This Japanese plant could hold the key to extended youth

In Japan, many have long believed that a plant called ashitaba is important in supporting a person’s health and well-being. Now, researchers are suggesting that a compound in this plant boosts cellular health and may prolong youth.

Part of the way in which the body maintains health at a cellular level is through the process of autophagy.

This involves cells disposing of their own broken and disused parts to prevent the buildup of debris.

If autophagy is not efficient, the cellular debris that accumulates can become harmful, exposing healthy cells to stress and contributing to the development of a range of diseases and conditions, including cancer.

Previous research has shown that there are a few ways to induce or boost autophagy, including intermittent fastingTrusted Source and exerciseTrusted Source.

There are also certain compounds that may help enhance this self-renewing cellular process. In a new study, researchers from the University of Graz in Austria have turned to a specific class of compounds called flavonoids.

These are naturally occurring substances found in many common plants, with a proven antioxidant effectTrusted Source that, researchers believe, shields cellular health and may help protect the body against numerous diseases.

Autophagy, explains study author Professor Frank Madeo, Ph.D., “is a cleansing and recycling process” that disposes of “superfluous material, especially cellular garbage like aggregated proteins.”

Prof. Madeo and the team thought that there could be a connection between this cellular process and the action of flavonoids. In their new study — the findingsTrusted Source of which appear in the journal Nature Communications — they analyzed 180 such compounds in search of the one best-equipped to “counteract age-related cell demise.”

Source: medicalnewstoday.com

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