Briefs · Emerging Technologies
Study Could Help Explain Why Colder Body Temperature Extends Lifespan in Many Species
The ice bath might be onto something after all. Scientists have found a molecule that could explain why colder bodies live longer — and it comes from the muscles.
For over a century, researchers have known that lowering the ambient temperature extends lifespan in roundworms, fruit flies and mice. A team at the University of Cologne, led by David Vilchez, chilled roundworms by just five degrees. The worms lived roughly 15 per cent longer — and one molecule, BH2, skyrocketed in the cold.
BH2 is a helper for many enzymes, and it is mostly made in the muscles, then shipped around the body. In the gut and brain it pushes cells to make more tyrosine, an amino acid found in meat, fish, dairy and soy. Blocking BH2 production wiped out the extra longevity. Feeding the worms tyrosine instead extended their lives even at normal temperatures.
The team then tried BH2 on human neurons. Mutant proteins linked to Huntington’s disease, ALS and dementia normally kill the cells — but BH2-treated cells largely survived, keeping their protein balance intact.
Do not order tyrosine just yet. Cells are not people, and BH2’s balance with its active form regulates reactive oxygen species; tipping it could ironically speed up ageing. But an existing drug for a metabolic condition can tweak the same pathway, and patient data could test it.
Conclusion: cold is not a cure, but rather a clue — a chilly, chemical hint that the muscles may be running the longevity show.
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