Bones may release proteins that slow aging and extend life span

Commenters focused on the idea that mechanically loaded bones may release proteins linked to slower aging and longer life. They questioned why such a mechanism would have evolved, since ordinary animals rarely have their bones deliberately compressed, and whether its effect on aging might instead be incidental to another bone function. One commenter suggested exercise could provide the relevant loading; another noted that physical activity also changes many other bodily systems, making isolated bone loading useful for testing causality. A commenter who examined the study described its mouse protocol as brief, repeated axial pressure applied to the tibia under anesthesia, and speculated about which human exercises might resemble it. Others questioned how that setup maps to running or weight training.

The evolutionary explanation drew competing possibilities rather than a consensus: the proteins might help regulate bone density, be tied to exercise-related signals, or simply be metabolic byproducts with an incidental effect on lifespan. Commenters also widened the discussion to the limits of “curing” aging or cancer, arguing that neither is a single condition. One raised the possibility that aging could help limit the spread of cancer by curtailing how long tumors have to develop, while acknowledging that longer life might bring more cancer. The exchange mixed these serious questions with bone-related jokes and song references.