Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that “oxygen restriction,” or decreased oxygen intake, is related to a longer lifespan in lab mice, underlining its anti-aging potential. The medicine metformin or dietary restrictions are just two examples of the chemical substances and other interventions that have been found through research attempts to extend lifespan, having promising effects in mammalian lab animals. Yeast, nematodes, and fruit flies have all been shown to live longer when exposed to oxygen deprivation. Its effects on mammals, however, are still unknown.
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Mice
Aging mice lived longer
To investigate whether oxygen restriction in mammals has the ability to delay aging, a team of scientists headed by Robert Rogers of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, US, performed laboratory tests on mice that were developed to age faster than other mice while displaying the typical physical changes associated with mammalian aging. The lifespans of mice living at normal atmospheric oxygen levels (approximately 21%) were compared to the lifespans of mice that were transferred to a decreased oxygen environment at the age of 4 weeks (11%, which is comparable to that found at an altitude of 5000 meters).
They discovered that the mice in the oxygen-restricted environment had a median longevity of 23.6 weeks as opposed to 15.7 weeks, which was approximately 50% longer than the animals in the usual oxygen environment. The development of brain impairments linked to aging was similarly slowed in the oxygen-restricted animals.
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The same kind of fast-aging mice employed in this current study was proven to live longer when their diets are restricted in earlier studies. Therefore, the scientists pondered whether oxygen restriction just made the mice consume more, extending their lives. They discovered that oxygen restriction had little effect on appetite, indicating that different mechanisms were at work.
Clinical significance
In aging rats, chronic continuous hypoxia (11% oxygen) increases lifespan by 50% and delays the onset of neurologic diseases. This is the first instance that ‘oxygen restriction’ has been shown to be advantageous in a mammalian aging model, despite the fact that caloric restriction is the most extensively used and thoroughly researched intervention to improve longevity and healthspan. This technique could be beneficial to man.
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Conclusion
These results provide credence to the idea that oxygen restriction slows down the aging process in mammals, possibly even humans. However, in order to fully understand its potential advantages and shed light on the underlying molecular pathways, substantial additional research will be required.
References
Rogers, R. S., Wang, H., Durham, T. J., Stefely, J. A., Owiti, N. A., Markhard, A. L., Sandler, L., To, T.-L., Mootha, V. K. (2023). Hypoxia extends lifespan and neurological function in a mouse model of aging. PLOS Biology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002117
