Let us face it, many people want to retain their youth and want to live forever! Therefore, as we reflect and look directly at aging, it is a complex biological process that affects every living organism. Aging is the gradual decline in physiological function and the increased vulnerability to diseases that occur over time. Scientists believe that aging is driven by numerous factors, including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle influences.
For now, the record for the oldest person who researchers and medical experts have reliable medical records and files on was a French woman named Jeanne Calment. She died in 1997 at the age of 122. According to records, she smoked for all but the last five years of her life.
Therefore, genetics really plays a significant role in determining an individual’s lifespan and vulnerability to age-related diseases. Certain genes have been identified that are associated with longevity, such as those involved in DNA repair, stress response, and cellular maintenance.
Several Genetic studies have provided research into the biological mechanisms of aging and have opened several and different new types and avenues for genetic research. DNA or gene editing research is starting to make it possible.
There are many mystical, magic, and sci-fi books and movies on youth and biological immortality. Just a few movies and genre types are named here, such as all vampire movies, Dorian Gray, Looper, and the most recent Academy Award-nominated movie The Substance starring Demi Moore, who was nominated for best actor! The movie is much closer to what is being developed in research today, of course, minus all the horror.
The Substance is a biotech and bioengineering research project that goes horribly wrong! However, research on similar substances is certainly taking place now. There are several research programs mentioned in the media working in the realm of regenerative youth, biohacking, and immortality.
There is currently a popular Netflix documentary called Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever that has a cult-like following. It’s about entrepreneur and businessman, 45-year-old Bryan Johnson, and his quest for achieving a remarkably higher level of physical and mental well-being, increasing the human lifespan, while also remaining youthful looking. The documentary follows his Project Blueprint, wherein he attempts to document all the details of his quest for youth and immortality.
The documentary includes his team of doctors and specialists: Dr. Peter Attia (longevity and health), Dr. David Sinclair (genetics), Dr. Avil Friedlander (precision medicine), and Dr. Phil Chang (cardiology and muscular health). Working with these doctors, Bryan has poured millions of dollars into their research supporting Project Blueprint. Overall, the project has become curiously interesting research, using himself as the guinea pig for measuring the limits of human longevity, youth, and health.
In the quest for youth and longevity, a more promising program involves a Japanese scientist, Dr. Kazutoshi Yamanaka, who has created four living viruses that could revive dying and dead human cells, referred to as the Yamanaka factor. The four viruses involve reverse human aging by using four genetically created viruses that cause cellular genetic reprogramming. The viruses were developed at the Salk Institute in collaboration with Altos Labs.
More specifically, the Yamanaka factors are a set of four transcription factors (manmade viruses): Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. They play a critical role in reprogramming somatic (human body) cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Pluripotent stem cells are best known as embryonic stem cells originating from human embryos.
These types of iPSC cells can become any cell type in the human body. It is a groundbreaking discovery made by Dr. Yamanaka. His team has continued to make significant strides in research for regenerative medicine and stem cell research.
Currently, stem cell research has gained attention for its potential to combat aging and promote tissue repair. Embryonic stem cells have the unique ability to develop into various cell types and can regenerate damaged tissues. Scientists such as Dr. Yamanaka are exploring ways to harness the regenerative properties of stem cells to replace damaged cells and rejuvenate aging tissues.
While there have been some promising results in animal studies, the translation of these findings into human therapies is still in progress. Stem cell-based treatments hold great promise, but challenges remain in ensuring their safety and effectiveness.
However, more research has been focused on anti-aging and the potential for becoming immortal. In addition to regenerative human cells using embryonic stem cells, there are currently many bioengineering hacks and new products for those attempting to live forever. In exclusive reports by The Telegraph and Wired Magazine, both publications go into depth about just how far people are willing to go to achieve eternal youth and immortality.
Over the past decade, it has been reported that more than 300,000 scientific papers about ageing have been published, and billions of dollars have been invested in such research, especially in Silicon Valley, where they have been actively searching for eternal youth and immortality. Angel investors have invested billions in startups such as Altos Labs, Human Longevity, Elysium Health, and Calico.
In tandem with all the research into embryonic stem cells for anti-aging and immortality, there is another promising avenue of research that involves the discovery of chemical compounds that can mimic the effects of a low-calorie diet. These compounds are recognized as one of the most well-established ways to slow down aging. One such compound, an antibiotic linked to metabolism, growth, and the aging of cells, is called rapamycin. First discovered in the soil of Easter Island in 1972, its claim is that it slows aging in animals because of its anti-fungal and immunosuppressant properties.
However, it was found later to have serious adverse side effects concerning the slowing down of the human body’s healing process. One researcher, Dr. Newman Ramatry, who had once worked with Bryan Johnson on his Project Blueprint, stated that it was a great find but required additional research to determine the sweet spot between not having the side effects and having just the anti-aging benefits.
Longevity researchers are also familiar with a body of research that shows that the blood of young people can rejuvenate older bodies like it does in mice. This discovery came about when researchers first surgically connected the circulatory systems of a young and an old mouse, a technique called parabiosis. It was observed that the transfusion procedure slowed down the symptoms of aging, thereby lengthening the lifespan of the older animal by as much as ten percent.
As researchers make strides in anti-aging research, there are also ethical considerations that come to the fore. The prospect of extending the human lifespan and creating immortality raises more questions about social, economic, and environmental implications. There are always concerns about overpopulation, allocation of resources, and, finally, the potential for increased inequality. In addition, the pursuit of immortality raises philosophical and moral dilemmas about the nature of life and death.
As we continue to explore the possibilities of anti-aging therapies and get closer to immortality, it is essential to engage in open discussions about these and other ethical implications to ensure that the advancements researchers have made are responsible and ethical. Until then, let us dream, “I want to live forever, and I want to be perfect!”
