Link between dietary stress and healthy aging found
Scientists from the University of Basel have found a way to age healthily.
Swiss scientists have discovered that certain nutrients in the diet can cause mild stress in the body, which paradoxically promotes healthy aging by preventing the accumulation of harmful protein aggregates in cells and activating natural defense mechanisms against age-related diseases.
test banner under the title image
In their search for keys to healthy aging, researchers from the University of Basel in Switzerland have made a surprising discovery: certain nutrients found in food can trigger a mild stress response in the body that, rather than being harmful, promotes health with age. Using the tiny worm Caenorhabditis elegans as a model, a team led by researcher Anne Spang demonstrated that RNA molecules present in the nematode's bacterial diet trigger protective mechanisms that prevent the formation of harmful protein aggregates—one of the key factors in aging and age-related diseases.
"These molecules prevent the formation of harmful protein aggregates that are commonly associated with aging and disease," Spang explains.
With age, the efficiency of cellular quality control systems declines, leading to the accumulation of damaged and altered proteins. These protein aggregates are considered key factors in aging and are linked to numerous age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Researchers have found that a balanced diet containing certain components has a protective effect on the body. Worms fed bacteria containing double-stranded RNA molecules demonstrated significantly improved health in old age.
"These dietary RNAs are absorbed in the intestine and activate quality control mechanisms to protect against cellular stress," explains study author Emmanouil Kyriakakis.
A surprising aspect of the discovery was that low-level diet-induced stress actually trains the body to more effectively deal with protein damage. This process activates autophagy, a natural cellular cleansing mechanism that breaks down and recycles damaged proteins. As Kyriakakis notes, they "were surprised to find that the gut interacts with other organs and observed protective effects not only locally but also in muscles and throughout the body." This systemic effect is particularly important, as it demonstrates how dietary factors can influence the health of the entire body, not just the digestive system.
Overall, worms fed a balanced diet containing food RNA were more active and healthy in old age compared to the control group.
"Species containing food RNA induce a systemic stress response that protects worms from protein aggregation during aging, thereby extending their lifespan," Kyriakakis notes. These results confirm that diet significantly influences health in old age, with certain dietary components stimulating the body's own defense mechanisms. As Spang concludes, "a little stress can be beneficial"—a principle known as hormesis—is finding new support in the context of healthy aging.
Scientists still need to determine whether specific dietary components can have similar beneficial effects on the human body and potentially help prevent age-related diseases.
Authors:
