About one-third of adults in the US experience some type of poor sleep or regularly fail to fall asleep. Research from Dr. Dragana Rogulja, an associate professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, suggests that physiological decline resulting from sleep loss can lead to the accumulation of harmful, reactive molecules (known as ROS) in the gut. Also, consistent sleep loss accelerates aging and is tied to the onset of serious age-related cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and immune conditions. However, quite intriguingly, Dr. Rogulja’s research using flies and mice suggests that physiological restoration can arise with the prevention of ROS accumulation.

Enlivien Targets ROS In the Gut that Can Accumulate with Sleep Loss

According to a press release, to target the ravages of poor sleep on the body, Seragon has launched a new product called Enlivien, which includes licensed technologies from Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, and Scripps Research. Aligning with Dr. Rogulja’s research, Enlivien promotes the neutralization of ROS in the gut, which are associated with a shortened lifespan. Interestingly, some of the technologies contained in Enlivien are likely based on Dr. Rogulja’s preclinical research on sleep, since she has been a lead research collaborator in the development of Enlivien.

“People often claim that, with coffee or energy drinks, they’re fine with 4–5 hours of sleep,” said Dr. Rogulja. “However, even in the absence of obvious symptoms, sleep loss can set off a cascade of molecular damage that extends well beyond fatigue.”

ROS Adversely Affect the Function of the Cell’s Powerhouse

ROS accumulation from sleep loss impedes the function of the cell’s powerhouse (known as mitochondria). Mitochondria are the primary source of cellular energy in the form of a molecule called ATP. Accordingly, an ROS-driven decline in mitochondrial function can disrupt metabolism in organs throughout the body, a crucial reason that mitochondrial dysfunction serves as one of the hallmarks of aging.

With Enlivien’s ROS-neutralizing technologies, the scientists at Seragon aim to restore mitochondrial functional deficits that can arise from sleep loss. Interestingly, research from Dr. Rogulja has also suggested that targeting ROS neutralization in the gut can prevent the negative effects of sleep deprivation on the nervous system. Hence, it remains possible that neutralizing ROS in the gut restores mitochondrial function to help prevent the negative effects of sleep deprivation on the nervous system. With that notion in mind, scientists and collaborators at Seragon have included components in Enlivien, aside from ROS-neutralizing technology, that target the restoration of mitochondrial function.

“Our studies identified several critical points of impact in the body, with the gut being especially vulnerable to sleep loss. Sub-threshold levels of sleep trigger cellular damage in the intestinal tract and the nervous system, which we believe is responsible for multiple negative health outcomes. Fortunately, we have developed interventions that can help mitigate these damages, as we showed in animal models,” says Dr. Rogulja.

More Info on Sleep’s Effects on Mitochondrial Function

Mitochondria require us to get ample sleep for the preservation of their structural integrity and ATP production. Along those lines, when sleep loss occurs, mitochondria produce ROS that compromise gut function. This dysfunction of the gut contributes to chronic fatigue, reduced cognitive performance, and systemic deterioration. With that in mind, Enliven targets the maintenance of mitochondrial function to alleviate the production of mitochondrial ROS.

Considering Dr. Rogulja’s Research on Sleep

With Enlivien, Seragon has used the strategies of ROS neutralization and mitochondrial maintenance to target the detrimental effects of sleep loss on the nervous system. All the same, whether these strategies effectively mitigate cognitive decline from sleep loss in humans remains open for future testing.

The question that arises is whether those who have sleep problems want to hedge their bet on the animal model data from Dr. Rogulja’s research, suggesting that the strategies she has helped formulate counteract the negative effects of sleep loss. If the animal model data serve as an indicator, neutralizing ROS and maintaining mitochondrial function may be effective ways to alleviate some of the physical tolls from sleep loss.