Rats Beat Aging

Did you ever wonder of you can beat the effects of aging? Well, a new study showed that mice can. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine gave healthy mice a natural compound called NMN. Tests have shown that these mice had more energy and reduced typical signs of aging. For example, weight gain, decrease in physical activity and loss of insulin sensitivity. Thus, older rats act like younger ones. Scientists believe that this can help humans remain healthier as they age since mice cells and human cells rely on the same process for energy production. When one ages, they lose the ability to produce NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Studies have shown that this tissue decreases in mice as they age. However, giving NAD to mice is ineffective. Therefore, scientists looked one step earlier in the NAD supply chain to find NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide). This method can potentially reduce aging in humans and/or allow aging to occur in a more healthy way.