Special Diets

Researchers may have discovered the fountain of youth, at least for mice: a multi-ingredient dietary supplement (MDS), containing vitamins B, C, and D, folic acid, green tea extract, cod liver oil, and other nutrients, was found to prevent and even reverse severe brain damage caused by accelerated aging in specially bred mice. Researchers published the study in Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, and performed the testing on genetically altered mice bred to age rapidly and to express the hallmark traits of accelerated aging; namely, chronic oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, muscle wasting, elevated inflammatory processes, and reduced longevity. At the beginning of the trial, the mice were about a year old and had lost more than half of their brain cells in several brain regions in a pattern comparable to severe Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Every day over the course of several months, the mice were fed the MDS on small bagel pieces. Over time, researchers found the mice experienced:

• Elimination of severe brain cell loss.
• Reversal of cognitive decline.
• Improvement in sensory and motor function, including recovery of vision and sense of smell.

Researchers hope that, in the future, this MDS will play a role in medical research, particularly in studies related to the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular dysfunction, such as Alzheimer’s disease, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and Parkinson’s disease. It’s important to note that this research is still in its infancy and studies on humans are needed before the use of this supplement for such conditions can be widely recommended. In the meantime, it’s useful to remember that other research has shown that certain eating patterns, such as the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet, may help to preserve cognitive function while aging.

Source: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis