The Breakthrough: Reversing Ageing in Rats
Steve Horvath, an anti-ageing researcher at the University of Los Angeles, California, and his colleagues were stunned by the results of their experiments. In 2020, they injected old rats with blood extract from younger rodents and witnessed a remarkable reversal of ageing. The rats exhibited renewed strength, improved organ function, and sharper memories. The most astonishing finding was that the biological age of the rats had been cut in half.
A Paradigm Shift in Ageing Research
This breakthrough study by Horvath and his team challenges conventional thinking about ageing. Instead of perceiving ageing as the accumulation of wear and tear over time, researchers now believe that it is driven by the underlying forces that shape and maintain our bodies from birth. While these forces support our growth in youth, their failure to switch off leads to the deterioration and decline associated with old age. This new perspective offers a deeper understanding of ageing and the potential to slow down or partially reverse its effects.
The True Nature of Ageing
Although there is ongoing debate about the processes that drive ageing, biogerontologists agree on one thing: the progressive decline in physical function that occurs as time goes by. This decline is characterized by various cellular changes, including deteriorating chromosome ends, damaged genomes, and altered nutrient sensing in cells.
Challenging the Damage Theory
For many years, biologists have adhered to the idea that age-related changes are primarily caused by damage inflicted by reactive molecules known as free radicals. However, the recent findings in reversing ageing suggest that the dominant narrative might need to be reevaluated.
