Everyone wishes to live longer, but maintaining good health throughout old age often seems impossible. A recent mice study reveals that this may not be so far-fetched, as researchers have discovered a breakthrough treatment that, when administered monthly, could boost both longevity and vitality in old age.
Much research has gone into extending human lifespan, significantly improving longevity over the past century. Even though no one wants to spend their extended years decrepit, it is almost as if it is inevitable to have a frail decline in the last decade of life.
This is where the latest mice study by University of Connecticut researchers becomes relevant, offering promising insights into how we might be able to have both longevity and vitality.
"We are all very excited about this finding because it demonstrates that we not only extend the lifespan but indeed extend the life with good health in mice, which is a key goal for the aging field," said researcher Ming Xu in a news release.
The breakthrough monthly treatment tested in the study involved the removal of highly inflammatory cells from the mice tissues. They are the cells that actively express a specific gene called p21.
The results published in Cell Metabolism suggest that the mice that received monthly treatments lived 9% longer, equivalent to about 79 extra days. More strikingly, the benefits of the treatment extended beyond longevity as the treated mice also showed improved physical capabilities, such as fast walking and gripping with greater strength compared to untreated mice of the same age.
The treated mice maintained their strength and agility during the entire treatment period, and even though they were older at the time of death, their physical function and overall frailty during their last stages were better than the controls. When translating these results to humans, the reduced walking speed and weakened grip could be strongly associated with increased frailty.
"The monthly treatments extended both the maximum lifespan of mice—the oldest treated mice lived to be 43 months, equivalent to about 130 years old as a human—as well as the average lifespan so that the average treated mouse lived longer, and healthier than the average untreated mouse," the news release stated.
