I-food
Encyclopedia
iFood contains nutritients in which some atoms are replaced with their heavier non-radioactive isotopes (such as 13C
and 2H
, derived from C4
-plants). Biomolecules that incorporate heavier isotopes give rise to more stable molecular structures with increased resistance to damages associated with ageing
. The inclusion of heavy isotopes might be either active (selection for heavier isotopes) or passive (incorporation reflecting the existing abundance). Consumption of foods relatively rich in heavy isotopes, especially at the early stages of the organism's development, is linked, so far hypothetically, with enhanced longevity
. Consumed with food, some biomolecules (e.g., essential aminoacids) become building material for the human cells. Molecules that contain heavier isotopes are less prone to destructive effect of free radicals (which is the key point of the free-radical theory
of ageing).
After publication in scientific literature, the concept of isotopic food moved onto popular science publications and even became a hot topic in mass media where the anti-ageing properties were often mistakenly attributed to heavy water
.
Carbon-13
Carbon-13 is a natural, stable isotope of carbon and one of the environmental isotopes. It makes up about 1.1% of all natural carbon on Earth.- Detection by mass spectrometry :...
and 2H
Deuterium
Deuterium, also called heavy hydrogen, is one of two stable isotopes of hydrogen. It has a natural abundance in Earth's oceans of about one atom in of hydrogen . Deuterium accounts for approximately 0.0156% of all naturally occurring hydrogen in Earth's oceans, while the most common isotope ...
, derived from C4
C4 carbon fixation
C4 carbon fixation is one of three biochemical mechanisms, along with and CAM photosynthesis, used in carbon fixation. It is named for the 4-carbon molecule present in the first product of carbon fixation in these plants, in contrast to the 3-carbon molecule products in plants. fixation is an...
-plants). Biomolecules that incorporate heavier isotopes give rise to more stable molecular structures with increased resistance to damages associated with ageing
Ageing
Ageing or aging is the accumulation of changes in a person over time. Ageing in humans refers to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change. Some dimensions of ageing grow and expand over time, while others decline...
. The inclusion of heavy isotopes might be either active (selection for heavier isotopes) or passive (incorporation reflecting the existing abundance). Consumption of foods relatively rich in heavy isotopes, especially at the early stages of the organism's development, is linked, so far hypothetically, with enhanced longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
. Consumed with food, some biomolecules (e.g., essential aminoacids) become building material for the human cells. Molecules that contain heavier isotopes are less prone to destructive effect of free radicals (which is the key point of the free-radical theory
Free-radical theory
The free-radical theory of aging states that organisms age because cells accumulate free radical damage over time. A free radical is any atom or molecule that has a single unpaired electron in an outer shell. While a few free radicals such as melanin are not chemically reactive, most...
of ageing).
After publication in scientific literature, the concept of isotopic food moved onto popular science publications and even became a hot topic in mass media where the anti-ageing properties were often mistakenly attributed to heavy water
Heavy water
Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium; e.g., heavy water used in CANDU reactors is 99.75% enriched by hydrogen atom-fraction...
.