The same reaction that gives toasted bread its golden color may also play a hidden role in how we age. Scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging have found that blocking this sugary process, called glycation, helped mice eat less, improve blood sugar control and live longer.
Glycation happens when sugars bind to proteins and form sticky compounds known as advanced glycation end-products or AGEs. These molecules build up in the body over time, damaging tissues and cells, much like rust on metal.
“Once formed, AGEs are hard to remove,” said senior author Dr. Pankaj Kapahi. “As we age, our defenses against glycation weaken. Scientists have long suspected that AGEs accelerate many age-related diseases. Our results provide strong proof-of-concept that glycation isn’t just a bystander in aging; it may be a modifiable target to help people live healthier, longer lives.”
In the new study, published in Cell Reports, researchers fed mice a mix of common compounds, including nicotinamide, alpha-lipoic acid and thiamine, that together reduced glycation. They called the blend Gly-Low.
Mice that received Gly-Low ate less food, maintained muscle mass, had better insulin sensitivity and lived longer than untreated mice. The researchers found the mix changed signals in the brain related to hunger, dampening the so-called “feed me” messages from the hormone ghrelin.
“The effect was profound,” said co-author Dr. Kiyomi Kaneshiro. “The mice voluntarily ate less while maintaining muscle mass. Our data suggest that rather than simple food aversion, the biology of hunger was being rewired.”
Even older mice benefited. When treatment began late in life, roughly equivalent to age 70 in humans, the animals still showed better movement, blood sugar control and longer remaining lifespan.
While the results are promising, Kapahi stressed that the findings are early and limited to mice.
“Mice are not humans, and we need rigorous human trials before any clinical use,” he said. “But the implications are broad. … If glycation can be safely targeted, it may open new doors to treating a spectrum of conditions at once.”
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Hevolution Foundation and the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation. Some of the study authors hold patents related to GLYLO™, a supplement licensed to Juvify Bio, which is not approved for clinical use.