It’s not yet the fountain of youth, but a University of Iowa study shows promise for slowing the process of aging.The study focused on a chemical called an antioxidant enzyme which was used to alter the genetics of fruit flies. Principal investigator Dr. Toshi Hoshi says the process significantly raised the life expectancy of the bugs.They typically live one or two months but this gene therapy enables them to live twice as long. Dr. Hoshi says the enzyme is also found in humans and the process may apply to us. He hopes to work on mice next, then larger animals. Since the process works on the genetics of fruit flies over several generations, Hoshi was asked if this would work on people who’re alive now, or only on future generations of humans.While Dr. Hoshi says the research could eventually prolong our lives he does -not- expect it’ll allow us to live two hundred years.
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