
Obviously, it is hard to test scientific theories on life extension on people. Everyone will get in line once a theory has been proven, but nobody wants to be the test subject for a new idea. That means that other animals have to take one for the team and serve as test subjects. Ah, the life of a lab animal!
Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health had an idea. They thought that adding metabolites (products of cellular metabolism) might extend life. Their first metabolite to be tested was α-ketoglutarate ( we will call it α-KG for obvious reasons). Their lab animal of choice? The lowly nematode, a tiny worm that is a favorite of researchers looking at life extension.
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Magnified Nematode |
It has been long accepted that lowering your metabolism can result in longer lifespan. Animals living on a calorie-restricted diet tend to live longer than their brethren with ready access to lots of food. This benefit has never been confirmed in primates, and people are unlikely to stay on a subsistence diet for decades in the faint hope that their life might stretch a bit.
Another metabolic modifier is resveratrol. Not only has resveratrol been shown to balance blood sugar spikes and avoid insulin surges, it appears that it can also moderate metabolism. Wine contains resveratrol, but in far less than medically viable concentrations.
There is a lot of research still needed before α-KG can be declared a life extension miracle. Until then, eat right, watch your weight and hope that you live long enough for a real life extension drug to be proven!
As Spock said, "Live long and prosper."
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