5-Aminolevulinic acid and sodium ferrous citrate ameliorate muscle aging and extend healthspan in Drosophila

Declines in mitochondrial functions are associated with aging. The combination of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and sodium ferrous citrate (SFC) improves mitochondrial functions in cultured cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with 5-ALA and SFC (5-ALA/SFC) on the healthspan and life span of Drosophila melanogaster. Adult Drosophila fruit flies were fed cornmeal food containing various concentrations of 5-ALA/SFC. Locomotor functions, life span, muscle architecture, and age-associated changes in mitochondrial function were analyzed. We found that feeding 5-ALA/SFC mitigated age-associated declines in locomotor functions and extended organismal life span. Moreover, 5-ALA/SFC preserved muscle architecture and maintained the mitochondrial membrane potential in aged animals. Since 5-ALA phosphate/SFC is used as a human dietary supplement, our results suggest that it could be used to slow the age-related declines in muscle functions, prevent age-associated clinical conditions such as frailty, and extend healthspan and life span.