Could the elixir of life be hidden in your face cream?

THE elixir of life may have been discovered by British scientists – and it could be in your bathroom cabinet.

An ingredient in many popular face creams, including some made by Olay, Simple and L’Oreal, extends life by more than a fifth, a study found.

The experiments were conducted on worms but the researchers say they pave the way for a longevity drug for humans.

The ‘miracle’ ingredient, allantoin, comes from comfrey, a herb that grows wild in the UK. The compound, which is made from the root of the plant, is said to encourage skin to regenerate and is added to many moisturisers and anti-ageing creams.

These include many inexpensive products, such as Simple’s £4.99 Regeneration Age Resisting Day Cream, and L’Oreal Skin Perfection BB Cream, which is priced at around £6.99 and is used to mask blemishes.

The ‘elixir of life’ can also be found in some products in the Olay Regenerist range. The fact that allantoin is already in widespread use is exciting because it suggests it is unlikely to encounter safety concerns if it is turned into a drug.

Liverpool University researcher Joao Pedro de Magalhaes was inspired by decades of animal research that showed that if calories are severely restricted, life is extended. Mice, for instance, can live up to 50 per cent longer.

It is thought that restricting calories is beneficial because it improves metabolism – the set of life-sustaining chemical changes that take place in our cells – and other important processes.

But few people would want to stick to a diet that involves severely depriving them- selves of food, day in, day out. So Dr de Magalhaes set out to find a drug that could have the same effects.

He plugged details of the effects calorie restriction has on the body into a computer programme, and then fed in information about the action of 1,000 chemicals to look for a match. Five options were tested on worms – with allantoin providing the most exciting results.

Worms that were fed the compound lived 22 per cent longer. They also seemed to be healthy for longer, the journal Aging Cell reports. Dr de Magalhaes said: ‘Allantoin was the most interesting because it is already used in anti-ageing creams and cosmetics, so it seems to be extremely safe for human use.’

Unfortunately for those who have allantoinbased creams, the worms ate the compound, and simply rubbing it on to the skin is unlikely to boost longevity, Dr de Magalhaes said. He now plans to see if the compound extends the life of mice and rats. Eventually, it could be turned into a pill for people.

The findings could also lead to new treatments for cancer, as calorie restriction is credited with cutting the risk of the disease and slowing its progress once it hits. Allantoin might also be able to help with heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.