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?	Randall Bosin of Chevy Chase, Md. asks: Is it likely that drinking red wine, eating grapes or taking resveratrol in the form of supplements can slow down aging? If so, how much, say, red wine would one have to drink to achieve this? Also, is there a good way a layperson can keep up with research in this field? Dr. David Sinclair responds: Resveratrol is not an easy molecule to protect from oxidation. Most commercially available supplements I have tested have no ability to stimulate SIR2 enzymes. How about red wine? First, I should say that resveratrol influences many proteins that are linked to better health, not only SIR2. But can a glass of red wine provide enough resveratrol? Based on the older studies, the answer is a resounding "no." This is still the prevailing view. After drinking red wine, levels of resveratrol in blood barely reach the concentrations thought to be required for SIR2 activation, and, what's more, resveratrol is processed by the liver into a variety of different forms within about 15 minutes of entering the bloodstream. That said, I am no longer dismissive of the idea that we get enough of these molecules in our diet. For example, recent work by my lab and others show that we may only need trace amounts of resveratrol to protect our cells from death and damage (250 nM). These levels might be achievable by drinking red wine. What's more, resveratrol's processed forms -- which circulate in our bodies over nine hours -- might also be bioactive. Where to get info? If you can access the scientific literature (say using PubMed) there is abundant information. For the lay public, there is almost nothing available, I'm afraid. It is all too new. A colleague, Lenny Guarente, has written a book called "Ageless Quest." He and I are writing an article for Scientific American, which should be out in 2005. Dr. Stephen Helfand responds: The amount of resveratrol that is needed for beneficial aging effects on mammals is not known, but is the topic of ongoing studies in mammalian model systems. The compound resveratrol is reported to have positive health benefits on the cardiovascular system and may also have some anti-cancer activity. It also has antioxidant activities. On a cautionary note the molecular structure of resveratrol, a plant polyphenol, has some similarities to mammalian steroids.