Researchers have identified declining levels of phosphatidylcholine as a key driver of age-related mitochondrial dysfunction. The discovery, made at the Leibniz Institute on Aging in Germany, shows that boosting this lipid can restore youthful mitochondrial function in laboratory models.
The study, published in Nature Communications, was led by Dr. Maria Ermolaeva with Dr. Tetiana Poliezhaieva as first author. Experiments in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans demonstrated that reducing phosphatidylcholine production caused mitochondria to fragment and lose efficiency, mimicking changes seen in older animals.
Supplying phosphatidylcholine or its precursor choline reversed these effects within two days, even in middle-aged or older worms. Human cell cultures and clinical datasets supported the findings, revealing a pronounced drop in phosphatidylcholine levels among women near menopause.
Dr. Ermolaeva noted that metabolic changes appear modifiable, suggesting targeted interventions could support healthy aging. Further research is required to explore applications in humans.
