Scientists May Have Just Found the Fountain of Youth

Molly Shea

(KMM Productions/Getty Images)

Remember learning about cell structure in high school biology? You probably had to memorize that the mitochondria is the part that powers the cell, kind of like a battery. Turns out, an enzyme created in the mitochondria — mitochondrial complex II — just might do the same for you skin, according to a study published this week in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

As skin ages, it naturally begins to wrinkle and lose elasticity. And the cause is twofold, according to Mark Birch-Machin, lead researcher and professor of molecular dermatology at the Newcastle University Institute of Cellular Medicine in England.

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Reason number one: Free radicals increase as you age, and those free radicals will degrade the skin, making it less elastic. And this part, he explains, is easily countered by slathering on antioxidant-rich products, and eating fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants. The second component, Birch-Machin says, is a decline in bioenergy, or renewable energy produced by your body. And that can be a bit more tricky to overcome.

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As you get older, your skin’s bioenergy declines, making it look duller and causing fine lines and sagging. In his team’s research, Birch-Machin found that supporting and restoring energy to the mitochondrial complex II enzyme could increase bioenergy, keeping skin wrinkle-free.

Now skincare companies are jumping at the chance to create new, mitochondrial complex II-enhancing creams and potions, the researcher notes, which means you’ll likely soon be able to find them in pharmacies. And the scientists, meanwhile, are looking into ways to achieve enzyme-boosting results through diet. “We’ve done previous work before that shows that the diet can benefit skin,” Birch-Machin says, noting the new findings prove promising for keeping other organs healthy, “so it’s potentially possible to do this from the inside out.”