2023-07-04 19:33:13
If there’s one thing the Japanese are known for, aside from their popular culture, it’s their ability to live a long and healthy life. In this sense, behind this achievement is a healthy lifestyle that ranges from meditation and the exercise up to one balanced diet. However, a recent study, published in the journal Nature, has revealed the secrets of this type of diet and its relationship with longevity.
A group of researchers from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, set out to discover the secrets to a long and healthy life in an attempt to pursue the dream of immortality. His research focused on the combination of intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses present in Japanese centenarians and how these might influence disease prevention.
The study analyzed a sample of 176 Japanese over a hundred years old, who were in good health, and discovered that they presented a unique combination of intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses that could have a major impact on your longevity. According to Joachim Johansen, one of the study’s authors, previous research had shown that the intestinal bacteria of elderly Japanese produce molecules that make them resistant to pathogenic microorganisms, which could contribute to their longevity.
However, in the new study, the researchers found high biological diversity in both bacteria and bacterial viruses in the intestines of the Japanese tested. This high diversity is commonly associated with a healthy gut microbiome, suggesting that these people are better protected against aging-related diseases. In addition, they discovered that certain specific viruses present in the intestines can have beneficial effects on the intestinal flora and, therefore, on health in general.
In that sense, Simon Rasmussen, associate professor and one of the authors of the study, explained that the intestines contain billions of viruses that infect bacterial cells and that some of these viruses strengthen bacteria, stimulating the production of specific molecules that they stabilize the intestinal flora and counteract inflammation.
These findings open the door for further research into the connection between viruses and bacteria in the human gut and how this relationship can be optimized to promote a longer and healthier life.
Is natto the secret to Japanese longevity?
On the other hand, in Japan, the country with the highest life expectancy in the world, there is a village called Ogimi, where a large number of people over a hundred years old who enjoy an enviable vitality live. In this sense, although there are no specific studies that directly link the consumption of a specific food with longevity, the presence of natto, a traditional Japanese food, in the diet of the majority of the inhabitants of the village has drawn the attention of health and nutrition experts.
Natto is a nutrient-dense food made by soaking soybeans in water and then boiling or steaming. Then they are mixed with the bacteria ‘Bacillus subtilis var’ and are left to ferment. This food is rich in protein, fiber, calcium, iron and vitamin K2. In addition, it is believed that its beneficial effect on health is due to the presence of the aforementioned bacteria, which can have probiotic properties and promote a healthy balance in the intestinal flora. Although there are no specific studies that directly link the consumption of this food with longevity.
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