Harvard scientists claim they have reversed aging in mice.
what a time to be alive.
The researchers identified a chemical compound that could indirectly stimulate the gene. The chemical was given to a group of 18-month-old mice -- the approximate equivalent of a 70-year-old human -- in their drinking water for a period of two months.
During this period, the researchers measured how far the mice could run on a treadmill before becoming exhausted. The drug increased the mice’s endurance by over 56 percent after two months and increased their muscle blood vessel growth to a level seen in younger mice.
The chemical had no effect on younger sedentary mice, however, suggesting that its effect is unique to the process of aging, rather than boosting health generally.
Reports have suggested that this might someday lead to a new drug for human use. One of the authors of the study, David Sinclair, commented that the research “sets the stage for therapies in humans to address the spectrum of diseases that arise from vascular aging.”
However, this is still years off. Although mouse studies are commonly used to understand how our bodies work, there is no guarantee that the chemical will have a similar effect in humans. There is also no guarantee that this chemical would even be safe in humans. The time taken to develop a drug for clinical use after an animal study such as this one is typically over 10 years, so don’t expect a prescription from your doctor anytime soon
The researchers identified a chemical compound that could indirectly stimulate the gene. The chemical was given to a group of 18-month-old mice -- the approximate equivalent of a 70-year-old human -- in their drinking water for a period of two months.
During this period, the researchers measured how far the mice could run on a treadmill before becoming exhausted. The drug increased the mice’s endurance by over 56 percent after two months and increased their muscle blood vessel growth to a level seen in younger mice.
The chemical had no effect on younger sedentary mice, however, suggesting that its effect is unique to the process of aging, rather than boosting health generally.
Reports have suggested that this might someday lead to a new drug for human use. One of the authors of the study, David Sinclair, commented that the research “sets the stage for therapies in humans to address the spectrum of diseases that arise from vascular aging.”
However, this is still years off. Although mouse studies are commonly used to understand how our bodies work, there is no guarantee that the chemical will have a similar effect in humans. There is also no guarantee that this chemical would even be safe in humans. The time taken to develop a drug for clinical use after an animal study such as this one is typically over 10 years, so don’t expect a prescription from your doctor anytime soon
