Antioxidants ‘cannot slow ageing’ – or can they?
I picked up on this report from the BBC this morning: Antioxidants ‘cannot slow ageing’.
Using Nematode worms, scientists found even those given enhanced antioxidant powers to deal with tissue damaging “free radicals” did not live longer.
The team from University College London said, in the Genes and Development journal, there was “no clear evidence” they could slow ageing.
…The tiny Nematode worm, despite appearing to be far-removed from the human species, is a useful tool for scientists who want to explore how our bodies work.
They share many genes with humans, and, crucially, have a lifespan measured in days, which allows scientists to get clues about long-term changes.
The UCL team, led by Dr David Gems, genetically manipulated nematodes so that their bodies were able to “mop up” surplus free radicals.
This in theory, should give them an advantage over normal nematodes in terms of ageing and lifespan.
However, these worms lived just as long as the others, suggesting that “oxidative stress” is less of a factor in the ageing of our cells and tissues as some have suggested.
Dr Gems said: “The fact is that we don’t understand much about the fundamental mechanisms of ageing – the free radical theory has filled a knowledge vacuum for over 50 years now, but it doesn’t stand up to the evidence.
However, a second report was linked to the “Health” page too: Blueberries ‘reverse memory loss’.
Scientists found adding foods like blueberries to a regular diet, resulted in improvements in memory.
The foods, known as flavonoids, were historically believed to act as antioxidants in human bodies.
But the study indicates they also activate the part of the brain which controls learning and memory.
Dr Jeremy Spencer, from the department of food biosciences at the university, said: “Scientists have known of the potential health benefits of diets rich in fresh fruits for a long time.
“Our research provides scientific evidence to show that blueberries are good for you and supports the idea that a diet-based approach could potentially be used to increase memory capacity.
“We will be taking these findings to the next level by investigating the effects of diets rich in flavonoids on individuals suffering from cognitive impairment and possibly Alzheimer’s disease.”
One of the things I found rather interesting about the first report, was the automatic equation of “aging” with extended lifespan. It seems to make intuitive sense, yet my own experience says otherwise. For example, my mother-in-law, Freda, is 92. She’s been suffering from cardiovascular disease for years, can barely walk, and her memory/cognitive capacity is extremely limited (when we visited her 4 months ago, she couldn’t even remember her own son, let alone me). She’s been declining steadily for over a decade, yet she persists. My grandfather, on the other hand, was “only” 84 when he died suddenly of a heart attack, but by all accounts, he died with his boots on; spry, active, and in full possession of his mental faculties.
So – in my book – longevity and “aging” are two related, yet distinct, entities. Needless to state, I’d rather die like Grandpa than live like Freda…a longer life without quality of life is nothing. And – as the nematode experiment suggests, antioxidant compounds may not be able to prolong life…but as the blueberry experiment hints, they may be able to help maintain quality of life. Works for me.
