The Study
Alpha-Ketoglutarate, an Endogenous Metabolite, Extends Lifespan and Compresses Morbidity in Aging Mice
This study is like watching two groups of mice over their whole lives - one group gets special food with AKG added, and the other gets regular food. The mice eating AKG lived longer and were healthier. But here's the important part: we can't say AKG DEFINITELY made them live longer because the mice weren't randomly chosen to get AKG or not. It's like if you gave one class of kids vitamins and another class no vitamins - you couldn't be sure the vitamins caused any difference because maybe the kids were already different in some way. This study shows AKG is LINKED to longer life in mice, but it doesn't PROVE AKG causes longer life.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Researchers fed middle-aged mice a diet supplemented with alpha-ketoglutarate (CaAKG), a naturally occurring molecule involved in cell metabolism. They found that female mice lived longer and spent less time frail or sick.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 517 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This was a mouse study; human translation is uncertain.
- 2The supplement was given late in life (equivalent to middle-aged humans), and effects were primarily seen in females.
- 3Female mice lived 10-17% longer (median) and 8-20% longer (maximum) when given CaAKG starting at 18 months of age.
- 4They also showed less frailty and lower inflammation markers.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Cell Metabolism
Year
2020
Authors
Azar Asadi Shahmirzadi, Daniel Edgar, Chen-Yu Liao, Yueh-Mei Hsu, Mark Lucanic, Arash Asadi Shahmirzadi, Christopher D. Wiley, Garbo Gan, Dong Eun Kim, Herbert G. Kasler, Chisaka Kuehnemann, Brian Kaplowitz, Dipa Bhaumik, Rebeccah R. Riley, Brian K. Kennedy, Gordon J. Lithgow
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Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.