People might be able to have their cake and live longer too after several University of Wisconsin researchers identified an enzyme which may help fight the effects of aging.

UW professor of biomolecular chemistry John Denu said there is a general theory that if an organism reduces its calorie intake by 25 to 40 percent it will live longer. He added this has been tested in many different organisms from simple yeast cells to monkeys.

However, according to a statement from UW the reason why reducing calories helps increase life spans is unknown.

Denu said the research has revealed an enzyme, Sirt3, which activates when an organism restricts its calorie intake and helps to boost anti-oxidant levels. The anti-oxidants are important in fighting the aging process.

The process all revolves around the mitochondria which are the major energy producers inside the cell, according to Denu.

The problem, Denu said, is mitochondria produce free radicals as a byproduct of energy production. The free radicals cause damage to cells which over time can cause the cells to die.

“Free radicals are what are produced by the mitochondria. Our cells can deal with it for the most part, but perhaps as we age those free radicals cause oxidized damage to our vital molecules,” Denu said.

Humans lose their hearing as they age because more and more of the cells die off from the free radicals, Denu said.

He added there may be a correlation between damage done by the free radicals as we age on hearing loss and brain and liver damage as well.

Denu and Tomas A. Prolla, a UW professor of genetics, have been working to identify the enzyme and finding out how it works for the past three years. Denu said they have been using mice and cultures of human cells for their research.

The ultimate goal of the research would be creating a pill that would cause the body to create more Sirt3, without having to cut down on the amount of calories a person eats.

“You can eat as badly as you want, and not change your lifestyle and take a pill…and that would potentially be the equivalent of reducing calories,” Denu said. “It sounds like the American dream.”