Scientists may have found the fountain of youth, but it may be more like a squirt rather than a fountain.
An international team of researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Stanford University, Shanghai Jiao tong University, and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences recently published a study claiming that eating sea squirts could reverse the signs of aging as seen on the mouse models they used, proving a promising novel anti-aging therapy.
Eating Sea Squirts Reverse Signs of Aging, Stop Cognitive Decline
Ascidians Have the Power to Reverse Signs of Aging
Sea squirts, formally known as Ascidiacea or Ascidians, are marine invertebrates that got their name for their penchant for shooting water from their orifices. They are mainly consumed raw in Japan and South Korea.
They are sometimes called sea pineapple. Ascidians are covered by a rubbery red carapace removed when served since only its succulent orange insides are eaten.
In the many years that scientists have been looking for the fountain of youth, they believe they have finally found it. They think that this will stop aging in the next 20 years.
The study, titled "Plasmalogens Eliminate Aging-Associated Synaptic Defects and Microglia-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Mice," published in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, suggests supplementing a site with sea squirts can reverse the signs of aging as seen in the animal model used in the experiment.
Researchers explained that these strange marine creatures contain plasmalogens that are crucial in the bodily processes of humans. They occur naturally and are typically found in the heart, brain, and immune cells.
But the body produces fewer plasmalogens as it ages, which brings about the signs of aging. Also, its loss plays a critical role in developing neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers believe that this substance could open the door for new supplements to reduce signs of aging and lowers the risk of cognitive decline.
"It could be that a pill to keep you young may not be such an unrealistic proposition after all - as long as it contains sea squirts," study author Professor Lei Fu said in a statement in Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University news release.
Seafood-Derived Supplement Palsmalogens
According to the New York Post, scientists wanted to learn whether the seafood-derived plasmalogens can also help boost cognitive health. So, they fed elderly mice sea squirts and tested them for improved memory and learning abilities.
They made the mice wade through a Morris water maze, an aquatic labyrinth using only a single resting platform. Since mice are not fond of water, their natural tendency is to try and memorize the location of the platform until they can swim directly out of it. Older mice took longer to find the platform, even with the same amount of training.
However, when they consumed plasmalogens, they fared just as well as their younger counterparts when completing the task. Subsequently, a test shows that plasmalogen-charged mice had more and better quality synapses than old mice not fed with sea squirt supplements.
Fu noted that the plasmalogens significantly increase the number of molecules that aid the growth and development of neurons and synapses. That means plasmalogens promote neurodegeneration among animal models. It is the first study to show how these chemicals affect the aging brain.
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