RED wine, dark chocolate, red grapes and blueberries are helping scientists discover a way of keeping people young.

Researchers from the University of Brighton have discovered how to regenerate ageing skin cells using compounds found in the products.

Laboratory experiments showed cells not only looked physically younger but behave more like young cells and start dividing.

Scientists Richard Faragher and Lizzy Ostler said the breakthrough should generate more research into tackling health issues associated with ageing.

Professor Faragher said: “These findings illustrate the enormous potential of ageing research to improve the quality of later life.

“Older people no more want to be sickly frequent flyers with the NHS than teenagers do.

“A recent Government report recognised historic underinvestment in ageing research in the UK.

“I say to politicians of all parties - redress this now and give our older people the healthy futures they deserve.”

Dr Ostler said: “Breakthroughs of this kind really need chemists and biologists working on research and teaching together under the same roof.

“We prize our multidisciplinary collaborative atmosphere at Brighton. These results vindicate that approach.”

The scientists, members of the university’s stress, ageing and disease centre of research and enterprise excellence, worked together to select the best compounds for testing.

They were created by Vishal Birar while he was doing a PhD under Dr Ostler’s supervision.

The Brighton scientists were part of a team led by Lorna Harries, professor of molecular genetics at the University of Exeter.

The discovery builds on earlier findings from the Exeter group which showed that a class of genes called splicing factors are progressively switched off as we age.

Researchers found the genes can be switched back on with chemicals with the help of a natural compound found in the wine, chocolate and fruit.

These made cells not only look physically younger but start to behave more like young cells and start dividing.

The discovery has the potential to lead to therapies which could help people age better, without experiencing some of the degenerative effects of getting old.

Most people by the age of 85 have experienced some kind of chronic illness, and as people get older they are more prone to stroke, heart disease and cancer.

Professor Harries said: “This is a first step in trying to make people live normal lifespans, but with health for their entire life.

“Our data suggests using chemicals to switch back on the major class of genes that are switched off as we age might provide a means to restore function to old cells.

“This demonstrates when you treat old cells with molecules that restore the levels of the genes, the cells regain some features of youth.

“Far more research is needed now to establish the true potential for these sort of approaches to address the degenerative effects of ageing.”