Researchers at Harvard Medical School believe they have discovered the universal cause of aging
As animals age (including humans) our cell's DNA becomes damaged. This damage decreases their cell's ability to regulate which genes are turned on and off. If the wrong genes are switched on, this can harm the cell. Helping to solve this problem, sirtuins help ensure that the the incorrect genes remain switched off. Sirtuins also repair the damaged DNA. Resveratrol is a proven activator of sirtuins in animals and humans that can slow the aging process.
LIFE EXTENSIOINS
Perhaps the most exciting research being conducted on resveratrol is occurring within the realm of life extension.
Researchers have determined that resveratrol has the ability to extend the lives of yeast, worms, fruit flies, a certain species of fish, and obese mice up to 70%, 29%, 24%, 50%, and 31% respectively (depending on the amount of resveratrol given).
So how does resveratrol extend life in certain organisms?
As animals age (including humans) their DNA becomes damaged. This damage decreases the cell's ability to regulate which genes are turned on and off. If the wrong genes are switched on, this can harm the cell. Helping to solve this problem, enzymes called sirtuins ensure that the incorrect genes remain switched off. Sirtuins also repair the damaged DNA.
Resveratrol is a proven activator of sirtuins in animals and humans (perhaps the sirtuin that has gained the most therapeutic notoriety is SIRT1. There are, however, 7 or more major members of the sirtuin family. Some or all of these are currently being investigated by major pharmaceutical companies for their therapeutic potentials).
Interestingly, sirtuins are also activated by the practice of Caloric Restriction (reducing the calories in a 'normal' diet by around 40% while still consuming the necessary vitamins and minerals body needs; that is, replacing high calorie foods with low calorie nutrient rich foods). Science has proven that calorie restriction increases the lives of organisms such as mice while significant health benefits have been observed in monkeys and humans – Scientist believe that calorie restriction will extends the lives of humans.
Many scientists (and those in the venture capital community) are extremely optimistic about the future of Resveratrol for disease prevention, disease treatment, and life extension; researchers from institutions such as Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are currently studying this compound with great interest.
Currently, the potential benefits of Resveratrol can be obtained from natural foods and dietary supplements. Natural foods included wine, grapes, peanuts, and blueberries. Dietary supplements include pills or tonics derived from red wine extracts, grape seed and grape skin extracts. However the most potent and concentrated form of Resveratrol is found in polygonum cuspidatum (aka. Japanese knotweed), which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
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Who discovered Resveratrol's ability to extend life-spans?
MIT researchers discovered a gene, Sirtuin 1, which controls the rate of aging. This gene is switched on by caloric restriction. In 2003,Harvard scientist David Sinclair and team discovered Tran’s resveratrol also switches on the Sirtuin 1 gene, thus mimicking calorie restriction.
Sinclair was first to show a living organism, yeast cells, lives far longer when given resveratrol. He later showed resveratrol’s ability to promote quality of life. Resveratrol may soon become the most prized molecule on our planet.
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