Antioxidant production prolongs life of mice

• It's a controversial topic, say researchers who recently tested the theory in mice.
• Peter Rabinovitch, MD, PhD, and colleagues don't have the final answer.
• But they did find that mice that made more of an antioxidant called catalase lived longer than normal.
• How much extra time did the mice get?
• About five months, on average -- an 18.5% increase in life span for a mouse, says the study.
• Heart disease, cataract development, and other signs of age-related damage were delayed or reduced, the researchers report in Science Express, the advance online edition of Science.
• But why do health problems often increase along with the number of candles on your birthday cake?
• One hypothesis is the "free radical""free radical" theory of aging.
• They say there have been contradictory findings in aging tests conducted on invertebrate animals like fruit flies and that most mouse experiments on longevity haven't directly tested the theory.
• Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage cells by interfering with their normal functioning.
• Some experts believe that the free-radical damage results in age-related diseases, such as cataracts and heart disease.
• When free radicals try to obtain that component, they kill other cells and damage their DNA, which can lead to abnormalities.
• Many studies have shown antioxidants' health advantages.
• You'll automatically get them from a healthy diet that includes fruits,fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
• Antioxidants are even found in teaAntioxidants are even found in tea as well as a sea of supplements.
• The mice in Rabinovitch's study didn't eat a special diet or gobble antioxidant supplements.
• Instead, their genes were manipulated to make more catalase than usual.