Chinese rulers of past dynasties had the unusual custom of collecting urine from their teenage subjects and after drying and processing it consumed the purified substance. What they found was that they felt and looked younger. What they did not know was that this purified substance contained hormones like testosterone and DHEA.
For many the thought of using a substance from someone else’s urine is repulsive. Yet Premarin a female hormonal medicine has been taken by hundreds of thousands of women and it is made from pregnant mare urine.
The search for the fountain of youth continues today. Recently, a new study just published found there is another way to feel younger – plasma from young people. Earlier research found that injecting old mice with plasma- the liquid part of blood- from young mice can reinvigorate the brain and muscles. To find out if plasma from young people might have the same benefits scientists took blood from 18-year-olds and injected them into 12 month old mice. At this age, the equivalent of around age 50 for people, the middle-aged mice ran around like young mice. Their memories improved, as they were much better at remembering the route around a maze .
The conclusion of the scientists was that blood from young people must have something in it that’s important for keeping them young. They have pinpointed some factors but are keeping it a secret for now.