Medical Discovery News
Science permeates everyday life. Yet the understanding of advances in biomedical science is limited at best. Few people make the connection that biomedical science is medicine and that biomedical scientists are working today for the medicine of tomorrow. Our weekly five-hundred-word newspaper column (http://www.illuminascicom.com/) and two-minute radio show provide insights into a broad range of biomedical science topics. Medical Discovery News is dedicated to explaining discoveries in biomedical research and their promise for the future of medicine. Each release is designed to stimulate listeners to think, question and appreciate how science affects their health as well as that of the rest of the world. We also delve into significant biomedical discoveries and portray how science (or the lack of it) has impacted health throughout history.
Medical Discovery News
An Anti-aging Clue
928 An Antiaging Clue
Welcome to Medical Discovery News. I’m Dr Norbert Herzog.
And I’m Dr. David Niesel
We need amino acids to survive since they’re the building blocks of proteins. Our bodies can make some amino acids while others are in the foods we eat.
Scientists are studying an amino acid called Taurine which has been shown to slow aging in animals. They’re asking whether it does the same for us.
Human five-year-olds have three times the levels of taurine in their blood compared to sixty-year-olds. Other studies in humans suggest taurine can act as a neurotransmitter in our brain and play a role in the digestion of fats.
But can it promote longevity in humans? Research has shown supplemental taurine can extend the life of worms and mice and improve the long-term health of monkeys.
Mice given taurine for a year showed improved bone mass, enhanced muscle strength, and decreased insulin resistance. Their lifespan also increased by more than ten percent. Some of these effects were also seen in monkeys including lower stress levels and anxiety.
In a population health study on more than ten thousand European adults, those who had higher taurine levels had lower hypertension rates, obesity, and incidence of Type 2 diabetes.
Can we use taurine to replicate these findings in people with lower levels of taurine? Clinical trials plan to answer that question.
We’re already ingesting taurine in food such as dairy and it’s added in some energy drinks. But we’ll have to wait to know whether spending money on taurine supplements will be worth it.
We are Drs. David Niesel and Norbert Herzog, at UTMB and Quinnipiac University, where biomedical discoveries shape the future of medicine. For much more and our disclaimer go to medicaldiscoverynews.com or subscribe to our podcast. Sign up for expanded print episodes at www.illuminascicom.com
