Scientists believe that consuming a weird marine creature may help reverse the effects of aging. Researchers have released fresh research diving deep into the possibilities.
Sea squirts, more technically known as Ascidiacea, have been shown to reverse the effects of aging in animal models. It is possible to consume the critters uncooked, and they have been used in Korean cuisine for a long time. What makes sea squirts so appealing?
Plasmalogens, a chemical found in these odd marine critters, might be very valuable. Plasmalogens play a critical role in a variety of bodily functions. In our hearts, brains, and immune cells are located these naturally occurring chemicals.
However, as we get older, our plasmalogens decrease in number. Several neurodegenerative illnesses have been linked to the depletion of these essential chemicals. The development of novel supplements may be made easier if it can be shown that increasing the amount in the body might slow down the aging process.
How advantageous is it to include plasmalogens in your daily diet?
Plasmalogens were discovered to be able to halt cognitive deterioration. Plasmalogen-fed mice also had thicker and glossier hair than their counterparts who didn’t get the supplement. The results suggest that adding plasmalogens to the diet of elderly mice reversed the effects of aging. Cognitive deficits were also shown to be affected by it. Scientists used a Morris water maze on mice to see how big of an impact these chemicals had on the aging brain.
As a resting space, a pool of water with a single platform is used in this experiment. Swimming is often not a favorite pastime for mice. It is because of this that they are generally able to recall exactly where the platform is and swim right there. However, after five days of training, researchers discovered that elder mice were still unable to locate the platform.
However, when plasmalogen supplements were added to their diet, the elderly mice acted more like younger mice. These critical nutrients seem to be capable of reversing the brain’s aging process as well. The researchers examined the brains of mice with and without additional plasmalogens to see whether this held true.
A greater number and better quality of synapses were found in the brains of mice given the supplement. Synapses are simply the connections between neurons, and they are referred to as such. Supplement-free mice demonstrated a reduction in the number and quality of synapses in old age.
