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Is Young Blood the Fountain of Youth?

Young blood reverses some brain aging in old mice

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 18, 2012 12:02 AM CDT

(Newser) – Vampires have known; now research mice are beginning to learn. Experiments on mice have shown that it's possible to rejuvenate animals by giving them blood from the young, according to a Standford University study. Blood from young mice reversed some of the effects of brain aging, improving learning and memory to a level similar to much younger animals, reports the Guardian.

The circulatory systems of old and young mice were combined in the study so that their blood could mingle. The number of stem cells in the older brain increased, and there was a 20% increase in connections between brain cells, which affect memory and learning. The findings could one day help Alzheimer's victims. "Do I think that giving young blood could have an effect on a human? I'm thinking more and more that it might," says researcher Saul Villeda.

  (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 29 comments
wasntme
Oct 28, 2012 1:08 PM CDT
Dick Clarke, now we know what you what you might have been up to the other 364 days in the year.
boxcar
Oct 18, 2012 1:03 PM CDT
May have something to do with cholesterol levels in blood stream of older Americans- At age 47 I discovered "The Fountain of Youth" that I've used every 3 years since- You can buy it on Amazon for ~$10. "The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure" by Kowalski Friend of mine died of a heart attack at age 47 so I started running to "get back in shape" but found I could NOT run 3/4 mile at lunch any faster than 8 minutes or my heart rate ballooned up to 180-200, not good. Found the book in a Costco, stopped running, took the cure and one Sat.w/my stopwatch, went out to run a measured FULL MILE. Surprised that I did it in 8min. not that winded, so I put it to the test and pushed it hard to run back FASTER THAN I RAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, 6 1/2 min.(at age 17 it was 6:45) I felt 17 again! My immediate thot? Man, I'd just discovered The Fountain of Youth  a secret that's been with me since Now at age 72, I don't worrry I'll ever have a heart attack from high blood pressure, in fact its just the opposite, now I worry about LOW blood pressure- my arteries/veins are so WIDE OPEN I've been as low as 78/60 when normal is 140/70 so you have to have a little cholesterol to be normal
onbeshero
Oct 18, 2012 12:42 PM CDT
 Here's my theory on how this is possible.   The human system wants to maintain an alkaline ph.  As we eat crap that makes the body acidic the body pulls nutrients and minerals from the body to try to keep an alkaline balance.  The body is eating itself in an effort to preserve itself until the idiot driving the thing realizes they need to eat better.  This is in my opinion why people suffer from cavities, osteoporosis, and some "genetic-linked" diseases.  A younger body can "rob paul to pay peter" easier because they don't have as many toxins  built up in their bodies and they are still in the growing phase.  You wouldn't know your kid was suppose to be 5'8" instead of 5'6" if they had eaten a healthy diet instead of a crap diet.  So we can wait for the wizards to make a pill for us to take or just do some research and start eating the way we were intended to eat.

 
Stanford University • mice • blood • brain • mouse • lab mice • Alzheimer's Disease

 
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