Scientists have found such a magical protein that just one dose can increase life span, muscles become steely and brain works like a super computer.

Who doesn't want to have the same agility, same strength and sharp mind in the body even in old age? As age increases, stamina starts decreasing, muscles start getting loose and it becomes difficult to remember things. This worry haunts all of us, isn't it? But now scientists have probably found a solution to it!

A team of scientists from all over the world has together discovered such an amazing way, by which the level of a special 'magical' protein present in our body can be increased. Imagine, just one dose and many problems of old age are solved!

This amazing research has been led by Professor Miguel Chillon of the Institute of Neurosciences of Barcelona University (Spain). His discovery sheds light on how in the future people will not only be able to live longer, but will also be able to stay healthy and fit in old age.

What is this magical protein - Klotho?

The hero of this whole story is a protein called Klotho. Scientists are working on a special form of it, 's-KL', which is formed and circulates in our body on its own.

In some earlier studies, it was revealed that the Klotho protein performs many important functions in our body. It can help manage the signals that control the internal inflammation of the body and the process of aging of cells.

The name 'Klotho' first came to light in the late 1990s, when experiments on mice revealed that mice that lacked this protein started looking old and weak at an early age.

Professor Chillon explains, "We have been working on the Klotho protein for a long time, because it has tremendous potential to treat brain diseases (such as Alzheimer's). In this latest study, we wanted to see if the s-KL protein could also help in aging in a healthy way."

How was this amazing experiment done?

Scientists did this experiment on mice. They used a special 'gene therapy' technique. In simple terms, they put such viral vectors (a kind of messenger) in the body of mice, which instructed the cells to make more amount of s-KL protein. This method was such that the body kept making more protein on its own for a long time, and its effect reached from the brain to other parts of the body.

Even scientists were stunned to see the results!

When the mice got this boost of s-KL protein, amazing results came out:

Long life: The mice that were given this treatment lived longer!

Strength of steel: The strength of their muscles increased. The weakness and scarring that comes in the muscles in old age also reduced. They were able to do difficult tasks (like running, balancing) better.

Stronger bones: Weakening of bones is a major risk factor in old age. This protein helped the mice maintain a stronger internal structure of their bones, which may reduce the risk of fractures.

Sharper brain: Scientists examined the part of the mice brain (hippocampus) that is important for memory and learning. They found that the process of formation of new brain cells (neurons) had increased there! Also, the immune cells that clean the brain were working better, which may reduce the accumulation of debris and inflammation in the brain (which is associated with diseases like Alzheimer's).

Different effects on boys and girls!

An interesting thing came to light that the effect of s-KL was slightly different on male and female mice. Male mice had more longevity and muscle strength, while female mice showed better effects on bone strength, especially when they were given the treatment at a young age. Scientists believe that this may be due to differences in hormones or the way their bodies process treatment. This suggests that when trials are conducted on humans, different strategies may have to be made for men and women.

Is treatment at the right time more beneficial?

Another surprising thing! The mice that were given treatment at 12 months (i.e. their middle age) showed better results than those who were treated at 6 months (young), especially in longevity and physical health. This may have happened because the older mice produced more s-KL protein after treatment.

This raises the question whether middle age could be the best time to start treatment for humans as well? If yes, then when to give treatment will be as important as the treatment itself.

What does this discovery mean for humans?

Although this study has been done on mice, its results raise a new hope for humans. Imagine a drug or therapy that can treat aging problems, memory loss and bone weakness – all at once!

Current drugs often target one problem, such as bone loss or memory loss. But the s-KL protein has been shown to have an effect on the whole system. This could be a completely new way to fight aging – boosting the body’s ability to repair itself!

What’s next?

Scientists are now trying to figure out what the best way to treat humans would be – whether it would be better to inject the protein directly or refine the gene therapy further? If they find a safe and effective method, this discovery could prove to be a milestone in improving the quality of life for millions of people!