Deficit or Lose It: Preservation at the Molecular Level

Almost every living organism shares an internal and primordial drive to continue living. It turns out, we as humans may have more control in this outcome than previously believed. Through means as simple as eating less, we have the ability to affect how our cells respond to this stress. We can directly call upon cells to"rev up" their survival capability to stave off diseases that come about in direct relation to aging.

Cell researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered "two genes in mammalian cells that act as gatekeepers for cellular longevity." [1] They refer to these genes as SIRT3 and SIRT4, newly uncovered pieces of the puzzle to human preservation. In simplified terms, these genes, when faced with a significant caloric deficit, will create enzymes to ensure "the mitochondria grow stronger, energy-output increases, and the cell's aging process slows down significantly" [1]As a direct result, cells that would have otherwise perished tend to regenerate and continue on with only the mitochondria remaining.

This anti aging "technique" is not something new to the scientific community. Previous studies suggest the same cell preservation outcomes in primates, which have a very similar genetic makeup to humans. This is evident especially in the context of reactions to aging between the two groups. In a 2018 publication following a decade long study, a group of biologists found that a control group of grey mouse lemurs with a diet limiting their caloric intake by 30% showed a decrease in aging related disease and characteristics, where this deficit even "increased their lifespan by 50%" [2].

These findings are revolutionary for the field of health, an area that is almost encapsulated by the idea of death prevention. As we further understand the processes that occur within the human body, it seems that we can derive more and more keys to our survival. I am hopeful this branch of research will continue to expand, as this seems like a very fresh but revolutionary step for us in terms of our survival.

Sources:

[1] ] Harvard Medical School. "Eat Less To Live Longer: Calorie Restriction Linked To Long Healthy Lives." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 September 2007. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070920122209.htm>

[2] CNRS. "Eating less enables lemurs to live longer." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 April 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180405093241.htm>.