Resveratrol, a chemical found in red wine and previously shown to extend the lifespan of lab mice, also seems to protect mice from obesity and diabetes, the Washington Post reported Nov. 16.

Researchers say that resveratrol appears to increase metabolism, making muscles burn more energy and increasing efficiency. Scientists said that the chemical mirrors a genetic switch that appears to be related to higher metabolic rates among humans. "This compound could have many applications -- treating obesity and diabetes, improving human endurance, helping the frail," said lead researcher Johan Auwerx of the Institute for Genetics and Cellular and Molecular Biology in Strasbourg, France. "There's a lot of potential."

"This is the first example of a drug that can apparently affect the whole aging process, not just this disease or that disease, but the mechanisms that allow these diseases to occur," added Felipe Sierra of the National Institute on Aging.

The mice, however, were given massive doses of the chemical, so researchers still need to figure out a practical way to administered safe doses to humans.

The research is scheduled to be published in the journal Cell.