Starved Worms Stop Aging And Live Longer
- 10 years ago
A new study from researchers at Duke University has found that nematode worms actually stop physically ageing, and can live up to twice as long when they are deprived of food. When the worms didn‘t have access to food, the cells and organs in their body arrested development, though the worms still moved around to forage.
A new study from researchers at Duke University has found that nematode worms actually stop physically aging, and can live up to twice as long when they are deprived of food.
When the worms didn‘t have access to food, the cells and organs in their body entered a state of arrested development, though the worms still moved around to forage.
David R. Sherwood, an associate professor of biology at Duke University is quoted as saying: "It is possible that low-nutrient diets set off the same pathways in us to put our cells in a quiescent state. The trick is to find a way to pharmacologically manipulate this process so that we can get the anti-aging benefits without the pain of diet restriction."
To study the effects of starvation on nematode worms, the scientists controlled the environment to allow the worms to reach a certain stage of development before removing the food.
In a matter of hours after the food was gone, the worms stopped physically developing.
The results of the study also show that the worms could live without food for two weeks, and still develop normally after they started eating again.
Other studies have shown that some animals like mice, rats, spiders, fish, monkeys, flies, and yeast can live from 30 to 200 percent longer when they are deprived of nutrients.
A new study from researchers at Duke University has found that nematode worms actually stop physically aging, and can live up to twice as long when they are deprived of food.
When the worms didn‘t have access to food, the cells and organs in their body entered a state of arrested development, though the worms still moved around to forage.
David R. Sherwood, an associate professor of biology at Duke University is quoted as saying: "It is possible that low-nutrient diets set off the same pathways in us to put our cells in a quiescent state. The trick is to find a way to pharmacologically manipulate this process so that we can get the anti-aging benefits without the pain of diet restriction."
To study the effects of starvation on nematode worms, the scientists controlled the environment to allow the worms to reach a certain stage of development before removing the food.
In a matter of hours after the food was gone, the worms stopped physically developing.
The results of the study also show that the worms could live without food for two weeks, and still develop normally after they started eating again.
Other studies have shown that some animals like mice, rats, spiders, fish, monkeys, flies, and yeast can live from 30 to 200 percent longer when they are deprived of nutrients.