DHC is a synthetic flavoring and fragrance additive commonly found in a wide variety of processed foods and cosmetics. New research from a science team at the University of California at Berkeley has found that DHC acts to block the activity of an enzyme critical to longevity, while also possibly affecting whether a person will develop cancer or neuro-degenerative diseases.

These findings were published in the online journal Public Library of Science Genetics. The experiment analyzed the effects of DHC on yeast and other organisms, and extrapolated these effects to enzymes within human cells.

We come into contact with DHC if we ingest soft drinks, yogurt, and frozen dairy products, or if we use lotions, soaps and cosmetics, where it is often added as a fragrance.

Dr. Eric Verdin, a professor of medicine at U.C. San Francisco, who collaborated in the study, said DHC may not only affect aging in humans, but can interfere with cellular processes that control metabolism, and the onset of cancer and other diseases. This identification of a common food additive as being able to influence aging and trigger cancer is "one more piece of evidence supporting the important role environmental agents may play in human health."