Scientists from Switzerland may have found pomegranates' most promising characteristic. A substance derived from the fruit is likely carrying anti-ageing properties.
Possessing The Right Kind Of Gut Bacteria
As we get older, our cells' powerhouse called mitochondria degrades and sustains damages, Express wrote. When the mitochondria gets damaged, muscle weakness occurs due to deteriorating skeletal muscle mass, resulting in loss of strength and endurance.
However, a group of researchers from Switzerland's Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, or EPFL, found that mitochondria could be revived by a molecule called urolithin A. That molecule cannot be found in pomegranates, but its development can be propelled by a compound in the fruit known as ellagitannins.
When ellagitannins are broken down by a certain gut bacteria in the body, it gets converted into urolitihin A, Reuters reported. The Telegraph, however, noted that humans would only benefit from urolithin A's anti-ageing capabilities if they have the right kind of gut bacteria.
Those microbes living in your stomach are the ones with the power to convert pomegranates' ellagitannins into urolitihin A. If you don't have the right combination of gut bacteria needed to process pomegranates' ellagitannins, chances are you won't enjoy the fruit's anti-ageing capabilities.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine this week, found that administering urolithin A to old mice boosts their running endurance by at least 42 percent. Armed with these findings, the researchers believes that urolitihin A can potentially reverse muscle aging, as well as increase muscle strength and endurance.
Researchers also found that feeding urolithin A to roundworms increases its eight-to-day lifespan by over 45 percent, Express noted. The research team at EPFL is collaborating with Swiss biotech firm Amazentis to develop and further study the findings on pomegranates' potentials. Early human clinical trials are expected to begin in 2017.
Health Benefits Of Pomegranates
Pomegranates are laden with antioxidants and punicalagin content. These substances are believed to lower the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer, inflammation, high blood pressure, and arthritis. The red fruit is linked to improved memory and exercise performance as well, The Telegraph listed.
Often regarded as a superfood, pomegranates also contain fiber, iron, and vitamins A, C, and E, England's National Health Service noted. A 2013 study conducted on mice found that pomegranate can help develop stronger bones and prevent osteoporosis. Given that the biology of mice and humans displays similarities, scientists believe that the fruit's benefits to mice would also occur among humans.
