Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm) protein as a sustainable dietary strategy to improve health span in D-galactose-induced aged mice.
Abstract
Aging is an irreversible and continuous biological process involving intricate and interconnected mechanisms. The present work is focused on unravelling the anti-aging mechanisms of mealworm protein and protein-enriched fruit bar and vegetable soup in D-galactose-induced aged mice. Mealworm protein and enriched products significantly enhanced body weight, organ indices, and gut health. Behavioral assessments reflected enhanced neuroprotective effects. Mealworm protein and its enriched products demonstrated protective effects through anti-inflammatory activity with the highest reduction of TNFα (17.1 %), IL-6 (55.5 %), and IL-1β (75.1 %) levels and upregulated the anti-inflammatory marker (IL-4). Gene expression studies confirmed the induction of anti-aging effects by promoting metabolism, reducing cellular senescence, and enhancing anti-oxidant enzyme activity. The treatments extended telomere lengths by 3-4 times, further affirming the potential anti-aging efficacy of mealworm protein and its enriched products. Mealworm protein demonstrated positive effects on weight gain, anti-inflammatory responses, and telomere length; while fruit and vegetable products enhanced antioxidant activity, and positively influenced gut health. Further, a synergistic effect was observed by combining them, which resulted in improved overall anti-aging effect. The present work provides valuable insights into the multifaceted anti-aging mechanisms associated with mealworm protein and enriched products, highlighting their potential as functional foods with significant health-promoting effects.
The following analysis is generated by AI and may contain errors. It is separate from the authors’ abstract and is not peer review.
Research summary
The paper investigates the potential anti-aging effects of mealworm protein and its enriched products, focusing on mechanisms that may influence aging processes such as inflammation, metabolism, and cellular senescence. This aligns with longevity research as it explores dietary strategies that could address root causes of aging rather than merely treating age-related symptoms. However, while the findings are interesting and contribute to the understanding of functional foods in the context of aging, the study appears to be more of a solid research effort with limited broader implications at this stage, hence the score of 4.
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