SCIENCE OF AGING

March 2005
		Scientists have isolated a series of genes found in many different plants and animals that seem to control the aging process. Two leading scientists on the study of these anti-aging genes -- Dr. Stephen Helfand of the University of Connecticut and Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard Medical School -- answer your questions about their research. Special Report: Science of Aging

Forum Introduction What kinds of food should we eat to exploit this finding? Is there any connection between this work and the theories on telomeres? How many years away are we from human trials? Is it likely that drinking red wine, eating grapes or taking resveratrol in the form of supplements can slow down aging? Aren't there negative side effects from being kept in a state of constant emergency mode? What should the caloric intake for humans be to potentially extend health and life? How does expending calories through exercise affect the rate of aging?	Linus of Glendale, Calif. asks: What kinds of food would be beneficial to exploit this finding, or what kinds of food should be avoided? Dr. Stephen Helfand responds: At the moment the evidence from studies on rodents is the most complete. The general consensus is that as long as adequate vitamins and important nutrients are maintained an overall reduction of calories is what is important and not necessarily a decrease or increase in specific types of foods. It has not been shown that calorie restriction extends life span in humans. Studies with non-human primates as well as more recently with humans are ongoing. Dr. David Sinclair responds: It is not yet known if we can get enough of these molecules for our diets to make a health difference. But there is some epidemiological data suggesting we might. For example, the French Paradox is a controversial theory that the French have better cardiovascular health because of their red wine consumption. The life extending molecules are made by most plants and therefore are in most foods we eat but usually only in trace amounts. Resveratrol, one of the best life-extending molecules in lower organisms, is concentrated in red wine because of the extraction process and its storage in a dark air-tight container. Only trace amounts are found in grape juice. Quercetin, a similar looking molecule, is in apples and onions. Head for wines and foods that have been stressed before, during or after harvesting. Avoid plants that have been pampered or products that have been exposed to light or air for long periods, since they are often light- and oxygen-sensitive. Plants make these molecules when they are stressed, e.g., when they lack water or nutrients, are exposed to too much sun, or have an infection. Pinot Noir is a wimpy grape and wines made from them tend to have the most resveratrol. Californian wines on average tend to have less resveratrol because the plants are not as stressed as say upstate New York where the dampness means that the vines can suffer from fungal infections. My laboratory has a theory that plants make these molecules to turn on their own defenses via the SIR2 protein. A word about resveratrol: This small molecule from red wine is currently in human clinical trials to treat colon cancer and oral herpes, and, in mice, protects against stroke, heart attack, spinal cord injury, heart disease, and is one of the most effective cancer treatments ever discovered.