Prolonging Life and Healthspan: Exploring the Possibilities
Key Highlights :
In March 1603, Queen Elizabeth I of England uttered her last words: “All my possessions for a moment of time.” She may have been wishing for a longer life, but unfortunately for her, the average life expectancy for people in her era was a mere three score years and ten. In the centuries since, however, the average life expectancy has been steadily increasing around the world. Today, people in the rich world can expect to live far beyond the age of 70, and those in poorer countries are catching up.
But there’s a catch: while average life expectancy is increasing, the maximum lifespan has not been rising at the same rate. The number of centenarians has been growing, but the vast majority of them don’t live past 110, and no one in history is reliably attested to have lived past 120. Furthermore, “healthspan”—the number of healthy, vital years—doesn’t necessarily keep pace with lifespan, leaving some people desperate for more moments than are currently on offer. To that end, many of the world’s tech billionaires are investing in and founding companies that are trying to extend lifespan and healthspan.
In addition to the tech giants, a culture of do-it-yourself lifespan extension is emerging in affluent places, where people are experimenting with pills and potions that are already available. But while some drugs and therapies may extend life, mainstream science and medicine are often skeptical of such claims. The US Food and Drug Administration does not recognise “old age” as a disease state, and thus as a suitable target for therapy.
Nevertheless, evidence has been accumulating that such research might have something to offer. Some established drugs really do seem to extend life, at least in mice, and the ever-greater ease with which genes can be edited, combined with access to large amounts of gene-sequence data, is helping researchers to understand the processes involved in ageing.
But why does ageing occur in the first place? One answer is that evolution is interested in reproduction, not longevity. Genes with benefits that show up only over a longer lifespan than the environment allows are not likely to do particularly well, unless they provide other benefits. So, evolution may be actively plotting against old age.
That said, the fact that evolution has no interest in keeping the repair systems going doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Genetic manipulation and studies of the genes of human centenarians have identified alleles of particular genes that have been proved to increase lifespan, and this helps to illuminate the processes behind bodily ageing.
The possibility of prolonging life and healthspan is certainly an exciting one, but it’s important to be aware of the risks and challenges involved. In the meantime, it’s worth remembering that while we may not be able to control our lifespan, we can take steps to ensure that the moments we do have are as healthy and vital as possible.
