The coming age of agelessness

by Mansoor GHOUSE

In fact, that Age is already here. Many are already undergoing therapies which offer an extended span of life. Theoretically, it is no longer a fantasy to say that we now know how to live forever. Science has cracked the Code of Aging. This may give some people a severe jolt psychologically and philosophically. Others may feel the exhilaration of the opportunity to lead a richer, more productive, creative and longer life. Still others may experience a unique "high" at the prospect of emerging from "the narrow end of the cosmic tunnel".

At this initial stage, it is relevant to differentiate between Life Extension and Anti-Aging. Life Extension is the mere addition of years to an existing span of life but the added years may exhibit all the attributes of aged functioning; our faculties may have become impaired, our energies depleted, our independence to function limited by disease, and declining psycho-physical efficiency. On the other hand, Anti-Aging implies taking proactive steps to neutralize the vulnerability to disease, to maintain high levels of energy, and to develop effective functioning of our mental and physical faculties and so on for an indefinite span of time. We need to add life to years, and not mere years to life.

Bio-Genetics

The interest in Bio-Genetics is now in full spate It all started about a decade ago when scientist Elizabeth Blackburn, observed that caloric restriction in the diets of a batch of mice resulted in an unexpected extension of life for the creatures. In fact, they behaved as if they were still in their youth - full of vitality and energy. However, humans were not too excited at the prospect of gaining an extension of life wrung out of austerity. No fun in that for the average person! It may have been noted that people who eat very sparingly, even fast, or meditate have led longer lives. Some of the prophets mentioned in the ancient Holy Books are reputed to have led incredibly long lives. Reportedly, they led spartan (low caloric) lives. Methuselah is credited with a lifespan of 692 years - the longest in a recorded narrative.

However, it was the 10 year-long work of a group of 3 scientists Drs. Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak which resulted in a landmark event in human longevity. It was on 5th October, 2009 that their work was recognized in the joint award of the 2009 Nobel Prize for Medicine. They discovered what causes cellular death and identified the nexus of factors related to the cause.

The Double Helix

Our DNA (Dioxyribonucleic acid) is a composite of our genes which, in humans, number between 50,000 to 100,000. They are arranged within the 46 Chromosomes (23 each from our father and mother) we carry inside of us. A gene is our transmissible factor of heredity. The permutations and combinations of the genes are incredibly large and explain the bewildering diversity of human beings. In turn, the Chromosomes are arranged along twin strands of genetic material known as our DNA. The characteristic shape of the twin strands of DNA is in the form of its signature Double Helix structure.

The twin strands of DNA culminate in a single tip, rather like the crimped capsule which holds the ends of our shoe laces. Originally, it was thought that they had only a protective function, such as, to prevent the ends of the DNA from, say, fraying, among other things. The Nobel Prize winners discovered in the course of their research that this cap actually had a fundamental and vital function. They named the cap a "Telomere" (pronounced Telomere).

Doing a Fast Rewind, it is imperative for us to understand one of the key activities of our cells of which we have approx. 60 trillion at any given time. The cells which have a lifespan of their own ensure their continuity of function through the process of Duplication. In short, there is ongoing Cell Renewal. But this does not go on indefinitely. In 1965 Leonard Hayflick had discovered that in a typical lifetime of a human being, cell duplication can only take place 80 times at the most. This phenomenon is called the Hayflick Limit.

Now comes the discovery of the connection between the cell duplications and the Hayflick Limit. And between the Telomere itself and the Hayflick Limit. It has now been established that every time a cell duplication took place, the length of the Telomere got shortened.

When the Hayflick Limit was reached i.e. the Telomere length became zero, cell death (apoptosis) followed. That meant death of the total organism, namely, the human being itself.

Now we know why people die!

A corollary conclusion is that if the length of the Telomere can be kept constant, i.e. were we to contrive to prevent the Telomere length from shortening, the Hayflick Limit may be exceeded and cell duplication can take place indefinitely. Also, and more importantly, the periodicity of duplication may change. This means that Cell Death will not take place because cell renewal will be taking place and the organism (in this case, the human being) will live "forever." (see note at end of article, clarifying the concept of "living forever"). In short, we are now in the realm of defying physical death, and even daring to think of conquering it. It is obvious that organisms that die prematurely will exhibit very short telomere or none. On the other hand, in Cancer cells, Telomere length is maintained and cell senescence is delayed. Their proliferation becomes unstoppable . It may then be said that the Cancer cell, left to itself, has a deadly "eternal life". That accounts for the way the malignant cells in Cancer simply overwhelm normal cells until they all commit collective suicide, the patient and all ! Our Reproductive Cells also enjoy "Immortality" because of their mission in the transmission of heredity.

Can we "freeze" the length of the Telomere?

Extensive research carried out in the USA has established that an enzyme named Telomerase (pronounced Teelomerase) made in the human body can control the function of the Telomere. The Telomere may lie inactive but can be activated by Telomerase which may be likened to an On/Off Switch. Indeed, Telomerase can be used not only to prevent the Telomere from shortening but actually to lengthen it. Lengthening it literally means reversal of the aging process. That further means that the organism can become younger as it grows older! The implications are awesome ! A Harvard University researcher says that with the Telomerase switch turned on, our cells can become immortalized. Even more awesome is the fact that Telomerase has already been synthesized by Geron Corporation in the USA.

Disease may be attributed to ultimate malfunctions in one or more groups of cells. It should become possible to repair the malfunctions if only because, unrepaired, it is the malfunctioning cells that may be duplicated and that situation is unacceptable. The goal is have perfectly functioning cells, so that it will be only those that will be duplicated and not the damaged or malfunctioning ones. By the same token, aged cells will also be the prototypes for duplication and our bodies will then duplicate aged cells. This and the duplication of malfunctioning cells would lead to a shortening of our lifespan. Equally, if young cells are presented for duplication, the next generation of cells will be young cells. This will result in a continuity of young vigorous disease-free cells that can provide the line of continuity throughout an already expanded span of life. The promise is nothing less than revolutionary.

Damage to existing cells is mostly attributed to attacks on them by "rogue" cells known as "free radicals" which abound in the human body. Free radicals are also created by ambient Pollution and by toxic elements in food and drink. These cells are relentlessly seeking to replenish their missing electrons (this is what makes them unstable and aggressive). In pulling electrons out of normal or weak cells, they destroy or damage them and the damaged cells then may get duplicated in the effluxion of time.

Fortunately, powerful counterweights have been found for these aggressive free radicals in the form of natural Anti-Oxidants roaming throughout the body or from those acquired through external supplementation. For example, at the basic level, Vitamins C and E are powerful Anti-Oxidants which at the least help to maintain cellular health. A wide repertory of Anti-Oxidants is now available from both natural and synthetic sources. Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) is the most powerful anti-oxidant made within the body.

The Sirtuins (Silent Information Regulator Proteins) are a family of highly specialized genes which rush to counter the adverse effects of Stress on the human body. The genes activate the production of Telomerase to counteract the effect of Stress. It is interesting to note that caloric restriction is recognized by the Sirtuin genes as a condition of Stress, which is why lifespan is extended, vigour maintained and mating habits sustained among the mice. However, Stress is to be regarded as a Crisis situation and it cannot and must not be maintained for too long. A judicious caloric restriction protocol is sustainable and desirable.

Four connected approaches

Four approaches are now available to increase our lifespans.

The very first is a "Clear-the Decks-for-Action" methodology to bring an Amino Acid termed Homocysteine under control.

This can be used by anyone wanting to reduce the risks of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and Stroke, even if that person is not interested in Longevity as such. Homocysteine is a waste product arising from normal Metabolism. Mainstream Medicine pooh-poohed it for many years in the face of mounting evidence that it was a factor in CHD. It is now recognized that Homocysteine prepares the base upon which calcifying plaque of oxidized LDL Cholesterol can adhere to the interior surfaces of coronary arteries.

Homocysteine roughens up these "surfaces or walls" in the same way a mason roughens up the surface of a wall, before he applies the cement. Over time, the arteries start to narrow and occlude, gradually increasing the risk of a heart attack (or stroke). This danger can be countered, basically, by taking a minimum daily dose of 800 mcg of Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) at a cost of approx. 20 cts for a 5 mg tablet at the local pharmacy! However, it is advisable to take Vits B2, B6, and B12 too simultaneously. It's a simple and inexpensive medication, neglected by reason of its very simplicity. Consult your GP.

For those of us who are interested in Longevity, the startling fact is that high levels (7 micromoles/litre) of Homocysteine can result in our Telomere shortening at 3 times the normal rate, exposing us to the risk of premature and sudden death.

A simple but not inexpensive blood test can give us a reading of our level.

This particular danger is not widely known even in the medical profession.

This can well be our first step in ensuring Longevity.

The second approach is to adopt a low caloric diet, thus triggering the Sirtuin group of genes to intervene. As we have already seen, this is a Crisis intervention type of response.

The third option is to use an array of anti-oxidants of which one of the most powerful is the recently identified one known as Resveratrol.

This polyphenol extracted from several natural sources such as Red/Purple Grapes and some varieties of Berries, Herbs and Plants. (The grapes are identified as part of the so-called French Paradox which is said to substantially relieve the French from suffering Coronary Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, etc. as compared with other nations). This has been attributed to the French routinely enjoying drinking Red wines with their meals. Red Wines contain a high concentration of Resveratrol. Resveratrol can be extracted from a number of other sources as well and several such non-alcoholic products containing Resveratrol are now available. Green Tea is another source. Japanese Knot Weed is still another rich source.

The fourth more researched approach involves the use of Telomerase itself but this requires extensive metrication of the parameters before a treatment protocol can be determined. Also, careful monitoring of response is necessary as Telomerase is a new and revolutionary agent for directly influencing the functioning of the Telomere. As mentioned before, it can not only arrest the shortening of the Telomere but even lengthen it - this latter attribute offers a revolutionary approach to a potentially infinitely long human lifespan.

The ancient Chinese herb Astralagus Fabaceae aka Quang Ki offers a very high concentration of Telomerase (probably the highest of all) and supplies are very limited because of the very high degree of purity(90+%) required, and as of now, it is expensive. With the synthesis now achieved of Telomerase, supplies are likely to be plentiful, though not necessarily inexpensive.

Humans in the Cosmos

When we consider the estimated age of our Solar System and of the Cosmos, a typical age as of now of even an optimistic 100 years for a human being is quite disproportionate to the staggeringly vast age of our parent solar and cosmic systems. To illustrate - in Kenya, the span of life in some tribal villages runs to only 34 years for a male.

When we consider that the lifespan of the Sun alone is estimated to be 10 billion years, and that of the Cosmos 12-14 billion years, the miniscule lifespan of the Kenyan male is quite out of scale.

The Human Family is deserving of a much longer lifespan and the current expansive and prolific research into Bio-genetics offers the hope of a more productive, fruitful and longer lifespan for human beings of the future, far, far beyond the norms of today.

A post script : The phrase "living forever" is not used here in the absolute sense. Since man as a species can only survive physically only so long as the sun continues to burn and eventually exhaust its supply of Hydrogen, the term "forever" is limited by the life of the sun. The life of the sun has been estimated at 10 billion years, (of which half has already been exhausted).

This means that, other things being equal, Human Beings as a species and even Individual Human Beings have the potential to live physically for another 5 billion years. The question of whether that is as close as one can get to "living forever" in the physical sense is left to the reader to ponder over.

The writer, a management consultant, has been a keen student of the subject of "Natural Health", especially anti-ageing, for the past 25 years.

He is 86.