Scientists have finally discovered the key to anti-aging
The fountain of youth has a name — "mitochondrial complex II."
By Katie Underwood
February 26, 2016
Photo, Getty Images.
Forget all the emotional work you've done to accept and, dare we say, love your crow's feet: Wrinkles could soon be a thing of the past. Scientists at Newcastle University have pinpointed the enzyme responsible for maintaining a youthful glow, which could lead to pioneering advances in anti-aging treatments (read: lots more creams). Much like our joints and brains, a compound called mitochondrial complex II — crucial for keeping us looking baby-smooth — degrades as we get on in years, which leads to a world of ruddiness and sagging.
“There is now a possibility of finding anti-aging treatments which can be tailored to differently aged and differently pigmented skin," says Mark Birch-Machin, the lead researcher on the study. "And [there's] the additional possibility to address the aging process elsewhere in our bodies.”
Basically, look forward to a whole cohort of eerily poreless, Benjamin Button–esque 80-year-olds in the relatively near future.
Related:
5 anti-aging skin savers8 ways to get better skin as you sleepThe best drugstore picks for dry winter skin
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