A researcher describes finding C15, a molecule that predicts healthy aging in long-lived dolphins. Low C15 triggers a form of cell death linked to high cholesterol, inflammation, and fatty liver disease. Restoring C15 levels could slow aging in humans.
How did you discover C15? I was working for CDC, World Health Organization and was recruited by the Navy to help lead a clinical research program to help continually take good care of older Navy dolphins. Dolphins live on average to about 20. Dolphins in the Navy are living to 40, even to 50, some even beyond. So we have this population of geriatric dolphins and that were getting high cholesterol, chronic inflammation, fatty liver disease, and importantly, we saw that some of the dolphins, but not all, were developing these aging associated diseases. So we were able to use this advanced technology called metabolomics to find out which small molecules predicted the healthiest aging dolphins. We thought it would be Omega 3s because all they eat are fish, right? Instead it was C15. So that in itself was a 10 year journey of understanding the pathophysiology of this condition in dolphins. Understanding what a C15 nutritional deficiency is. If we have C15 deficiencies, we develop new form of cell death called phoropto psychosis that accelerates our aging. So our job to get C15 back into our lives, slow our aging rates, and then optimize C15 to get us a little closer to your goal, which is to live longer.
