DailyDirt: Fountains Of Youth...

Lab mice aren't really a great model model for studying human health, but we use them anyway. And every so often, researchers stumble on drugs that seem to make lab mice live longer. Unfortunately, no one has found a reliable treatment for significantly extending a human lifespan just yet -- but if you want to raise old mice, there are plenty of things that'll work. Check out a few of these potential fountains of youth for mice.

• The first human clinical trials using nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) to slow the aging process should begin soon -- on a small sample of 10 healthy people. NMN works remarkably well in mice, but no one knows yet how well it will work in people. If it's safe enough, though, it's a good bet that people will be adding this stuff to vitamins ASAP.
• A hormone, osteocalcin, injected in old mice appears to allow the rodents to run just as far as much younger mice. Old mice that weren't given this hormone ran about half as far, so researchers are planning to try this in people next.
• If rapamycin works to delay the onset of certain diseases in mice, maybe it'll work... on our pet dogs? And if Fido lives a bit longer and healthier, maybe we'll try it ourselves, too. (Eating our own dogfood..?)
• How about chemical precursors to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) to try to keep yourself young? You can buy this stuff right now as a supplement, if you'd like to participate in your own highly unscientific study....

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

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