The anti-ageing pill could extend your life!
Scientists have developed an anti-ageing pill which could extend the human life span by more than a decade. The anti-ageing pill was created from a chemical found in the soil of Easter Island that is one of the most remote & mysterious place on the planet. The chemical increased life expectancy in animal by a staggering 38 %, found in a trial. This invention sounds like something out of science fiction.
The drug, rapamycin, is already used to suppress the immune systems of organ transplant patients. This drug is also employed in heart operations & is being tested for its anti-cancer properties. An anti-ageing pill is a Holy Grail for medical research & its development would have major repercussions for society. If an ageing drug delays every aspect of getting old, then users could enjoy 100 years of good health. The implication of such a pill also depends on the quality of those extra years.
But if pill simply postpones death, people could find their last few decades blighted by failing eyesight, hearing loss, frailty & dementia. The compound suppresses the immune system & makes patients vulnerable to any viruses & bacteria. The existing version of the drug also increases the risk of cancer & would need to be modified before using in human trials.
Researchers believe, the new discovery will lead them to similar but less harmful anti-therapies. In a trial over mice what amazed the scientists is that the drug worked even though the mice started to be given it only in middle & old age. Until now, scientists have developed just two ways of extending the life span of mammals. One is to tinker with their genes, the other to restrict their diet.
Repeated studies have shown that cutting calories can make animals& people live longer. Experts believe that rapamycin which acts on a protein in cells might fool the body into thinking that calories are being restricted. But rapamycin weakens the immune system, exposing patients to potentially dangerous diseases. They want to find another more subtle drug target that extends life, but which does not damage the immune system.
Perhaps increasing health span rather than overall life span might be a better goal.
The drug, rapamycin, is already used to suppress the immune systems of organ transplant patients. This drug is also employed in heart operations & is being tested for its anti-cancer properties. An anti-ageing pill is a Holy Grail for medical research & its development would have major repercussions for society. If an ageing drug delays every aspect of getting old, then users could enjoy 100 years of good health. The implication of such a pill also depends on the quality of those extra years.
But if pill simply postpones death, people could find their last few decades blighted by failing eyesight, hearing loss, frailty & dementia. The compound suppresses the immune system & makes patients vulnerable to any viruses & bacteria. The existing version of the drug also increases the risk of cancer & would need to be modified before using in human trials.
Researchers believe, the new discovery will lead them to similar but less harmful anti-therapies. In a trial over mice what amazed the scientists is that the drug worked even though the mice started to be given it only in middle & old age. Until now, scientists have developed just two ways of extending the life span of mammals. One is to tinker with their genes, the other to restrict their diet.
Repeated studies have shown that cutting calories can make animals& people live longer. Experts believe that rapamycin which acts on a protein in cells might fool the body into thinking that calories are being restricted. But rapamycin weakens the immune system, exposing patients to potentially dangerous diseases. They want to find another more subtle drug target that extends life, but which does not damage the immune system.
Perhaps increasing health span rather than overall life span might be a better goal.
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