Sirtris, a company that researches human longevity drugs, recently discovered a new type of drug called a sirtuin activator that activates an enzyme called sirtuin. The theory behind this drug is that most species have an ancient mechanism to endure famines: they make a shift so that their resources are used for tissue maintenance as opposed to reproduction. This shift can be triggered by a healthy diet containing 30% fewer calories, a change which reliably increases the lifespan of mice. However, most people cannot stick to such a diet and so researchers began searching for a drug that could provide the same effect. Dr. Leonard Guarente hypothesized that the famine reflex is mediated through sirtuin enzymes. An effective sirtuin activator is now known to be resveratrol (a molecule that is actually found in low concentrations in red wine).
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I think that this research done about increasing human life is incredible. If the news gets publicized widely enough, I would hope that many would consider drinking red wine regularly simply for the purpose of lengthening their life span.
ReplyDeleteI think that the amount of resveratrol in red wine is not enough to make a difference on lifespan (the concentration is too low). However it is an interesting observation.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that drinking red wine was good for you, but I did not know that this was how it worked! Also, I'm amazed that just by eating a diet of 30% fewer calories you could potentially increase your life span! 30% doesn't seem like too much. Is it? I think its interesting how this "shift" is normally used in life or death situations such as a famine, but in this case the research is being done just to increase lifespan in general.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that an enzyme that mediates the famine reflex has the possibility of lengthening the lifespan of an organism. The pursuit of longevity has always been a popular topic of discussion; it is amazing to note that sirtuin, usually associated with a period that presents an extreme scarcity of food and a threat to human life, has the potential to bring about a monumental change in the field of science.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that this enzyme used to endure famine can now be employed for longevity. I was wondering exactly what it means for resources to be shifted from reproduction to tissue maintenance. This leads me to wonder what side effects this drug could have on the reproductive system. Could it harm a developing baby?
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