It’s in our nature that we don’t want to get old. So it comes as no surprise that over the history scientists has been endeavored to find sources of prolonged youth or reaching immortality. Austrian scientist extracted yet another elixir of youth from human sperm.
Human cells start getting old as a natural process called autophagy is disrupted. Autophagy is a kind of cell cannibalism when tissues recycle damaged cells or their parts. Scientists of Graz University in Austria found that a compound in male sperm called spermidine slows down ageing and stretches lifespan of yeast, worms and mice as well as human blood cells by protecting them from damage.
Spermidine treatment suppresses various process related to ageing and reduce the level of unhealthy radicals, making lifespan longer. When treated with spermidine, fruit flies lived 30 percent longer. The scientists also found that spermidine levels drops down in humans with age.
Unfortunately, the article Key To Longevity Rediscovered posted on NHS website says that despite this area is very interesting, a lot of future research and animals trials are needed before scientists could try tests on humans.
Source of the image: sxc.hu/profile/clix.
