[In Old Age, Female Prematurely Aging Mice - Who Show Lower Antioxidant Defenses Than Their Controls In Adulthood - Reach Similar Defense Levels But Maintain Higher Oxidation]
Scientists have been studying how aging affects our bodies at a cellular level, particularly the balance between protective mechanisms and damaging processes. A recent study focused on female mice that age prematurely, comparing them to mice that age normally. The researchers found that in their younger adult lives, the prematurely aging mice had weaker “antioxidant defenses” – these are like the body’s internal clean-up crew that neutralizes harmful molecules called “oxidants” that can damage cells. Think of oxidants as rust on metal; antioxidants prevent or repair that rust.
Interestingly, as both groups of mice reached old age, the levels of these antioxidant defenses became quite similar between the prematurely aging and normally aging groups. However, despite having similar defense levels, the prematurely aging mice still showed more signs of “oxidation” – the cellular damage caused by those harmful oxidants – especially in their liver. This suggests that even if the body tries to ramp up its defenses later in life, the earlier or persistent imbalance in managing these damaging molecules might still contribute to a shorter lifespan in those who age prematurely.
Source: link to paper