Longer life on the horizon--at least for worms
By Amy Norton
NEW YORK, Aug 31, 2000 (Reuters Health) - In findings that suggest
antioxidants are the key to staying young, scientists have found that
boosting the lowly worm's natural antioxidant supply prolongs the
animal's
life.
Antioxidants, which include vitamins C, A and E, are believed to stave
off
a range of age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease and certain
cancers. Now researchers have created the first antioxidant-boosting
drugs to stretch the life span--in worms at least.
An international team led by Dr. Simon Melov of the Buck Institute in
Novato, California, used two synthetic compounds to enhance the worm's
natural antioxidant store, extending its life by 44%.
The researchers report their findings in the September 1st issue of
Science.
In an interview with Reuters Health, Melov said that while there is no
telling whether antioxidants can do for humans what they do for worms,
the amount of antioxidants people could get through food would not cut
it.
Instead, he said, it would take synthetic compounds similar to the ones
used in this study.
Antioxidants protect the body by mopping up cell-damaging substances
known as free radicals. Free radicals are a normal byproduct of
metabolism, making them part of a "cumulative damage to the body that
occurs as a function of being alive," Melov said. A steady supply of
antioxidants helps stem the tide.
Treatment with bottled antioxidants may do even more, researchers
speculate. Melov said that synthetic antioxidants have already been
proven effective in animal models of diseases like Alzheimer's and
PARKINSON'S. His team is now investigating whether they can extend the
life
span of mice.
For the first time, Melov noted, scientists are looking at aging itself
as a
condition that can be treated.
SOURCE: Science 2000;289:1567-1569.
Copyright © 2000 Reuters Limited.
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Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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