As we age, our cells increasingly struggle to recycle their powerhouses. Called mitochondria, these inner compartments are no longer able to carry out their vital function, thus accumulate in the cell. This degradation affects the health of many tissues, including muscles, which gradually weaken over the years. A buildup of dysfunctional mitochondria is also suspected of playing a role in other diseases of aging, such as Parkinson’s disease.
One molecule plays David against the Goliath of aging
The scientists identified a molecule that, all by itself, managed to re-establish the cell’s ability to recycle the components of the defective mitochondria: urolithin A. “It’s the only known molecule that can relaunch the mitochondrial clean-up process, otherwise known as mitophagy,” says Patrick Aebischer, co-author on the study. “It’s a completely natural substance, and its effect is powerful and measurable.”
The team started out by testing their hypothesis on the usual suspect: the nematode C. elegans. It’s a favorite test subject among aging experts, because after just 8-10 days it’s already considered elderly. The lifespan of worms exposed to urolithin A increased by more than 45% compared with the control group.
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Dr. Stegall’s Comments: Mitochondrial health is extremely important for overall health. When outside influences such as chemicals, pesticides, toxins, and other cell stressors cause cellular inflammation, the result is decreased functioning of the mitochondria. When this happens, cells don’t make energy as well. If this is allowed to continue, cells will either die – or they will mutate into another form to survive. This is also known as cancer. If we want to greatly reduce cancer formation, we will keep a close eye on our mitochondrial health.