Prolonging lifespan in nematodes and fruit flies through calorific restriction: two new studies by D.A.S. and Tally Health

The molecule, called lithocholic acid, is made by bacteria in the gut and aids the digestion of fats. Two papers were published in Nature this year, which show that the compound lithocholic acid can prolong lifespan in nematodes and fruit flies.

D.A.S. is an equity owner of MetroBiotech and a co- founder, consultant, and board member of Galilei Biosciences. He is also an equity owner of Tally Health, a DNA biomarker company. Other activities are listed at sinclair.hms.harvard.edu

Animals that have been shown to be able to prolong lifespans through the use of calorific restriction are not the only ones. A protein called AMPK is known to be switched on by caloric restriction and plays a crucial part in its beneficial effects.

There are other factors to consider when making a decision about cutting calories, including loss of lean muscle mass, difficulty in regulating body temperature and possibly increased risk of infection, as well as constant hunger, which can lead to more than half the calories being slashed.

Why certain compounds do not extend lifespan: An analysis of Schork’s critical review of publications by the US National Institute on Aging and Longevity Consortium

The team fed the acid to the animals. Adding lithocholic acid extended the lives of the fruit flies and nematodes.

The study of ageing and longevity is littered with claims that certain compounds extend lifespan — claims that did not survive closer scrutiny. But the papers are remarkably thorough, says Nicholas Schork, lead investigator of the US National Institute on Aging’s Longevity Consortium and a genomicist at the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. Schork was not involved in the works, but she found them compelling. “They went way beyond what many other groups have done to make claims about potential health benefits.”