Amorepacific researchers apply bio big data, research technology of molecular biology to identify effect of threonine, an essential amino acid, on improving healthy life expectancy, and its mechanism; firm to apply results to future Vital Beauty products

Amorepacific has revealed the mechanism of longevity through dietary restriction and its key ingredient.

The research team of Dr. Kim Joo-won of Amorepacific’s R&I Center and Professor Ryu Dong-ryeol of Graduate School of Basic Medicine Science at Sungkyunkwan University applied bio big data and research technology of molecular biology to identify the effect of threonine, an essential amino acid, on improving healthy life expectancy and its mechanism. The related research result was published in Nature Communications, an internationally renowned academic journal, on November 2 (titled : L-threonine promotes healthspan by expediting ferritin-dependent ferroptosis inhibition in C. elegans/ November 12, 2022, online release).

Research on longevity is ongoing in various fields to extend life expectancy and maintain a healthy state for a long time for better quality of life. Dietary restriction, which has recently attracted attention with 'intermittent fasting', etc. is known as a way to live a long and healthy life as it can increase the efficiency of energy consumption. However, there was not enough in-depth research on what metabolites are involved in this process.

The research team of Dr. Kim Joo-won of Amorepacific R&I Center and Professor Ryu Dong-ryeol of Graduate School of Basic Medicine Science at Sungkyunkwan University conducted research on metabolites that are unusually increased due to dietary restrictions. The research confirmed that threonine, an essential amino acid which is not synthesized in body greatly slows down the speed of aging and facilitates longevity. The research team administered threonine to 'C. elegans', which has about 65% similarity with human genome. As a result, it was found that the test group given threonine lived 15-18% longer than the control group. In addition, the test group was more agile and had significantly more antioxidant enzymes and reduced neutral lipid accumulation.

Dr. Kim Joo-won of Amorepacific in charge of the research said, “If we properly understand and utilize aging-related metabolites, we will be able to increase our healthy life expectancy and efficiently change our metabolism. For this, there should be more studies.”

This is the first study to reveal a connection between aging and the metabolic increase caused by dietary restriction. The research result is particularly meaningful in that it suggests the role and importance of a specific amino acid in the aging process and interprets its mechanism. It has also confirmed that the activation of a specific stress-response factor in cells can lead to longevity, and activating this response with a specific amino acid can slow cellular aging, laying the scientific foundations for threonine that works for improving healthy life expectancy.

Based on the research result, Amorepacific plans to materialize threonine, which is not synthesized in body, and apply it to the products of Vital Beauty in the future. Also, Amorepacific will keep identifying what happens in the skin and body in order to provide health and beauty to customers around the world, and continue its research for better health solutions.