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On the Body Clock Researchers discover how 24-hour body cycles influence metabolism, aging  Image courtesy istockphoto Animals, from humans to hippos, have an internal clock, called a circadian rhythm, which regulates daily changes in body temperature, brain function, hormone production, sleep and metabolism. Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, and Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., have discovered the body language by which it communicates with processes that determine aging and metabolism. "This opens the door to new avenues for treating age-related disorders and ways to restore a healthy daily circadian rhythm. It could also yield new interventions to alleviate metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes," says one of the lead authors, Shin-ichiro Imai, M.D., Ph.D. A gene called SIRT1, which influenced glucose breakdown and production, cholesterol metabolism, fat burning and insulin sensitivity, is at the heart of the body's aging-regulation network. The gene coordinates metabolic reactions throughout the body and manages the body's response to nutrition, Imai says. By studying lab mice, researchers found daily variances in a metabolite called NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), an important compound that is the body's way of exchanging energy. "Because NAD levels reflect nutrition and energy levels, NAD's link to the circadian and aging mechanisms makes them sensitive to the nutritional status of the organism," Imai says. His team will expand their research to determine possible therapeutic effects on metabolism, as well as on health in aging individuals.
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