Vitamin C against premature aging
Scientists at the Centre de Recherche en Cancerologie (Cancer Research Center, Quebec, Canada) have found that vitamin C stops and even reverses the process of premature aging of the mouse model of Werner syndrome (adult progeria). The results of the work are published in the January issue of FASEB magazine in the article "Vitamin C restores healthy aging in a mouse model for Werner syndrome".
Werner's syndrome was first described in 1904 and is very rare – no more than one person out of 10 million. Progeria in adults is an autosomal recessive disease, i.e. it manifests itself only in people who have received from each of their parents an incomplete copy of the WRN gene located on the eighth chromosome and encoding one of the enzymes-helicases necessary for the DNA repair process – RecQ-like DNA helicase. The consequence of this is a catastrophically rapid accumulation of mutations in the chromosomes of cells. Patients develop normally until puberty, and then begin to age rapidly and die at the age of 30-40 with the phenomena of fading functions characteristic of extreme old age or from typical age-related diseases, including cancer, heart failure, brain disorders and other diseases.
The researchers added vitamin C to the drinking water of normal mice and animals with a mutation of the WRN gene, which are characterized by obesity, diabetes and early development of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The use of vitamin C-enriched drinking water normalized the health and life expectancy of experimental animals, as well as improved their fat metabolism, reduced the inflammatory status of tissues and suppressed the processes of oxidative stress. At the same time, vitamin C had no visible effect on normal animals of the control group.
The authors believe that their finding can help not only with this disease, but also with other hereditary diseases characterized by premature aging of the body, or progeroid syndromes. However, they emphasize that a large amount of vitamin C is not able to prolong the life of a healthy person, especially if he eats normally and does sports. A well-chosen dose of this vitamin can only help an organism carrying a mutation of the WRN gene or any other gene whose activity is influenced by the protein product of the WRN gene. Such mutations underlie the development of a number of hereditary diseases characterized by premature aging of the body.
The miraculous properties of vitamin C regularly attract the attention of scientists. The results of this work demonstrate his ability to preserve youth, however, unfortunately, he can not help everyone in need.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru According to ScienceDaily: "Vitamin C 'Cures' Mice With Accelerated Aging Disease".
13.01.2010