Anti-aging Medicine

[Guest IvanShlivan]

Has any work been done to create an anti-aging medicine? Nostradamus mentions something about finding a cure for age. I know little of aging, but as far as I know the cells wear out from dividing. There must be something that could be done right?

[chadn]

I know little of aging, but as far as I know the cells wear out from dividing. There must be something that could be done right?

 

That is only one theory. There are several others. This site gives a good description of various aging theories: http://prolongyouth.com/theories.html#wearandtear

 

I dont know what works been done in ant-aging, but its doubtful that we even come close to success until we know actually what it is that causes aging.

[Guest IvanShlivan]

Alright, thanks alot.

Those make sense.

[LucidDreamer]

Aging isn't really one process; it’s the breakdown of a hundred thousand different processes. In order to extend life beyond 120 years we would have prevent the breakdown of all those processes. Alot of these processes are controlled by similar mechanisms so its not as difficult as solving each one individually but still there is no one single process that can be prevented that would allow us to live for a greatly extended period of time.

 

So far the life expectancy has been increased by concentrating on the things that are most likely to kill people like bacterial infection, trauma, heart disease, cancer, etc. This has been a gradual process with small leaps, like with the introduction of antibiotics. Chances are that it will continue to be a stepwise process that will gradually lengthen the life expectancy to a theoretical cap of around 120 years.

 

Life can be extended even further by replacing the parts that are likely to break down first but this is a never ending battle because of all the parts that are going to break down. If you replace a person’s digestive system their heart breaks down. If you replace the heart their heart their circulatory system is still breaking down. You reach a problem with this because the brain cannot be replaced and it will break down soon too.

 

So the solution might be to create some form of rejuvenation program that will effectively reverse the aging process. Of course no one has any clue how to do this because the body is not designed to age backwards.

 

Perhaps you could create some kind of nanobot that traveled through the blood system and repaired tissue. You still run into the problem of trying to fix a million little things that are breaking down.

 

I think the quickest solution to mortality, as sci-fi as it sounds, would be to transfer a persons consciousness to a clone. Of course this would not be easy, considering that the brain is extremely complex with billions of connections. But it still seems easier to me because you only have to concentrate on preserving the functions of one organ and you can create a fresh body with a clone (moral implications aside).

[science∞REB]

i think they have almost tried to make a nanobot, but not sure

anyway, it would be VERY hard to replace all of the obsolete bodyparts

[rakuenso]

oxygen ages us too =) gotta hate those free radicals

[Milkman]

Yep, with time oxygen begins to destroy body cells. The reason why some animals do not show signs of aging as they get older is due to antioxidants in their bodies. Taking antioxident pills seems to be the new fad for staying young, although their effects on humans have not been proven yet.

[Verusamore]

Yeh I would think if our bodies age because the deteriation of the body is being caused by oxygen then 'anti-oxidants' would do the job .

[mak10]

I don't rememder the details but I do remember two scientists figuring out the cause of aging... some 'kiss of death' property of certain protease enzymes that break down other cells in the process and cause what we call as aging. they say the process can be inhibited and stuff. and i think they were chosen for the Nobel Prize this year for their research... cool, eh?

 

-mak10

[MolecularMan14]

what of the role of the cell's "timed life". What about the use of talymerays (sp) for the automatic destruction of cells to make room for new?

[chadn]

Yep, with time oxygen begins to destroy body cells. The reason why some animals do not show signs of aging as they get older is due to antioxidants in their bodies. Taking antioxident pills seems to be the new fad for staying young, although their effects on humans have not been proven yet.

 

Lets see, thats one of about 19 or so other theories. I highly doubt that this is the sole cause of aging, if its even a major reason at that.

[chadn]

Yep, with time oxygen begins to destroy body cells. The reason why some animals do not show signs of aging as they get older is due to antioxidants in their bodies. Taking antioxident pills seems to be the new fad for staying young, although their effects on humans have not been proven yet.

 

Lets see, thats one of about 19 or so other theories. I highly doubt that this is the sole cause of aging, if its even a major reason at that.

[Milkman]

Aging is caused by a combination of different reasons. The one that I mentioned was just on of them. There was a show on BBC a while ago dealing with this issue. I think it was called "Explorations" or something.

[Milkman]

Aging is caused by a combination of different reasons. The one that I mentioned was just on of them. There was a show on BBC a while ago dealing with this issue. I think it was called "Explorations" or something.

[Typhi]

What if you could find a way for your body to regenerate your organs so they won't break down?

[LucidDreamer]

What if you could find a way for your body to regenerate your organs so they won't break down?

Might be possible, but that's a long way off. There is no one drug that will completely regenerate all of your organs. My guess is that the only way this could be done is through genetic engineering and biological/mechanical enhancement. The hominid that accomplishes this will no longer be homo Sapiens.