The nutrient of longevity? The scientist was unexpectedly helped by dolphins. She discovered the secret ingredient that makes us live longer "by accident"
The discovery came as an "accident"
According to Precedence Research, the global dietary supplement market is worth over $200 billion. But the catch is that few of them have scientifically proven efficacy. Take, for example, NAD+ infusions, which are used with the promise of cell rejuvenation by everyone from Hailey Bieber to Joe Rogan, even though there is no conclusive evidence of their effectiveness.
So there is room on the market for a longevity supplement that actually works - and more importantly, that we actually need. Many are just vitamins and minerals that can be obtained through a varied diet. Dr Stephanie Venn-Watson did not set out to create a dietary supplement Sam describes her discovery of essential fatty acids, the first in over 90 years, as an "accident". This accident led her to develop Fatty15, a once-a-day capsule that is being touted as a new longevity nutrient.
Dolphins with a lot of work to do
The story began in an unexpected place: the dolphins of the US Navy. Venn-Watson is a veterinary epidemiologist, and 20 years ago, the U.S. Navy called her in to study the spread of disease among the bottlenose dolphin population. The Navy has cared for more than 100 dolphins in San Diego for decades. They have been used in a number of humanitarian projects, including mine clearance off the Croatian coast. Because they are closely monitored by Navy scientists, many of them live to be 40 to 50 years old, while wild dolphins live only about 20 years.
There's no such thing as a fish
The Navy has also been collecting dolphin serum samples for decades, which can be used to monitor health and determine levels of various nutrients. Venn-Watson's challenge was to find out why some dolphins age faster than others and why they - like humans - develop high cholesterol, Alzheimer's disease and liver disease. So they decided to look at the molecules in dolphins' diets to see which ones predict the healthiest individuals. "We thought it would be omega-3s because they only eat fish," Venn-Watson tells me.
The team found that it's not high levels of omega-3s that predict health, but a saturated fat with an odd number of carbons called C15:0, or pentadecanoic acid. Dolphins who ate more fish with C15:0, such as bream and mackerel, had better metabolic health and lower odds of liver disease than those who ate fish without C15:0. The team began giving these dolphins a diet rich in bream. Within a month, their health indicators improved. Besides some fish, C15:0 is mainly found in whole milk products.
One in three people are deficient
Scientists have known about this substance for decades but have not attached much importance to it. It was Venn-Watson who showed that it is an essential nutrient that improves liver function, reduces inflammation and cholesterol and repairs mitochondria. Yet it is difficult to obtain from diet alone. Venn-Watson and her team estimate that one in three people are deficient in C15:0, with higher numbers found among vegans.
And what about solutions within a plant-based diet?
Part of the blame lies with the 1970s dietary advice that warned against saturated fats. Today we know there are good and bad fats, and so full-fat milk and butter are enjoying a small renaissance, which is good news for our C15:0 levels. Still, the substance is not bioavailable in many foods, which is why Venn-Watson and her husband Eric spent five years developing a vegan C15:0 supplement.
"Our main hypothesis is that the decline in C15:0 levels helps explain why people are increasingly getting coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and fatty liver at younger ages. This fits with an overall profile similar to what we have seen in dolphins," explains Venn-Watson. She wrote a book about her discovery of C15:0 and the development of Fatty15 called The Longevity Nutrient.
Backed by (ethical) research
The main difference between the claims of Fatty15 and other dietary supplements is that their theories have been ethically tested on dolphins. "The limitation of longevity research is that most is done on short-lived species," says Venn-Watson. Dolphins, like humans, are mammals with large brains that show similar signs of aging, making them a much more suitable "guinea pig." Another big difference? There are more than 100 peer-reviewed studies supporting the health benefits of C15:0 and Fatty15. "More and more doctors and health professionals are getting excited about the science, using Fatty15 with their patients, and seeing results," says Venn-Watson.
Want a natural source? Have a pecorino
Currently, a three-month pack of capsules costs £125, a hefty sum by supplement standards. "We decided not to skimp on quality," says Venn-Watson, who is now working to make C15:0 an ingredient for fortifying foods, drinks and infant formula. Those who want to boost their C15:0 levels naturally should consume dairy products from grass-fed cows and indulge in "high-altitude cheese" with gusto, according to the expert.
"Pecorino has some of the highest C15:0 levels we have recorded," he says. It's Venn-Watson's consistency that sets Fatty15 apart from the competition. "I've always been data-driven and science-driven," he says. Her journey from studying animal diseases to selling dietary supplements to humans was completely unplanned - she calls it a "happy accident" and will always owe it to dolphins.
© The Standard Ltd
