Mushroom compound linked to better health and longer life

Many individuals aspire not just to live as long as possible, but to remain healthy and active throughout their lifespan. Yet as people get older, the likelihood of encountering conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and sarcopenia (a gradual loss of muscle mass and strength) increases. 

In a new effort to promote healthy aging, researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences (ISAS) have discovered that the natural compound ergothioneine can boost the health span of aging animals. 

The findings, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, provide insights into this substance’s potential for safeguarding against age-related diseases.

Anti-aging benefits of a mushroom compound

Ergothioneine occurs naturally in certain fungi. The compound can be found in oyster and shiitake mushrooms, as well as in fermented foods. It is often marketed as a dietary supplement or added to cosmetics to provide “anti-aging” benefits, yet the underlying mechanism behind these benefits has been poorly understood.

“Our analyses now finally provide clarity about the mechanism and also show that ergothioneine has promising therapeutic potential for the prevention of age-related diseases,” said Miloš Filipović, corresponding author and head of the ERC Sulfaging research group at ISAS.

Enhancing lifespan, mobility, and resistance to stress

In their study, the researchers explored how ergothioneine affects various animals, including the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (a nematode). 

Scientists at ISAS noted that giving ergothioneine from young adulthood not only lengthened the worms’ lives, but also increased their mobility, boosted their capacity to handle stress, and lowered markers linked with aging.

“As the animals got older, the contrast with the control group became more significant. In addition, we did not observe any undesirable side effects – nor did other studies,” said Dunja Petrovic, whose doctoral research at ISAS contributed to the publication.

Collaborators at the University of Belgrade observed similar effects in mammals, testing ergothioneine on six nine-month-old rats for three weeks. They administered roughly 10 milligrams of ergothioneine per day, equivalent to the amount found in 4.5 grams of dried oyster mushrooms. 

Not only did the rats show better endurance, but they also experienced increased muscle mass, greater vascularization of muscle tissue, and higher numbers of muscle stem cells, indicating potential relevance for preventing sarcopenia.

Strengthening cells through hydrogen sulfide

To understand the processes behind these observations, the research team used mass spectrometry on human and mouse cell cultures. They found that ergothioneine can serve as an alternative substrate for cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), a key enzyme involved in producing hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). 

This signaling molecule helps shield cells from oxidative stress via persulfidation – a cellular process previously shown to decline with age, but which can be positively influenced by dietary factors.

Prior work from 2019 by Filipović and colleagues has demonstrated that the rate of persulfidation decreases over time, potentially contributing to age-related problems ranging from cardiovascular disease to neurodegenerative disorders. 

The new data expands upon those findings, demonstrating how ergothioneine specifically stimulates persulfidation of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH). This upregulation of GPDH, in turn, promotes higher levels of NAD+, a coenzyme known for supporting increased lifespan.

“The human body is not able to produce ergothioneine itself. However, such a specific utilization mechanism suggests that it is very important for us,” Petrovic said. 

Scientists at Heidelberg University, the University of Cambridge, and ISAS verified that ergothioneine’s benefits rely on the CSE-dependent pathway.

Maintaining better health with age

Encouraged by these promising outcomes, the researchers examined the effects of a brief, five-day treatment of ergothioneine in young rats. A daily dose of about 10 milligrams significantly raised their endurance and boosted NAD+ levels in their blood serum.

“This indicates that ergothioneine influences the metabolism in a similar way to performance-enhancing agents,” Filipović said. He plans to carry out a study involving healthy human volunteers to evaluate whether the compound can similarly enhance performance in people.

By offering a clearer perspective on how ergothioneine improves muscle health, stress resilience, and cellular defenses, this research sets the stage for new strategies aimed at maintaining good health into advanced age. 

As further investigations confirm these findings in humans, the mushroom compound ergothioneine may emerge as a valuable resource for countering age-related diseases and promoting a more robust, active life.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–