Free radicals, aging and antioxidants: not everything is so clear?
From the editorial office:
Just let's not jump to conclusions. It is one thing - genetic modification, due to mechanisms not explained to the general public, which allowed nematodes to get rid of excess free radicals on their own, and quite another - antioxidants in food products, additives, and maybe even in cosmetics.
In the press release "Anti-oxidants are unlikely to prevent aging, study suggests", published on December 1, it is reported that the article by the authors of the work described below was published in the online version of the journal 'Genes and Development'. The press secretary was clearly in a hurry: the last update in this section of the magazine's website is from November 17. Maybe in the text of the article the authors speak more carefully about the role of free radicals in aging than in an interview with the BBC.
Antioxidants do not slow down agingThe role of reactive oxygen species in aging and, accordingly, the protective power of antioxidants, which have become a gold mine in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, have been greatly exaggerated.
This statement was made by biologists from University College London.
The theory that aging is a consequence of molecular damage caused by reactive oxygen species has been around for 50 years. Antioxidants are supposed to help the body get rid of free radicals, thereby slowing down the aging process.
According to David Gems and his colleagues, despite all the achievements of recent years, scientists still know surprisingly little about the intricacies of the aging process. And the theory of free radicals has been filling a vacuum here until now. However, it has never been convincingly proven.
New experiments conducted by David's team have shown that the value of damage caused by reactive oxygen species is small, and the solution to the mystery of aging should be sought elsewhere.
What did the scientists do? They genetically modified nematode worms (one of biologists' favorite experimental subjects, convenient because of their short life span) in such a way that they themselves began to suppress free radicals in their bodies.
According to theory, this should have given the worms an advantage in life span, compared to ordinary individuals. But the experimenters did not find any difference.
Thus, oxidative stress is an insignificant factor in the aging of cells and tissues, the scientists concluded. This contradicts the data of a number of previous studies that somehow managed to find such a relationship.
James stated that a healthy, balanced diet is important for reducing the risk of many senile diseases, but there is no clear evidence that the use of antioxidants can slow down or prevent aging, and even less evidence that the much-desired effect in terms of life expectancy is provided by "antioxidant" pills and creams.
However, antioxidants may play a role in reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes and a number of other diseases. Therefore, experts continue to issue unusual novelties in this area.
Membrane based on BBC NewsPortal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru