longevity Klotho

This illustration shows how Klotho quickly improved the ability of mice to navigate a hidden platform in a water maze.
Credit: Leon et al.

Although this is not a well-known supplement yet, another study seems to indicate that klotho is a protein hormone that can make you more intelligent, stronger and live longer.   A minority of perhaps lucky people naturally produce klotho at high levels, but for the rest of us as with many important chemicals, it declines with aging and seems to thereby lead to slower cognitive function.  While previous studies had revealed associations between elevated klotho levels that circulate in the blood, spine and brain and better cognition, scientists at University of California – San Francisco. have done a next stage of testing that seems to confirm that klotho protein improves cognitive and physical performance for all of us.

Previous studies had revealed associations between elevated klotho levels and better cognition, but only in mice or humans that are genetically equipped to continuously produce high klotho levels throughout their lives.  But the question remained could those with normal or low levels of klotho, benefit cognitively if higher levels were introduced.  This new study, published online Aug. 8, 2017, in Cell Reports, showed klotho could be administered like a drug to rapidly enhance spatial learning and memory, as well as working memory, in young and aged mice or people with normal or low levels of the hormone.  Even genetically engineered Parkinson’s disease like mice showed improvement in motor skills and cognitive ability.  It is still a mystery why the klotho hormone material that the researchers injected into the bodies of the mice worked so well, since there is no evidence that klotho is able to cross the blood-brain-barrier from the bloodstream.  “It makes us wonder about the connection between the body and the brain,” said Dena Dubal, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology atUCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. “What we saw with acute klotho administration may be similar to what happens with exercise, which also improves cognition and brain health, although we don’t know how.”