Compound Affects Aging, Health of Mice

Aged, overweight mice with a diet that included a compound found in grapes, wines and nuts enjoyed better health than mice who didn’t, U.S. researchers said.

The research by the National Institute on Aging was the first to demonstrate that animals’ health and survival could be affected by resveratrol, a natural compound and an activator for a group of enzymes, said the National Institutes of Health, which oversees the NIA.

The findings build upon research on resveratrol, which found that it can extend lifespan in yeast, worms, flies and fish, the NIH said in a news release.

Researchers studied year-old (middle-aged) mice on three different diets for six months: a standard mouse diet, a high-calorie diet and a high-calorie diet supplemented with resveratrol. In the study, resveratrol changed the physiology of middle-aged mice on a fat diet to resemble that of mice on a standard diet, increasing their survival rate, the NIH said. The differences for the groups continued as the mice aged.

The study was a joint effort of the NIA, Harvard Medical School and an international group of researchers.