Could an enzyme responsible for breaking down and eliminating booze from our bodies also be able to help us lead longer, healthier lives? Scientists have discovered a molecular mechanism that could offer just that.

In a surprise finding, researchers at the University of Virginia (UVA) found that the role of alcohol dehydrogenase in detoxifying the body of glycerol and glyceraldehyde – the harmful by-products of fat that build up over time – may provide the best approach to not just extending life but aging more healthily.

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“The discovery was unexpected,” said Eyleen Jorgelina O’Rourke, Associate Professor at UVA’s Department of Biology and the UVA School of Medicine’s Department of Cell Biology. “We went after a very well-supported hypothesis that the secret to longevity was the activation of a cell-rejuvenating process named autophagy and ended up finding an unrecognized mechanism of health and lifespan extension.”

Read more: New Atlas