Living past 150 years old
If people could live a long, happy and healthy life, they would, the University of NSW’s dean of medicine, Peter Smith, says. Now researchers are claiming hope may exist to suggest human life can be extended by decades. Slowly down the ageing process are new drugs which researchers say are increasing the possibility of humans living to 150 years old.
If people could live a long, happy and healthy life, they would, the University of NSW’s dean of medicine, Peter Smith, says.
Now researchers are claiming hope may exist to suggest human life can be extended by decades. Slowly down the ageing process are new drugs which researchers say are increasing the possibility of humans living to 150 years old.
“I don’t think anyone is going to live forever. We will die, but there is no problem in extending life to make it useful, healthy and happier,” Professor Smith tells DPS News.
Researchers say when combined with advances in medicine, lifestyle, public health and new stem cell therapies, living beyond 100 years old is not “unreasonable”.
“We are at the point where one in three baby girls born today has a reasonable expectation to live to 100 years old,” Professor Smith claims. “What’s new is we know the body has a great capacity to repair itself and this is greatest when we are young… when we are older this [repairing process] fades,” he adds.
Professor Smith explains this “rejuvenation” process seems to be controlled by a set of genes, and researchers have now attempted to develop drugs to interact with these genes.
An Australian ageing expert at Harvard University in America, has shown that resveratrol, which is a plant compound found in red wine, can extend the life of yeast, worms and mice.
Scientists have now reportedly developed synthetic molecules 1,000 times stronger than resveratrol, and the tests carried out so far on people with diseases typical of old age have shown “early signs of efficacy”.
“The whole point is to slow the ageing process so people can lead a healthy and productive life for much longer – it’s not just about extending life for one’s own sake,” Professor Smith says.
The drugs are in the early clinical trial stage, without any confirmation about whether these drugs will be beneficial.
“It will be about five to 10 years before we will know what is going on… but we believe there is a real prospect to extend life further,” Professor Smith claims.
Would you want to live past 150 years old? Share your thoughts on Professor Smith’s claims by commenting in the box below.
