Is it possible to cheat aging? This is what science says

For many people, life seems too short. From childhood, through youth, adulthood and then old age Many people approach this final stage of life with fear, usually associated with preconceptions such as deterioration, illness and death.

And generally Being “old” is thought to be related to not being able to do things for yourself. to constantly fall ill and be relegated to a bed or chair, waiting for death to come and get them.

However, with the advancement of technology and medicine, the life expectancy of humans has increased considerably. THE scientists They claim to have found ways to prolong health as much as possible to continue living a healthy and energetic life, even in our later years.

So much so that some experts say that the rapid development of research has allowed “Aging and death can be postponed.” But is that really the case?

An article from the prestigious magazine Nature explained the science behind treatments that promise to keep you young forever.

According to the Venki Ramakrishnan, Nobel Prize in Chemistry , It is necessary to separate some facts from fiction about the possibility of stopping aging and delaying death.

The scientist, in his book why we die assured that Improved hygiene, living conditions and innovations in health care, such as antibiotics and vaccines, have helped double human life expectancy.

But is there a ceiling to life expectancy? According to NatureIt’s 120 years old, however, As people enter the old age phase, they tend to experience the typical problems of aging which – although often just prejudices – present a greater risk of developing certain diseases.

This is why, even before the evolution of technology, We humans have been “obsessed” with finding the fountain of youth and “stopping time.” and thus be able to enjoy more years on Earth, even beyond what nature has prepared for us.

And that’s itAging is inevitable: Over time, our DNA accumulates damage, chromosome ends shorten, proteins clump together, organelles stop functioning as before, stem cells diminish, and our organs begin to suffer from chronic inflammation.

This is how we begin to age and die.

The consensus among scientists is that This cumulative DNA damage is typically caused by oxygen radicals, ultraviolet and X-rays, cigarette smoke, chemotherapy drugs, alcohol, natural metabolites, and even water!

In this line, When we talk about the “secrets of a long life”, there are those who sell products containing “senolytics”. – which are compounds that eliminate senescent or “damaged” cells – to slow aging, however, according to Nature, “even scientists cannot always determine whether the results of a study are reliable or inaccurate, promising or only preliminary.”

That’s to sayScience still doesn’t know for sure whether there are actually solutions to living longer.

For example, the study that used these senolytics in mice showed benefits, but their application in humans is not yet certain.

Something similar happens with the donation of certain blood factors from young to old people: In the experiments, old mice were “partially rejuvenated” by receiving blood from young mice, a kind of “cellular reprogramming.”

The results are undoubtedly encouraging, but The safety issues related to its application in humans are too numerous and seem very distant.

In addition, as Nobel Prize winner Ramakrishnan explains, there is the study of the inhibition of a key metabolic enzyme, called mTOR, which has been shown in many organisms to be able to “moderately” extend their lifespan. However, andIn humans, it appears to have a “limited effect.”

Dietary restrictions are also thought to delay aging, but “this is not a popular practice” and there is no certainty either.

But even if they could be applied, “Rejuvenation strategies that replace cells will not be suitable for all tissue types. “In particular, these methods would not work for the brain, because most neurons need to remain alive and functioning throughout our lives.”

This would be the main and most important obstacle to the search for youth.

That’s to say, All the studies and advances demonstrated so far, according to Ramakrishnan, remain too distant an alternative, which is not applicable today. and this must be observed responsibly and cautiously.

In addition, the article Nature added that Even the myth that a person’s body and brain can be preserved by feeding on liquid nitrogen until technology is sufficient to resuscitate them is just that, a myth.

“The degree of confidence in these methods is perhaps similar to the Egyptians’ belief that their pharaohs would be resurrected.”

This is why the scientific journal invited you to read the book why we die Nobel Prize winner in chemistry Venki Ramakrishnan because “This could save anti-aging investors and billionaires a lot of money.”

“Instead of wasting your capital in the search for non-existent elixirs of eternal life for your personal gain, could help humanity by supporting truly promising treatments,” they wrote in Nature.

“The only way to prolong healthy life is to intervene in the fundamental mechanism of aging, revealed by solid science.