The ‘Hibernation Gene’ Lives in Your DNA, Studies Show-And Scientists Are Tapping Its Power to Reboot Your Body
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- Two new studies published in Science reveal that humans share genetic instructions with hibernating animals that allow suppression and rebooting of metabolism during fasting and recovery phases.
- Hibernating animals undergo dramatic physiological changes, including reduced heart rate, body temperature, and metabolism, but they recover without damage due to a coordinated genetic program involving regulatory DNA switches.
- These genetic switches, which have evolved over millions of years, enable hibernators to safely suppress and then reactivate metabolism, a process that humans genetically possess but deploy differently.
- Understanding and modulating these genetic mechanisms could lead to novel treatments for metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes by improving metabolic flexibility and insulin sensitivity.
- The research aims not to induce human hibernation but to harness the biology of metabolic shutdown and recovery to protect organs, enhance biological flexibility, and promote healthy aging and disease prevention.