[kellyhound]

Some people live longer than others – possibly due to a unique combination of bacteria in their intestines, new research from the University of Copenhagen concludes.

We are pursuing the dream of eternal life. We fast to stay healthy. And each year, we spend billions of kroner on treatment to make sure we stay alive. But some people turn 100 years old all by themselves. Why is that?

Researchers from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at the University of Copenhagen have set out to find the answer.

Studying 176 healthy Japanese centenarians, the researchers learned that the combination of intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses of these people is quite unique.

“We are always eager to find out why some people live extremely long lives. Previous research has shown that the intestinal bacteria of old Japanese citizens produce brand new molecules that make them resistant to pathogenic – that is, disease-promoting – microorganisms. And if their intestines are better protected against infection, well, then that is probably one of the things that cause them to live longer than others,” says Postdoc Joachim Johansen, who is first author of the new study.

Among other things, the new study shows that specific viruses in the intestines can have a beneficial effect on the intestinal flora and thus on our health.

“Our intestines contain billions of viruses living of and inside bacteria, and they could not care less about human cells; instead, they infect the bacterial cells. And seeing as there are hundreds of different types of bacteria in our intestines, there are also lots of bacterial viruses,” says Associate Professor Simon Rasmussen, last author of the new study.

Joachim Johansen adds that aside from the important, new, protective bacterial viruses, the researchers also found that the intestinal flora of the Japanese centenarians is extremely interesting.

“We found great biological diversity in both bacteria and bacterial viruses in the centenarians. High microbial diversity is usually associated with a healthy gut microbiome. And we expect people with a healthy gut microbiome to be better protected against aging related diseases,” says Joachim Johansen.

Once we know what the intestinal flora of centenarians looks like, we can get closer to understanding how we can increase the life expectancy of other people. Using an algorithm designed by the researchers, they managed to map the intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses of the centenarians.

“We want to understand the dynamics of the intestinal flora. How do the different kinds of bacteria and viruses interact? How can we engineer a microbiome that can help us live healthy, long lives? Are some bacteria better than others? Using the algorithm, we are able to describe the balance between viruses and bacteria,” says Simon Rasmussen.

And if the researchers are able to understand the connection between viruses and bacteria in the Japanese centenarians, they may be able to tell what the optimal balance of viruses and bacteria looks like.

Optimising intestinal bacteria
More specifically, the new knowledge on intestinal bacteria may help us understand how we should optimise the bacteria found in the human body to protect it against disease.

“We have learned that if a virus pays a bacterium a visit, it may actually strengthen the bacterium. The viruses we found in the healthy Japanese centenarians contained extra genes that could boost the bacteria. We learned that they were able to boost the transformation of specific molecules in the intestines, which might serve to stabilise the intestinal flora and counteract inflammation,” says Joachim Johansen, and Simon Rasmussen adds:

“If you discover bacteria and viruses that have a positive effect on the human intestinal flora, the obvious next step is to find out whether only some or all of us have them. If we are able to get these bacteria and their viruses to move in with the people who do not have them, more people could benefit from them.”

Even though this requires more research, the new insight is significant, because we are able to modify the intestinal flora.

“Intestinal bacteria are a natural part of the human body and of our natural environment. And the crazy thing is that we can actually change the composition of intestinal bacteria. We cannot change the genes – at least not for a long time to come. If we know why viruses and intestinal bacteria are a good match, it will be a lot easier for us to change something that actually affects our health,” says Simon Rasmussen.

The study, “Centenarians have a diverse gut virome with the potential to modulate metabolism and promote healthy lifespan”, has been published in Nature Microbiology.

Distinct gut microbiome ecology may be implicated in the prevention of aging-related diseases as it influences systemic immune function and resistance to infections. Yet, the viral component of the microbiome throughout different stages in life remains unexplored. Here we present a characterization of the centenarian gut virome using previously published metagenomes from 195 individuals from Japan and Sardinia. Compared with gut viromes of younger adults (>18 yr) and older individuals (>60 yr), centenarians had a more diverse virome including previously undescribed viral genera, such as viruses associated with Clostridia. A population shift towards higher lytic activity was also observed. Finally, we investigated phage-encoded auxiliary functions that influence bacterial physiology, which revealed an enrichment of genes supporting key steps in sulfate metabolic pathways.

Phage and bacterial members of the centenarian microbiome displayed an increased potential for converting methionine to homocysteine, sulfate to sulfide and taurine to sulfide. A greater metabolic output of microbial hydrogen sulfide in centenarians may in turn support mucosal integrity and resistance to pathobionts.

Number of people aged 100 years and older Japan 2003-2022, by gender. As of September 2022, around 10 thousand men and 80 thousand women in Japan were aged 100 years and older. The total number of centenarians in that year added up to about 90.5 thousand in the country.

[GODREKR]

I knew gut bacteria was healthy for you, but I didn't know it could potentially keep you alive longer. Plus, you have to remember that their diet, especially the older generation, is way healthier than ours.

[kellyhound]

fun fact. In 1900 there were 1,656,000,000 people roaming the earth.
They're all dead now.

[kellyhound]

Originally Posted by GODREKR ↗

I knew gut bacteria was healthy for you, but I didn't know it could potentially keep you alive longer. Plus, you have to remember that their diet, especially the older generation, is way healthier than ours.

Studies have suggested two genes in particular – DNA 5178 and the ND2-237Met NDgenotype – help the Japanese live longer by protecting them against some adult-onset diseases.

[GODREKR]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

Studies have suggested two genes in particular – DNA 5178 and the ND2-237Met NDgenotype – help the Japanese live longer by protecting them against some adult-onset diseases.

Now if we cold only bottle that we'd be in business.

[kellyhound]

The artificial sweetener sucralose (marketed as Splenda) is widely used and found in products like diet soda and chewing gum. According to a new study, it's also capable of damaging the DNA material inside our cells.

As DNA holds the genetic code controlling how our bodies grow and are maintained, that's a serious problem that could lead to multiple health issues.

So significant are the researchers' concerns, they are now calling for food standard agencies to review the safety and regulatory status of the sugar substitute.

The technical term for something that breaks DNA like this is genotoxic, and the study looked specifically at sucralose-6-acetate: this chemical compound is produced when sucralose is ingested and metabolized in the body, as reported in a 2018 study in rats.

"To put this in context, the European Food Safety Authority has a threshold of toxicological concern for all genotoxic substances of 0.15 micrograms per person per day," says biomedical engineer Susan Schiffman from North Carolina State University.

"Our work suggests that the trace amounts of sucralose-6-acetate in a single, daily sucralose-sweetened drink exceed that threshold. And that's not even accounting for the amount of sucralose-6-acetate produced as metabolites after people consume sucralose."

In other words, sucralose-6-acetate is already present in these drinks before they are ingested, but even more of it is produced in our stomachs. Sucralose is actually made from a tweaked version of sucralose-6-acetate, which is synthesized from sucrose sugar.

In the study, the researchers ran a series of lab tests on human blood cells and gut wall tissue to see the reaction to both sucralose and the sucralose-6-acetate compound. Tests were also done on the genetic activity of the gut cells, all using standardized analysis procedures for detecting DNA damage.

The tests confirmed mechanisms that were genotoxic and clastogenic (breaking strands of DNA), as well as showing increases in the expression of genes that are linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer. What's more, the gut lining was also damaged.

"[W]e found that both chemicals [sucrose and sucralose-6-acetate] cause 'leaky gut'," says Schiffman.

"Basically, they make the wall of the gut more permeable. The chemicals damage the 'tight junctions', or interfaces, where cells in the gut wall connect to each other."

A leaky gut means that the partially digested food and toxins can seep into the bloodstream. The condition can be brought on in numerous ways, and can have subsequent impacts in many different parts of the body.

The researchers behind the new study warn that people should now stop taking sucralose and consuming anything that contains it. Previously, regulatory approval was given to the sweetener based on research showing that it passed through the body unchanged – findings that are now being contradicted by more recent studies.

That regulatory approval may now have to be reviewed. Further research could look more closely at the potentially dangerous health impacts of sucralose-6-acetate exposure, the researchers suggest.

"This work raises a host of concerns about the potential health effects associated with sucralose and its metabolites," says Schiffman.

"It's time to revisit the safety and regulatory status of sucralose, because the evidence is mounting that it carries significant risks."

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full...4.2023.2213903

[GODREKR]

It's scary to think that the FDA would allow a chemical that can cause so much damage to be used in just about everything. But then again, it's not surprising either since they're just another gov. office that has been sold to the highest bidder since it's inception.

I have family members who use that shit in their coffee and tea and will be showing them this article. Thanks for posting it.

[kellyhound]

Taurine supplements in middle age improve health in old age.

To learn how taurine impacted health, Yadav brought in other aging researchers who investigated the effect of taurine supplementation on the health and lifespan in several species.

These experts measured various health parameters in mice and found that at age 2 (60 in human years), animals supplemented with taurine for one year were healthier in almost every way than their untreated counterparts.

The researchers found that taurine suppressed age-associated weight gain in female mice (even in “menopausal” mice), increased energy expenditure, increased bone mass, improved muscle endurance and strength, reduced depression-like and anxious behaviors, reduced insulin resistance, and promoted a younger-looking immune system, among other benefits.

“Not only did we find that the animals lived longer, we also found that they’re living healthier lives,” Yadav says.

At a cellular level, taurine improved many functions that usually decline with age: The supplement decreased the number of “zombie cells” (old cells that should die but instead linger and release harmful substances), increased survival after telomerase deficiency, increased the number of stem cells present in some tissues (which can help tissues heal after injury), improved the performance of mitochondria, reduced DNA damage, and improved the cells‘ ability to sense nutrients.

Similar health effects of taurine supplements were seen in middle-aged rhesus monkeys, which were given daily taurine supplements for six months. Taurine prevented weight gain, reduced fasting blood glucose and markers of liver damage, increased bone density in the spine and legs, and improved the health of their immune systems.

Randomized clinical trial needed
The researchers do not know yet if taurine supplements will improve health or increase longevity in humans, but two experiments they conducted suggest taurine has potential.

In the first, Yadav and his team looked at the relationship between taurine levels and approximately 50 health parameters in 12,000 European adults aged 60 and over. Overall, people with higher taurine levels were healthier, with fewer cases of type 2 diabetes, lower obesity levels, reduced hypertension, and lower levels of inflammation. “These are associations, which do not establish causation,” Yadav says, “but the results are consistent with the possibility that taurine deficiency contributes to human aging.”

The second study tested if taurine levels would respond to an intervention known to improve health: exercise. The researchers measured taurine levels before and after a variety of male athletes and sedentary individuals finished a strenuous cycling workout and found a significant increase in taurine among all groups of athletes (sprinters, endurance runners, and natural bodybuilders) and sedentary individuals.

“No matter the individual, all had increased taurine levels after exercise, which suggests that some of the health benefits of exercise may come from an increase in taurine,” Yadav says.

Only a randomized clinical trial in people will determine if taurine truly has health benefits, Yadav adds. Taurine trials are currently underway for obesity, but none are designed to measure a wide range of health parameters.

Other potential anti-aging drugs—including metformin, rapamycin, and NAD analogs—are being considered for testing in clinical trials.
https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/...healthier-life

[GODREKR]

I can't wait to find out what they studies show when they test it on more humans. In the meantime, I think I'm going to try it. Thanks Kelly.

[William May]

My farts are VERY stinky, so I am pretty sure I have a lot of those bacteria and viruses and stuff. So I will probably live to be 100. Maybe 150!