May 28, 2011 | Nutrition Articles Supplement Articles

A new study conducted at the National Institute on Aging, [...]

A new study conducted at the National Institute on Aging, one of National Institutes of Health (NIH), has found that ACAI may extend lifespans, at least in female fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). Fruit flies are a favorite lab-test organism because their lifespans are very short, about 30 days, which allows researchers to see the results over a short period of time. Also, they are easy to care for and share 59% of there genome with humans.

As trivial as extending the lifespan of fruit flies may sound, this study is of interest for one big reason: it demonstrates that reducing oxidative damage may in fact slow the aging process.

While it has long been believed that antioxidant compounds could slow the aging process, this is one of the first studies to demonstrate that they may do so. Currently, the only compound that has demonstrated life extension in animal studies is Resveratrol. Resveratrol is an antioxidant, but its ability to extend the life of mice seems to work through a different molecule.

Antioxidants are natural compounds that fight the oxidation process. Certain foods and body functions, including exercise, generate oxidizing compounds. These unstable molecules, sometimes called “free radicals” interact with other molecules in the body, which can cause damage in wide variety of ways. For example, oxidation of LDL cholesterol can lead to hardening of the arteries. Antioxidants “neutralize” oxidants by donating electrons to the oxidizing compounds which stabilizes them, preventing them from doing any further damage. This is also the mechanism through which antioxidants reduce inflammation in the body.

For this study, the researchers fed the fruit flies a high-fat diet with or with out 2% acai pulp. The fruit flies given the acai has significantly longer lifespans. The researchers measured for changes in age-related genes. Interestingly, most genes and proteins were not altered by the acai pulp, but there were a couple of significant effects. Acai was found to increase the activity of two detoxification genes, GstD1 and MtnA, while simultaneously decreasing the activity of an enzyme (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase) that is responsible for generating glucose from non-carbohydrates (gluconeogenesis). Acai’s ability to down-regulate gluconeogenesis is likely what makes it act as a low glycemic index food despite relatively high levels of sugars occurring in the fruit.

Acai was also found to extend the lives a fruit flies that were genetically altered to age faster in response to oxidative stress. The researchers conclude that “acai has the potential to antagonize the detrimental effect of fat in the diet and alleviate oxidative stress in aging.” It is worth noting that it is not known if acai has this same effect in humans, but it does help to validate the theory that inflammation and oxidation cause aging at the organism level. It also demonstrates the antioxidant power packed into these little fruits.

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1. Sun, X., J. Seeberger, et al. (2010). “Acai palm fruit (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) pulp improves survival of flies on a high fat diet.” Exp Gerontol 45(3): 243-51.