Have Scientists Found a Way for People to Live Longer?

In this crazy and unpredictable world, the one thing you can rely on is aging. Whether you like it or not, every day you become slightly older than you were yesterday. Everything ages, even that apple you forgot to take out of your backpack!

After humans and animals hit puberty, their physical and cognitive (mental) abilities gradually decline. Their chances of getting numerous diseases and ultimately dying increases the older they get, too. That’s why scientists are particularly interested in research that can possibly be used to prolong human lives.

Are you someone who would like to live a really long time? If so, you’re in luck. In recent years, there have been quite a few exciting discoveries that may someday be used to increase your lifespan! Let’s learn about some of them.

Can blood transfusions help people live longer?

The life-prolonging technique that has been most thoroughly researched is blood transfusions. Scientists joined the circulatory system of an old mouse to that of a young mouse. They found that this “young” blood made the old mouse’s organs stronger. Scientists think that the tissues of the old mice are regaining functions that they may have lost through the process of aging. In other words, the “young” blood is reversing some of the effects of aging!

Can scientists do this in humans? Not exactly. There are some serious ethical questions about where the “young blood” would come from. But studies like these give scientists insight about different ways to rejuvenate organs as they age.

Can improving immune systems help people live longer? 

Another technique that could help humans live longer is improving the immune system. Like many parts of your body, your immune system is also less effective as you get older. That’s why older people are more likely to get sick from common illnesses such as the flu (short for influenza) or pneumonia. The number of people who die from the flu goes up in older age groups. Between 1990 and 1999, 3 484 people older than 65 died of the flu in Canada. Meanwhile, during that same time, only 155 people aged 50-64 died of the flu . 

One study looked at a pharmaceutical compound called everolimus. This compound improved the effectiveness of the flu shot in people older than 65 . It did this by inducing higher levels of antibodies in the subjects’ blood. Antibodies are molecules in your blood that attack foreign invaders and help keep you from getting sick.

Can scientists target cells to make people live longer? 

Another technique with anti-aging effects involves targeting senescent cells. (See the video that follows this paragraph). These are cells in the body that continue to live but have stopped dividing. Typically, when cells divide, pieces of DNA on the ends of chromosomes called telomeres get shorter. This is okay, because telomeres don’t actually code for any useful DNA. However, after many rounds of replication, telomeres become very short. At that point, cells may become senescent.

The older you get, the more senescent cells you have. Research has shown that these cells release chemicals that can harm the cells surrounding them. For example, in an experiment, researchers gave a drug that targets senescent cells to a group of mice.The drug caused the senescent cells to self-destruct.  Researchers compared these mice to a control group (mice that did not get the drug). The mice that got this drug had healthier kidney functions, better fur coats and more energy than the control mice.

Can scientists cure aging? 

So do these treatments actually increase one’s lifespan? Or do they simply make aging animals healthier? Scientists are still researching this question, and it’s an important one to keep in mind. It might seem obvious that healthier organs and body systems naturally lead to longer life spans. But this idea still needs to be verified by future studies.

But let’s say scientists were to discover a drug that really could expand one’s lifespan. How much longer could a person taking this drug live? By manipulating certain genes, scientists have managed to increase the lifespan of worms by eightfold. Could we see the same effects in humans?

Likely not. Research has shown that more simple organisms, such as worms or yeast, are affected the most by longevity treatments. In humans, it is more likely that we would see much smaller improvements. This is because human genes are more complicated. Also, human health and longevity and can be affected by a variety of different lifestyle factors. Science does tend to advance quickly, though. New discoveries are made every day. Who knows, by the time you’re old and wrinkly, 100 may be the new 80!

Did you know?

Turritopsis dohrnii, otherwise known as the immortal jellyfish, is able to live forever. Once it has reached maturity, it transforms itself to a younger age!