I have written two books on longevity. It is a niche area that I love to research. Today, as I was looking for a topic to write about, I came across humanin. I know that human growth hormone and telomere length are critical for long and healthy life.
Humanin levels decrease with age; however, the more humanin that remains, longer and healthier lives are observed in the animal kingdom. Lower humanin levels are also found in those with Alzheimer’s disease.
Humanin
https://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2017/07/25/mitochondria-in-aging-ii-remedies/ Humanin was discovered in 2001. It was named humanin because it restored some humanity back to dementia patients. It improved their cognitive function. Additionally, it also improved insulin sensitivity. Blood levels of humanin decline with age.
Science
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200624151613.htm Humanin, a 24 amino acid micropeptide, is found in the mitochondria of our cells. A study done at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology was published this year in the journal Aging. This study concentrated on humanin levels in animals, worms, mice, and humans. Alzheimer’s patients and children of centenarians were included.
The Study
https://www.aging-us.com/search?agingSearch=on&general=humanin& One aspect of the study was to eventually use humanin as a treatment for age-related diseases. mtDNA, mitochondrial DNA, were analyzed. It was discovered that there is an inverse relationship between mtDNA copy number and humanin.
Mitochondria are small organelles inside a cell that generate chemical energy needed for body functions. The energy produced by the mitochondria is stored in molecules called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
The quantity of mitochondria in a human cell varies depending on several factors – energy demands, oxidative stress, and other conditions. The individual mitochondrion can contain two to ten copies of mtDNA. It is not unusual to have up to 1,000 mitochondria in a cell. The mtDNA-CN is the number of mitochondrial genomes per cell.
Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567724920300659 A biomarker is a measurable indicator of the presence or seriousness of a disease state. At every annual physical, I have a c-reactive protein (CRP) test done. CRP is a biomarker for overall inflammation in the body. All diseases start as chronic, low-level, cellular inflammation. I do not remember ever having a CRP over 0.2 in all the years that I have had this test done.
mtDNA-CN is a biomarker of mitochondrial function. Diseases, such as cancer, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and some age-related diseases are associated with the mitochondrial DNA copy number. Scientists do not understand the relationship, but it is being studied. https://elifesciences.org/articles/10769 is a link to mtDNA-CN and cancers.
Getting Back to Humanin
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/japplphysiol.00032.2020 Humanin levels are associated with good health and longevity. Can we eat something or do something to improve, increase, or enhance the humanin levels in our bodies? A study was done with ten men in their 20s. High-intensity interval exercise or training (HIIT) showed that humanin levels increased with these types of exercises.
https://mybiohack.com/blog/humanin-igf-1-longevity-exercise-mitochondria was the best source of information on humanin. It says exercise, specifically resistance training and fasting increases humanin levels. Additionally, B vitamins and zinc assist the formation of humanin.
Conclusion
Humanin is in all of us. Our lifestyle choices as we age can accelerate or decelerate
its loss. There are several supplements that purport to increase humanin levels. The study tested levels of humanin across a wide spectrum of animals and people. Based on the readings I have done; it appears that increasing and maintaining our levels of humanin can improve our health and extend our lives.
Live Longer & Enjoy Life! – Red O’Laughlin – RedOLaughlin.com