Chinese scientists have discovered a link between lithocholic acid and longevity

Chinese scientists have made a discovery that could change our understanding of the factors that influence longevity. They have found that a bile acid produced by the liver, specifically lithocholic acid (LCA), has effects similar to calorie restriction, a commonly accepted method for improving longevity.

They found that LCA, which is produced by the liver, can enhance muscle regeneration, as well as increase grip strength and running ability.

Previous studies have shown that mammals accumulate LCA during calorie restriction, and it activates a key molecule involved in metabolism called AMP-activated protein kinase, or AMPK. It is activated when glucose levels drop and plays a key role in aging by regulating processes such as inflammation and nerve degeneration.

In experiments on fruit flies, the scientists found that LCA activates AMPK and produces anti-aging effects similar to calorie restriction. Since these animals do not synthesize LCA naturally, the scientists injected it into them. Depriving the animals of the ability to produce AMPK resulted in a loss of the effects of LCA when it was administered, confirming that the liver acid acted in an “AMPK-dependent manner.”.

The scientists took blood serum from mice that had been on a calorie-restricted diet for four months and injected it into rodents that were eating a regular diet. They found that the injected serum led to the activation of AMPK in the mice's liver and muscle.

The researchers also observed that administering LCA increased the average lifespan of the flies by four to five days.

Administration of “only the activated metabolite LCA may exert anti-aging effects,” the scientists concluded in the study.

“People have long been searching for a longevity elixir. LCA is one possibility because it is a single molecule in the blood of people who practice calorie restriction and activates AMPK, which in turn further induces changes in metabolites in the blood,” commented the study’s lead author, Lin Shengcai from Xiamen University.

spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Popular

Share this post:

More like this
HERE

Prosecutor from Kirovohrad region tries to restore canceled disability through court

Prosecutor of the Department of Procedural Management in Criminal Proceedings of Investigators of the Territorial...

Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia may be postponed due to the activation of the “Iranian case.” Sources

According to our sources, the likelihood of Ukraine resuming negotiations with...

Anxiety is exacerbated in winter by light, sleep, and isolation

Winter can have a subtle effect on a person's emotional state. Short...

Dmytro Firtash is trying to regain control over Lvivgaz and Zakarpatgaz through VAKS

Dmytro Firtash launched a large-scale legal campaign to restore...

In the Kyiv region, military personnel will be tried for stealing diesel from the warehouses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Prosecutors of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Defense of the Central Region sent...

Negotiating groups are leveling their positions: Zelenskyy and Putin's meeting could take place in three weeks

In the negotiation process to end the war, work has intensified on...

A company with zero turnover received over 1.5 billion for power system equipment

Amid constant attacks on the Ukrainian power system, the purchase of equipment...

The fifth year of the war: what happened to the image of Zelensky and Putin

After 1,460 days of full-scale war, the central figures of the conflict remain...