Protect your DNA

If we can protect our DNA we may be able to slow down aging. Slowing down the aging process appeals to most people, but the question is if it is possible with the resources we have now.

The research reviewed investigated if that was possible by implementing a couple of readily available resources (Gutierrez-Mariscal FM, et al. 2011).

The investigators did a crossover study for 4 weeks where the participants were assigned to either a Mediterranean diet, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) or a diet high in saturated fatty acids. This was carried out to determine the oxidative DNA damage from these two diets and also if CoQ10, which is a powerful antioxidant, could reduce the oxidative stress.

The results showed that the diet high in saturated fat caused the most oxidative damage and the Mediterranean diet plus the CoQ10 improved the oxidative DNA damage and reduced cellular oxidation.

You can read more about the benefits of CoQ10 by clicking here.

Gutierrez-Mariscal FM, Perez-Martinez P, Delgado-Lista J, Yubero-Serrano EM, Camargo A, Delgado-Casado N, Cruz-Teno C, Santos-Gonzalez M, Rodriguez-Cantalejo F, Castaño JP, Villalba-Montoro JM, Fuentes F, Perez-Jimenez F, Lopez-Miranda J. Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 induces postprandial changes in p53 in response to oxidative DNA damage in elderly subjects. Age (Dordr). 2011 Mar 15.