By Simran Jeet
A team of Chinese researchers has discovered that betaine, a compound naturally occurring in the kidneys during long-term exercise, can slow down the aging process. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell on June 25. The team was led by Liu Guanghui and Qu Jing from the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zhang Weiqi from Beijing Institute of Genomics. The researchers examined the molecular pathways that help reshape human physiology and delay aging through exercise. They found that betaine serves as a key messenger in this process, preventing inflammation and organ aging by targeting an enzyme called TBK1. The findings not only explain how exercise has anti-aging effects but also hint at potential strategies to simulate these effects without actual exercise. Despite the known benefits of exercise on aging, the fundamental molecular mechanisms linking the two have been poorly understood. The Chinese researchers sought to bridge this gap by studying the molecular pathways and mechanisms involved. Their work sheds light on the anti-aging effects of exercise and opens new avenues for research into simulating these benefits through other means. In a six-year study launched in 2019, researchers explored how aerobic exercise affects cellular responses in both mice and humans. After analysing 14 organ tissues in mice, they continued the study with 13 male volunteers who completed daily exercise for 25 days. Blood samples and health data were collected to identify key exercise-related molecular changes. Through advanced analytical methods, the researchers identified the kidney as the most responsive organ to long-term exercise. They discovered that betaine, a metabolic byproduct, acts as a molecular messenger that helps slow down ageing. Even more impactful, betaine supplementation was found to mimic the anti-ageing benefits of regular aerobic exercise, offering potential benefits for the elderly who are unable to undertake long-term intense exercise.