Free radicals are a popular demon of health and longevity, taking the blame for many problems of aging. That’s not entirely fair, as they do have an important biological role to play, but there is evidence that they can sometimes cause harm. Up to this point, fighting free radicals has been the preserve of antioxidants, but researchers may have found another way: a supplement that stops them from being created in the first place (https://longevity.technology/news/researchers-develop-compound-that-prevents-free-radical-production-in-mitochondria/).
With most atoms, whenever you have an electron, it’s paired with another electron. Sometimes, however, a single, unpaired electron floats around on its own. That’s what’s known as a free radical. They’re highly reactive and play a major role in our metabolism and various other bodily processes such as signaling, wound healing, and fending off invading microbes.
We produce some free radicals naturally (with the amount increasing as we age), but they can also be acquired through exposure to things like radiation, pollution and cigarette smoke (not things that are generally encouraged). Free radicals are constantly looking for another electron to balance out their unstable structure. Antioxidants can add this electron in a safe, healthy way. It’s when the free radicals pull electrons from other important roles that damage can be done.
So, if you have too many free radicals, it may cause damage, but if you get rid of them by loading up on antioxidants, you lose their important functions. This means there’s a complex balancing act to be done, and it’s why scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and Calico Labs are trying a new approach.
They developed a special supplement in the form of a little pill you can swallow to prevent your mitochondria from producing free radicals in the first place. It’s called S1QEL1.719 (a new Suppressor of site IQ Electron Leak). When given to mice, this supplement appeared to prevent or even reverse the insulin resistance that formed part of metabolic syndrome. In humans, metabolic syndrome can be associated with diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
The advantage of this supplement is that it’s narrowly targeted. It can block the mitochondria at a specific point without impeding its other work as an energy powerhouse or getting rid of free radicals in other parts of the body. It could represent an important step forward in treating the problems associated with free radicals.
