Carnosine is found in our bodies wherever high levels of energy are needed, such as in the brain, heart and muscles. Its role is to protect these vital parts of the body from excessive metabolic demands to create and manage energy.
The young organism has high levels of carnosine. However, as part of the aging process, its level decreases. The reasons for the decline are twofold: as we age, our body produces less carnosine and also because our body’s own carnosine becomes less stable and easier to metabolize as we age. Therefore, for example, in diabetes, which unnaturally accelerates aging, carnosine production decreases and its susceptibility to metabolic destruction increases.
These findings suggest that carnosine deficiency may be partly responsible for the visible aging and loss of functionality in many parts of the body that occurs with aging.
If we could restore carnosine stores to their youthful levels, we might be able to halt part of the aging process.
1. Carnosine slows the aging of human cells in culture dishes. Scientists have added carnosine to cultures of young cells. While control cells typically “aged,” cells grown in high concentrations of carnosine maintained a youthful appearance. When these youthful-looking cells were transferred to culture dishes without carnosine, they rapidly “aged” like the control cells. Conversely, when the researchers took old cells that were nearing the end of their lifespan and transferred them to culture dishes containing high concentrations of carnosine, they found that the cells rapidly regenerated and resembled young cells.
2. Carnosine extends the lifespan of whirligigs, microscopic aquatic organisms that are used as models of aging in many laboratories. In this experiment, the researchers tested many different antioxidant compounds and identified carnosine as one of four that had a significant effect on the longevity of these organisms.
3. Carnosine also extends the lifespan of fruit flies, specifically in males by up to 20%. Normally, males die significantly earlier than females. When they were given carnosine, they reached the same age as the females.
4. Carnosine extends the lifespan of laboratory mice and warm-blooded mammals, which share many features of aging with humans.
The researchers used a species of mice that age significantly faster and supplemented their diet with carnosine. Not only did these mice live significantly longer, but they also retained the physical and behavioral functions of young individuals. The researchers also tested the supplement in normal mice, and carnosine had the same effects. Carnosine clearly improved the appearance of the animals and helped keep the animals in better condition than animals from the control group that were not given carnosine.
Carnosine Extra, Carnosine, Carnosine, L-Carnosine
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