Glucose regulation and oxidative stress in healthy centenarians

Exp Gerontol. 2003 Jan-Feb;38(1-2):137-43. doi: 10.1016/s0531-5565(02)00153-5.

Abstract

Aging, oxidative stress and insulin resistance are strongly correlated. There is a growing body of evidence showing that aging is associated with a significant rise in oxidative stress mainly due to a decline in anti-oxidant activity and a rise in pro-oxidant factors such as glucose and insulin concentrations. Furthermore, aging is also associated with a progressive rise in insulin resistance which is due to a complex network of environmental, anthropometric and neuro-hormonal factors. It is noteworthy that extreme longevity, e.g. centenarians, is associated with a low degree of oxidative stress and insulin resistance. The causes for such differences between aged subjects and centenarians is not fully understood. It is likely that a specific genetic background might play a role. However, the insulin gene does not seem to be involved for explaining such age-related differences.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Genotype
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Insulin / genetics
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Longevity
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / genetics

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • Glucose