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Do “heavy” eaters live longer?
Author(s) -
Shchepinov Mikhail S.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.20681
Subject(s) - isotope , longevity , organism , stable isotope ratio , biology , abundance (ecology) , ecology , genetics , physics , nuclear physics
Abstract A new hypothesis is put forward, linking cellular endurance with dietary consumption of stable heavy isotopes. Due to the isotope effect, biomolecules that incorporate heavier isotopes give rise to more stable molecular structures with increased resistance to damages associated with aging and age‐related disease. The inclusion of heavy isotopes might be either active (selection for heavier isotopes) or passive (incorporation reflecting the existing abundance). The hypothesis links consumption of foods relatively rich in heavy isotopes (such as 13 C and D, derived from C4‐plants), especially at the early stages of the organism's development, with enhanced longevity. Implications of diets and intestinal microflora are also discussed. BioEssays 29:1247–1256, 2007. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.