(NewsReady.com) – Humans have been trying to find solutions to slow down aging for centuries. In the US, people even flocked to a smelly spring in Florida called the Fountain of Youth to drink water they thought might keep them young. Now scientists believe they might have discovered an “elixir of life.”
On June 9, Science published a study by researchers from Columbia University about the nutrient taurine. They found that the amino acid plays many roles in the human body. As we age, the amount of taurine in our body begins to decrease in concentration. For example, people aged 60 had about 80% less than a 5-year-old.
Vijay Yadav, one of the study’s authors, said there’s evidence to suggest that “taurine could be an elixir of life” that helps us all live healthier and longer lives.
While the team of researchers was studying osteoporosis, they found taurine could play a role in bone growth. It’s also been found to help with the nervous system, obesity, and the immune system. Yadav explained that when the team looked at how many ways the body used taurine, they wondered what role it played in people’s overall lifespan.
Researchers gave mice different levels of taurine. They discovered the rodents that were given more of the nutrient had an increased lifespan of 12% longer in females and 11% in males. Further, providing supplementation of taurine using pills reduced the number of old cells known to lead to inflammation, reduced DNA damage, and increased the number of stem cells in some tissues.
After the researchers saw how the mice reacted, they expanded their research to other species. Over a period of six months, they gave monkeys the supplements and came to similar conclusions.
Yadav expressed excitement over the results of the expanded study. He said the team was “particularly pleased” when they were able to replicate the results in other species. He said they also saw the positive effects of taurine in zebrafish and worms.
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