This article is from the WSSF 2017 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

Did You Know?  Mice that feel no pain live on average 14% (4 months) longer and have a metabolism of a younger mouse. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, found mice that don’t have the TRPV1 pain receptor also had low levels of CGRP, which meant that they had more insulin and better metabolism. Exposure to a molecule found in chili peppers (capsaicin) and other spicy foods may confer the same benefits as losing this pain receptor. Diets rich in capsaicin have been linked to lower incidences of diabetes and metabolic problems in humans but you’d have to eat a lot of them over a long period of time.

Story on Science (AAAS) Mice That Feel Less Pain Live Longer.

Published in Cell, 157, 1023–1036, May 22, 2014, TRPV1 Pain Receptors Regulate Longevity and Metabolism by Neuropeptide Signaling.