When people talk about klotho, they usually mean α-klotho, and specifically the soluble fragment of α-klotho that is secreted by cells to circulate in the body. Researchers have demonstrated in animal studies that high levels of α-klotho slow aging to extend life while low levels accelerate aging to shorten life. In humans, higher circulating levels of α-klotho correlate with a lower risk of age-related disease and longer life expectancy, and vice versa. Enumerating the mechanisms by which α-klotho affects the pace of aging, and determining which are more or less important than the others, remains a work in progress. The research noted here is an example of this ongoing work, and is focused on the effects that α-klotho ha…
An Example of the Harms Done by Too Little Circulating Klotho
When people talk about klotho, they usually mean α-klotho, and specifically the soluble fragment of α-klotho that is secreted by cells to circulate in the body. Researchers have demonstrated in animal studies that high levels of α-klotho slow aging to extend life while low levels accelerate aging to shorten life. In humans, higher circulating levels of α-klotho correlate with a lower risk of age-related disease and longer life expectancy, and vice versa. Enumerating the mechanisms by which α-klotho affects the pace of aging, and determining which are more or less important than the others, remains a work in progress. The research noted here is an example of this ongoing work, and is focused on the effects that α-klotho ha…