The researchers found that supplementing a diet with marine organisms Ascidiacea, also known as marine splashes, reverses some of the major signs of aging in an animal model.
Complementing your diet with marine organisms Ascidiacea, also known as marine splashes, reverses some of the major signs of aging, according to a new study with an animal model.
While the Fountain of Youth, the mythical fountain that returns youth to those who bathe in it or drink its waters, is clearly a fantasy, scientists are working hard to find ways to combat aging. Some of these scientists have just made great strides: they have found that supplementing a diet with sea rays reverses some of the major signs of aging. Although more research is needed to verify the effect in humans, as the study was performed with mice, the findings are very promising.
If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and seen gray hair and wrinkles, or if you’ve forgotten the name of a close friend, you may want a medication that can stop or even reverse the effects of aging. .
According to a new study, it may not be such a silly idea. Researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Stanford University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that supplementing a diet with the marine organism Ascidiacea, also known as splashes marine, reverses some of the major signs of aging in an animal model.
Sea squirrels can be eaten raw and are found in dishes from Korea (where it is known as meongge, or 멍게) and from Japan (hoya, or ホ ヤ). Credit: Jpatokal
Sea squirrels can be eaten raw and can be found in recipes from Korea (where it is known as meongge, or 멍게) and from Japan (hoya, or ホ ヤ). These aquatic creatures contain plasmalogens, which are essential for the processes of the human body. Plasmalogens are found naturally throughout our body, especially in the heart, brain, and immune cells, but the amount in our body decreases as we age. This loss is also a feature of several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
The researchers evaluated the effects of adding plasmogens to the food of large mice to see if increasing plasmalogen levels can prevent the effects of aging. They found that supplements had a significant impact on the learning abilities and physical symptoms of mice.
Professor Lei Fu, the study’s lead author, says: “Our research suggests that plasmalogens can not only stop cognitive decline, but can reverse cognitive impairment in the aging brain. In addition, old mice fed with plasmogens grow a new black hair that is thicker and brighter than old mice not fed with the supplement “.
This study is the first to show in detail how plasmogens affect the aged brain.
Marine organisms Ascidiacea, also called sea splashes, contain substances called plasmogens, which are vital to our body’s processes. Credit: Prilfish
Establish new connections
The effects of plasmalogen supplementation on learning and memory were assessed by training mice to navigate a Morris water maze, which consists of a pool of water with a platform that acts as a resting place. Mice usually do not like to swim, so after five days of training, they remember where the platform is and swim straight towards it as soon as they enter the pool. Larger mice, on the other hand, take longer to locate the platform following the same amount of training.
Surprisingly, when fed with plasmalogens, old mice function more like young mice, finding the platform much faster than the control group of old mice that have not received the supplement.
To find out the reason for the improvement shown by plasmalogen-fed mice, the researchers looked more closely at the changes in the brain. They found that mice that were fed the plasmalogen supplement had a higher number and quality of synapses (connections between neurons) than older mice that did not receive the supplements.
Aged mice showed improved learning and memory when fed Ascidiacea plasmalogen supplements, also known as sea squirrels. In this study, mice were trained to find a hidden platform in a pool of water (Morris water maze), and the image shows the paths they took to reach the platform. After five days of training, the young mice were able to remember the location of the platform, while the old mice took longer and swam longer to reach the platform as they forgot their location. However, when fed a plasmalogen supplement, older mice made a shorter, faster route to the platform than those who did not receive the supplement, suggesting improved cognitive function. Credit: Lei Fu
Synapses are a fundamental part of our neural networks and therefore crucial for learning and memory. Our synapses are usually very plastic when they are children, but they decrease in number and deteriorate with age and in neurogenerative diseases, leading to cognitive impairment.
Consequently, in this study, old mice fed plasmalogen supplements showed greater potential to learn new skills and create new neural networks than old mice whose diet was not supplemented. This suggests that dietary plasmalogens may stop age-related synapse deterioration.
Another feature of aging, which is thought to be a major factor in neurodegeneration, is inflammation of the brain. Too much inflammation can have a negative effect on cognitive ability, as the brain’s immune system becomes hyperactive and turns on itself, attacking neurons and preventing synapses from functioning properly.
In this study, inflammation in older mice was greatly reduced in those receiving plasmalogen supplements compared with those on a normal diet, providing an insight into why they performed better in learning and memory tasks. .
There are many varieties of sea squirrels (Ascidiae). Some are shown in Ernst Haeckel’s Kunstformen der Natur (1904). Credit: Ernst Haeckel
Possible courses of action
While it is not yet clear how dietary plasmalogen supplements appear to cause such significant changes in learning and memory, Professor Fu speculates on possible courses of action.
“We have found that plasmalogens significantly increase the number of molecules that help the growth and development of neurons and synapses in the brain. This suggests that plasmalogens may promote neuroregeneration.
“There is also a growing body of evidence that plasmalogens directly affect the structural properties of synapses. Plasmalogens can increase the fluidity and flexibility of synaptic membranes, affecting the transmission of impulses between neurons.”
In addition, Professor Fu explains that plasmalogens can also have indirect effects on our brain.
“Some studies have shown that dietary plasmalogens affect gut microorganisms. It has been widely reported that the connection between organisms in our gut and our brain influences neurodegeneration. It may be the effect of plasmalogen on this connection. which leads to the improvements in learning and memory seen in this study. “
Professor Fu is so convinced of the results of this study that he takes a plasmalogen supplement every day.
“For the first time, we show that plasmalogen supplements may be a potential intervention strategy to stop neurodegeneration and promote neuroregeneration.
“Oral intake of plasmalogens could be a feasible therapeutic strategy to improve cognitive function in the elderly.”
So it may be that a pill to keep you young is not such an unrealistic proposition after all, as long as it contains sea splashes.
Reference: “Plasmalogens eliminate synaptic defects associated with aging and microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in mice” by Jinxin Gu, Lixue Chen, Ran Sun, Jie-Li Wang, Juntao Wang, Yingjun Lin, Shuwen Lei, Yang Zhang , Dan Lv, Faqin Jiang, Yuru Deng, James P. Collman and Lei Fu, February 23, 2022, Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences DOI: 10.3389 / fmolb.2022.815320