JAPANESE DELIGHT COULD INCREASE LIFESPAN AND DECREASE STRESS, ACCORDING TO SCIENTISTS

According to the adage "health is wealth," new research points to the possibility that readily available, reasonably priced food goods may hold the key to a society that is healthier and less stressed.

The Japanese cuisine natto is a perfect illustration of such a food. This culinary product is made from soybeans that have been boiled or steam-tenderized and then fermented with the bacteria Bacillus subtilis var, natto.

Numerous ecosystems, including soil, plants, animals, and even the human digestive system, can harbour this bacteria. The Miyagino strain is used to produce the majority of the natto consumed in Japan.

The longevity of the host was investigated using Caenorhabditis elegans worms by a study team from the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology, Osaka Metropolitan University, under the direction of Professor Eriko Kage-Nakadai.

The researchers discovered that Caenorhabditis elegans fed Bacillus subtilis var. natto lived noticeably longer than those fed the standard diet. They also clarified that Bacillus subtilis var. natto had an impact on the p38 MAPK pathway and insulin/IGF-1-like signaling pathway, which are known to be involved in innate immunity and lifespan.

They also looked at the relationship between stress tolerance and longevity and discovered that UV light and oxidative stress resistance are improved.

According to Professor Nakadai's conclusion, "For the first time, we were able to demonstrate the potential for Caenorhabditis elegans to have lifespan-extension effects by ingesting Bacillus subtilis var. natto.

If we can adapt this study to people, then we anticipate that further mammalian experiments and epidemiological studies will contribute to the realisation of a healthy and longer-living society.

Reference: Journal of Applied Microbiology, 20 April 2023; Nao Teramoto, Kanae Sato, Takayuki Wada, Yoshikazu Nishikawa, and Eriko Kage-Nakadai, "Impacts of Bacillus subtilis var. natto on the lifespan and stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans."