The smell of food controls cellular recyc... - Cure Parkinson's

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The smell of food controls cellular recycling and affects life expectancy

Farooqji profile image
8 Replies

Research work on importance of proper functioning of sense of smell for a long life span. It says

" Thus, the production of saliva and digestive enzymes is stimulated before the actual food intake in order to prepare the gastrointestinal tract for the upcoming digestive process. In a healthy organism, this coordination depends on a dynamic balance between formation and degradation of proteins (proteostasis). This plays an important role for the recycling of cells and during the aging process."

eurekalert.org/pub_releases...

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Farooqji profile image
Farooqji
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8 Replies
jimcaster profile image
jimcaster

This is a little disconcerting for those of us who have a poor sense of smell...

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to jimcaster

But the good news is that mannitol improve the sense of smell in 80% of PWP

jimcaster profile image
jimcaster in reply to Farooqji

I wonder if that's accurate. I know it's true that something like 80% of those who fully completed the ClinicCrowd study reported benefits, but the overwhelming percentage of participants never completed the study. I know some dropped out because of technical difficulties, but I wonder how many dropped out because mannitol was ineffective for them.

Rhyothemis profile image
Rhyothemis

Perhaps olfaction is good for digestion, but in animal models, it has a negative effect on lifespan.

In flies, eliminating olfactory sensing increases lifespan:

the-scientist.com/daily-new...

In C. elegans (nematode) the same happens when chemosensory function is destroyed.

It's one of the nutrient-sensing systems that influences lifespan; less nutrients, longer lifespan.

LAJ12345 profile image
LAJ12345 in reply to Rhyothemis

Probably because they eat more if they can smell it because they can find it. So eating less is better for them. Like it is for us! But we can find as much as we want to eat at the supermarket so I am not sure that whether we can smell it or not makes a difference to the amount we eat.

Rhyothemis profile image
Rhyothemis in reply to LAJ12345

The studies controlled for the amount of food eaten. The biochemical pathway is independent from insulin signalling, which is triggered by actual nutrient uptake. The research is summarized in the news article (linked above) both thoroughly and succinctly.

LAJ12345 profile image
LAJ12345 in reply to Rhyothemis

Interesting. Sorry I didn’t read it properly the first time.

LAJ12345 profile image
LAJ12345

This is interesting. Seems a good reason to take digestive enzymes just in case.

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