Scientists Reveal Pomegranate's Anti-Aging Mechanism
- 8 years ago
Researchers who recently investigated the health benefits of the pomegranate say the fruit really does have an anti-aging superpower.
The pomegranate has, as of late, earned the reputation of possessing anti-aging superpowers, but the science behind that assertion has been woefully lacking.
Researchers hailing from Amazentis and EPFL recently took a very close look at how the fruit impacts the inner workings of living things – specifically rodents and nematodes - and say there really is something to the claims.
It comes down to a molecule in the fruit that, when exposed to certain gut bacteria, produces urolithin A, a substance that helps activate the cleanup of defective mitochondria.
That’s an important function in battling the ravages of time, as accumulations of damaged mitochondria cause a breakdown in tissue such as muscle.
The scientists stress that adding pomegranates to one’s diet will not necessarily help stop that degeneration.
Not all guts contain the proper bacteria to turn the fruit into urolithin A.
Also, the effects experienced by rodents and worms have not yet been proven to occur in humans.
The researchers are working to resolve both matters and are in the midst of testing the impact already converted urolithin A has on people.
The pomegranate has, as of late, earned the reputation of possessing anti-aging superpowers, but the science behind that assertion has been woefully lacking.
Researchers hailing from Amazentis and EPFL recently took a very close look at how the fruit impacts the inner workings of living things – specifically rodents and nematodes - and say there really is something to the claims.
It comes down to a molecule in the fruit that, when exposed to certain gut bacteria, produces urolithin A, a substance that helps activate the cleanup of defective mitochondria.
That’s an important function in battling the ravages of time, as accumulations of damaged mitochondria cause a breakdown in tissue such as muscle.
The scientists stress that adding pomegranates to one’s diet will not necessarily help stop that degeneration.
Not all guts contain the proper bacteria to turn the fruit into urolithin A.
Also, the effects experienced by rodents and worms have not yet been proven to occur in humans.
The researchers are working to resolve both matters and are in the midst of testing the impact already converted urolithin A has on people.