Journal of the science of food and agricultureJul 13, 2026

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study aging in food and nutrition research

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jul 14, 2026

Abstract

Caenorhabditis elegans has an average lifespan of about 3 weeks.

Aging is associated with a decline in physiological functions and an increased risk of degenerative diseases.
Current lifespan-extension research may not improve health in later life, referred to as 'healthspan'.
Short-lived animals like C. elegans are often used in aging research to overcome challenges related to studying longer-lived mammals.
Methods for studying aging in C. elegans include measuring both lifespan and healthspan.
Research has identified major signaling pathways and associated genes relevant to aging in this model organism.

Simplified

Aging is a time-dependent process characterized by a gradual decline in physiological functions, ultimately leading to increased risk of degenerative diseases, health issues, and death. With the growing number of older people and rising health issues related to aging, it is crucial to find ways to slow down aging to enhance overall health. However, current research efforts that focus solely on extending lifespan may not necessarily reflect improvements in health during later life, known as 'healthspan'. Studying aging in mammals is challenging due to the long timeframes involved, so scientists often use short-lived animals as models. One such model is Caenorhabditis elegans, a microscopic roundworm with an average lifespan of about 3 weeks, and much of what we know about aging has been learned from research using C. elegans. This review aims to summarize how C. elegans is used in aging research, such as methods for measuring lifespan and healthspan, identifying major signaling pathways and their associated genes, and understanding the model's limitations to provide practical guidelines for researchers interested in studying aging. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

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Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study aging in food and nutrition research

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