Muscle protein fragment extended lifespan in worms
Worms given 5 mmol/L of the peptide Leu-Tyr-Ala lived 26% longer on average than water-treated controls.
Limit: Worms received 5 mmol/L of synthesized peptide, not a food product
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
In experiments in Caenorhabditis elegans worms, researchers tested Leu-Tyr-Ala, a peptide—a short protein fragment—found in a skeletal muscle protein. For lifespan testing, they added it to food from the final larval stage and tracked survival until all worms had died.
At 5 mmol/L, the peptide extended average lifespan by 26% compared with water-treated controls. Treated worms also showed better movement on days 5, 10 and 15 and better survival during exposure to heat and hydrogen peroxide. The peptide delayed increases in body length and width but did not affect egg production. The lifespan benefit was not observed in worms with mutations in either of two genes, daf-12 or daf-16.
Why it matters
Movement declines with age in these worms. Testing it alongside lifespan helps address whether longer survival accompanies preserved physical function.
Caveats
These were laboratory experiments in worms using a synthesized peptide, not tests of a food product in people. They do not establish benefits or safety in humans.
The paper
Kyushu University; Kitasato University
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, May 14, 2026, Open access
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