Can Aging Be Reversed? New Study With Mice Shows Promising Results

The quest to stop aging may seem like an impossible one, but that doesn't mean people will stop trying. Consider this: In 2012, the total market for antiaging products and services was estimated to be a $249.3 billion industry. In fact, it has been estimated that by 2018 the antiaging industry will be over $300 billion. Unfortunately, thus far, there is only one way known to scientists to slow aging down on a molecular level: diet and exercise. Now, a new study from researchers at the University of New South Wales has made some promising findings about reversing the aging process.

The scientists explain that the cell nucleus and mitochondria communicate, which keeps people youthful, and when this communication breaks down, the aging process ensues. The scientists have been able to identify the communication breakdown and believe that fixing the communication can make cells youthful, once again. "The aging process we discovered is like a married couple -- when they are young, they communicate well, but over time, living in close quarters for many years, communication breaks down," revealed David Sinclair, Harvard University-based lead investigator, in a press release.

As we mentioned above, a previous study found that diet and exercise can slow down the aging process. Scientists used a compound that replicated the effects of diet and exercise on mice to find that two-year-old mice are just as healthy as six-month-old mice in terms of muscle strength. "It's something like a 60-year-old being similar to a 20-year-old on some measures," Sinclair said. One such compound that contributes to the anti-aging effect is reservatrol, a key compound found in grapes and red wine.