SKIP seconds for a sharper BRAIN?
When it comes to living long and healthy, curbing how much you EAT seems to have huge benefits.
From helping your digestion to dropping some pounds—eating LESS pays off.
But get this…
It might also to wonders for your BRAIN.
New research found a gene called OXR1. It turns ON when you cut calories.
This gene is straight-up essential for the gray matter (in your brain) to age nice and slow.
Scientists examined over 200 different fruit fly types on normal and restricted diets. They spotted 5 genes that made the flies live way longer on limited grub.
And one gene called OXR1 (or “mtd” in flies) stood out. The researchers decided to check out exactly HOW this gene protects the brain when food intake drops.
Here’s the deal…
OXR1 keeps the “retromer” working right. Retromer is a cell recycling setup that handles proteins and fats. It’s SUPER important for neurons to function.
But retromer starts glitching as we age. And this is what can lead to nasty brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Thing is, eating less activates OXR1 to keep retromer humming along smoothly in neurons.
“Our work shows retromer, which recycles cell proteins, shields neurons when food is limited,” says Dr. Pankaj Kapahi who led the research. “Cutting calories actually boosts this gene’s activity. So your cells end up processing proteins better.”
The study shows how eating less uses OXR1 and retromer to put the brakes on aging neurons. Even juicing up OXR1 alone let flies chill longer.
So just maybe getting humans more OXR1 could stretch our lifespans, too.
Scientists now want to ID various ways—both natural and lab-designed—to pump up OXR1 levels in aging brains.
While we wait for more information to come out, contemplate skipping out on those seconds. Reducing your caloric intake, in even the slightest, could help battle those senior moments.
To staying sharp as a tack,
Rachel Mace
Editor, e-Alert with contributions from the research team
P.S. Looking for more ways to fend off those “memory slips”? Learn about a fun “brain game” that helps HALT Alzheimer’s.
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