A little stress may be the secret to healthy aging

Human lifespans are longer than ever before, but longevity alone does not guarantee good health. Many people are now asking not only “How long can I live?” But “How long can I live?” while age Refers to the total number of years from birth to death, healthspan It is part of those years he spent in good health.

Diet plays a major role in determining how well we age. Scientists have long known that the quantity and quality of nutrients we consume affect aging. Using a microscopic worm C. elegans infectionProfessor Spang’s team showed that specific RNA molecules found in food could improve the health of worms later in life. “These molecules prevent the formation of harmful protein aggregates that are commonly associated with aging and disease,” says Spang. The results of their study were published in Nature Communications.

How diet shapes aging

As organisms age, their ability to remove damaged or modified proteins decreases. These proteins can accumulate and form toxic clumps within cells, which are thought to drive the aging process and contribute to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and various muscle disorders.

Researchers have discovered that a balanced diet supports a longer period of health and that some nutritional components provide protective effects. Worms mainly consume bacteria that contain double-stranded RNA molecules. “These dietary RNAs are absorbed in the intestine and activate quality control mechanisms to protect against cellular stress,” explains Emmanuel Kyriakakis, first author of the study. “This low-level stress essentially trains the body to deal with protein spoilage more effectively.”

Diet-dependent mechanisms slow cell aging

The diet activates autophagy—a cellular “cleaning” process that breaks down and recycles damaged proteins. This mechanism reduces the accumulation of harmful protein and thus slows down cell aging. “We were surprised to discover that the gut communicates with other organs,” Kyriakakis says. “We observed protective effects not only locally, but also in the muscle and throughout the entire organism.”

Healthier aging – even in worms

In general, worms exposed to a balanced diet were more active and healthier in old age. “Dietary RNA species trigger a systemic stress response that protects worms from protein accumulation during aging,” Kyriakakis says. “Thus extending their health period.”

The results confirm that diet strongly affects health in old age. “Certain food components can stimulate the body’s own protective mechanisms,” Spang adds. “So, a little bit of stress can be good for you.” Whether individual nutrients can also exert beneficial effects in humans—and perhaps help prevent age-related diseases—remains to be investigated. But it is certainly conceivable. What’s already clear: What we eat can shape the way we age.