科學家們可能已經找到青春永駐的聖藥!

Remember learning about cell structure in high school biology? You probably had to memorize that the mitochondria is the part that powers the cell, kind of like a battery. Turns out, an enzyme created in the mitochondria — mitochondrial complex II — just might do the same for you skin, according to a study published this week in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

還記得在高中生物中學習的細胞結構嗎？你可能還記得線粒體是細胞供能系統的一部分，像塊電池一樣。根據本週皮膚學研究雜誌出版的一項研究表明，線粒體內部的一種線粒體複合酶二號也和線粒體一樣，對皮膚供能。

As skin ages, it naturally begins to wrinkle and lose elasticity. And the cause is twofold, according to Mark Birch-Machin, lead researcher and professor of molecular dermatology at the Newcastle University Institute of Cellular Medicine in England.

隨着皮膚老化，它開始自然地起皺紋和失去彈性。而英國紐思卡爾大學細胞醫學學院的首席研究員和教授Mark Birch-Machin表示，這其中有雙重原因。

Reason number one: Free radicals increase as you age, and those free radicals will degrade the skin, making it less elastic. And this part, he explains, is easily countered by slathering on antioxidant-rich products, and eating fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants. The second component, Birch-Machin says, is a decline in bioenergy, or renewable energy produced by your body. And that can be a bit more tricky to overcome.

第一個原因：在你年齡漸長之際，自由基的數目也會增加。而這些自由基會使皮膚狀態變差，減少它的彈性。他解釋說，而這一部分的衰老可以由厚塗富含抗氧化劑的產品和食用抗氧化物含量高的蔬果抵消。Birch-Machin說，第二個原因是生物能的減退（生物能是身體自己製造的再生能源）。而要克服這道難關更加困難。

As you get older, your skin's bioenergy declines, making it look duller and causing fine lines and sagging. In his team's research, Birch-Machin found that supporting and restoring energy to the mitochondrial complex II enzyme could increase bioenergy, keeping skin wrinkle-free.

當你漸漸不再年輕，你皮膚的生物能也在下降，導致皮膚看上去愈發黯淡，並且生出細紋和下垂。在他團隊的研究中，Birch-Machin發現負責供給和恢復能量的線粒體複合酶二號能夠增加生物能，使皮膚不會發皺。

Now skincare companies are jumping at the chance to create new, mitochondrial complex II-enhancing creams and potions, the researcher notes, which means you'll likely soon be able to find them in pharmacies. And the scientists, meanwhile, are looking into ways to achieve enzyme-boosting results through diet. "We've done previous work before that shows that the diet can benefit skin," Birch-Machin says, noting the new findings prove promising for keeping other organs healthy, "so it's potentially possible to do this from the inside out."

研究人員表示，如今護膚公司們正急切地抓住機會來開發新的線粒體複合強化酶面霜和藥劑。這表明你很有可能很快就在藥房裏看見這些產品。同時，這些科學家正在尋找通過飲食來催化酶的方法。Birch-Machin說："我們之前做的一些工作表明，合理飲食對皮膚有益。"這些新發現能夠讓其他器官也保持健康。"所以很有可能可以由外而內抵抗衰老。"