively rescue those cells from their senescent state.”

Matt Whiteman, one of the authors of the research, commented:

“Our compounds provide mitochondria in cells with an alternative fuel to help them function properly. Many disease states can essentially be viewed as accelerated aging, and keeping mitochondria healthy helps either prevent or, in many cases using animal models, reverse this.”

Lorna Harries, another of the researchers added:

“The compounds developed at Exeter have the potential to tweak the mechanisms by which this aging of cells happens. We used to think age-related diseases like cancer, dementia and diabetes each had a unique cause, but they actually track back to one or two common mechanisms. This research focuses on one of these mechanisms, and the findings with our compounds have potentially opened up the way for new therapeutic approaches in the future. This may well be the basis for a new generation of anti-degenerative drugs.”

The researchers are quick to note that they are NOT trying to develop some magic anti-aging elixir for the purpose of just extending our lifespans, but are trying to find a way to stop or reverse the cellular senescence so that it can be used to treat various age-related conditions.

If further testing proves successful, it may be possible for this technology to be used for things like treating our saggy muscles and skin, as well as heart, liver and kidney rejuvenation which could make a huge difference in the health of many. The implications are endless, especially if it helps reverse aging in the brain.

aging

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