Aging may be inevitable but new studies suggest that red wine and chocolate can help slow it down.
Red Wine and Chocolate: Anti-Aging Solution According to Studies
New Study Revelations
Researchers at the University of Exeter and the University of Brighton in the UK have recently concluded that old human cells can undergo rejuvenation after exposure to chemicals like resveratrol, a substance that is present in red wine, as well as dark chocolate.
This recent study is a follow-up to a previous study done at the University of Exeter, which saw that certain types of proteins in the human body becomes inactive with age.
In the 2017 study, researchers applied resveralogues to the aging human cells and found that the proteins, called splicing factors, reactivated.
Upon reactivation, old cells under observation suddenly took on a younger appearance. They also began cell division again, which is an activity more common with younger cells.
What Are Resveralogues? These are chemicals similar to resveratrol, a known polyphenol present in many foods like grapes, red wine, and dark chocolate.
What Are Splicing Factors?
Lorna Harries, a professor of molecular genetics at the University of Exeter explains to Medical News Today what splicing factors or mRNA splicings are at length:
“The information in our genes is carried [in] our DNA. Every cell in the body carries the same genes, but not every gene is switched on in every cell.
“When a gene is needed, it is switched on and [makes] an initial message called an RNA, that contains the instructions for whatever the gene makes. The interesting thing is that most genes can make more than one message.
“The initial message is made up of building blocks that can be kept in or left out to make different messages. [This] inclusion or removal of the building blocks is done by a process called mRNA splicing, whereby the different blocks are joined together as necessary.”
Healthier, Extended Lifespans
With these new findings, researchers say this opens promising possibilities for people in their senior years. Professor Harries stipulates, “the findings show that when old cells undergo treatment with molecules that restore the levels of the splicing factors, the cells recover some characteristics of youth. They are able to grow, and their telomeres, the caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten as we get older, are now longer than in young cells.”
This could mean a healthier life for senior citizens, as their older cells undergo rejuvenation, and undergo processes once thought irreversible.
Resveratrol in Wine and Chocolate
Separate studies by the Harvard Medical School also confirm the anti-aging health benefits associated with resveratrol present in dark chocolate and red wine. Results of the study show that resveratrol can stimulate SIRT1 production.
SIRT1 is a serum that has the ability to block incoming diseases. It does this by way of increasing the cell’s mitochondria, which is the cell’s powerhouse.
Researchers also note the efficacy of resveratrol in its unique abilities. Unlike other antioxidants, resveratrol has the ability to cross blood-brain barriers, and in doing so can help keep the brain and nervous system protected.
Moderate intake of red wine and no binge-drinking may just be the key for proper resveratrol supplementation. Dark chocolate at 60% and higher also contain more resveratrol compared to candy bars that contain too many unhealthy sweeteners.
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