There are elements on aging that people are neglecting. However, for life extension to be successful people must be willing to believe in it.
1. Causes of Aging
There are numerous causes of aging. A typical explanation of aging would be that the body does with time degenerate through free radicals, “oxidative stress” and cause “cellular damage”. More research that is promising, is focusing on a biological marker of aging, “telomeres”. The telomeres get shorter every time a cell divided and this does thereby limit the division possibility of a cell.
The immune system deprives with age and turns weaker. This degradation is related to hormonal levels as well as damaged that accumulates over years. The important thing is that we do already know that most of the causes for aging have overlapping effects. However, the root cause of aging is yet unknown.
2. Research in the pipeline
The level of research that is in progress is phenomenal. For instance, very recently University of Wisconsin discovered techniques of how to spot genes associated with aging for mice. This might make it possible to manipulate aging one day. Another example is a biotechnology company named Geron, which is focusing on research on our cellular aging clock – Telomeres – . There are multiples or research in the pipeline to unravel the complex aging process, nowadays.
3. When Will Aging Be solved?
This is a subjective question. Financial support will heavily influence the speed of progress. For instance, some scientists believe that if they are given the necessary resources, aging will be solved within 15 years. A more realist time frame would be 20 to 40 years. The Maximum Life Foundation expects aging to be solved by 2029. The process of solving aging will be done in various phases. First, aging will be slowed, and afterwards it will be stopped. The last step is to reverse aging. This implies that an old individual can once again be young. We will first have to supersede average life span, and thereafter we will see the biological revolution of maximum life span.
4. How Much Will it Cost
The cost of solving aging is as subjective as the question above. Some say that it will cost around $300 million, which is less than what it costs to develop new drugs, and other predicts $100 billion. A more advanced estimate could be $1 trillion. Nevertheless, Maximum life Foundation expects that it will cost around $2 billion.
5. Do Scientists Believe it is possible
Biologists involved in molecular and cellular technology are familiar to genes and proteins. They consider that humans are a metaphorical machine. The only way to solve the aging puzzle is to comprehend the machine. This is something that is already half done.
6. Maximum Life Foundation – Funds and Strategies –
The aim of the foundation is to create awareness and raise support for life extension. The funds that are raised by the foundation are used to invest in research and promote widespread interest in solving aging. They host various international competitions on aging research. Using competition on an international level brings the most brilliant scientists on the planet together to tackle the fundamental issues of aging.
Solving aging through collaborating and participative efforts is the goal of maximum life foundation.
7. Actual life extension strategies
There is already significant knowledge available to increase life span of people. For instance, exercise, diets and relaxation are all techniques to increase health and therefore, life span. However, more severe techniques such as hormone supplement and anti-aging drugs can also be used.
8. Governmental Involvement
The government is involved in aging research. The NIH even has an anti-aging research department. They have been able to alleviate various old-age illnesses through intense research.
9. Public Support
The public can mainly support foundations such as the maximum life foundation by donating and creating fundraising events. These are all ways where the general public can support research in the field of aging. Finance is required to sponsor research and to find solutions to many deadly diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
10. Aging is a disease
Aging is considered as a group of old age diseases. It is a disease because it hampers the normal functioning of the body through disease such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer. Recently, all these diseases were considered as natural evolutions but that is no longer the case.
We might not all be living until the day when biological immortality will be possible. In the beginning, life extension therapies might be dangerous as they are in their launching phase. However, thereafter they will become as natural as antibiotics. We can then enjoy space traveling and undersea exploration as a common leisure. Living forever is a dream that has been “forever desired”, and we are now at the zenith of discovery.
Maximum Life Foundation is already providing a “free e-book on life extension“. This book has been simplified and provided in an article: “Seven Steps to Longevity; Recommendation from Maximum Life Foundation”
Part 1: Bringing Common Sense to Humanity: We Can Live Longer
Source: Maximum Life Foundation
Anti Aging, Bioscience, Gerontology, Health And Aging, Lifestyle, Longevity
Fri, Mar 19, 2010
Anti Aging, Bioscience, Gerontology, Health And Aging, Lifestyle, Longevity