Science is closing in on frailty in old age
Unlock Editor's Digest for free
FT editor Roula Khalaf has chosen her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Do you dream of becoming immortal? me too. The sight of Silicon Valley giants seeking “escape velocity from death” gives me chills. However, most of us would like to stay young for longer, preferably without Botox. A series of breakthrough advances suggest that the science of aging is currently at a tipping point.
Already, our perception of old age is changing. When I was young, the people who filled concert halls to hear Beatles songs asked, “Do you still need me?” . What if I turn 64? ” Today's middle-aged and older people think more about growing old than previous generations, according to a large German study.
This reflects an increase in life expectancy, particularly among the richest half of the population in rich countries. The big prize now is to improve his final decade for everyone, rich and poor. Few people want to live forever, even if it were possible. But we go to great lengths to avoid a disastrous fall into the twilight zone of severe frailty.
Since interviewing scientists for a book on aging, I'm regularly asked for advice on what substances to take, including “off-label” ones. Everyone wants a shortcut to longevity. American men in high-stakes jobs are especially keen to try products such as supplements that are available in the United States rather than Europe. My boyfriend and I both take one, but there is no visible effect. But in that case it would be invisible. Given the amount of snake oil in this market, it's safer to wait for officially licensed products. But that's the big problem right now. Will regulators agree to consider aging a “treatable” condition?
While conventional medicine treats one disease at a time, scientists have made discoveries since the 1990s that suggest they can target the biology underlying aging itself. By targeting specific genes, they created worms and mice that lived longer and stayed more vibrant. Biologist Cynthia Kenyon discovered that partially disabling a single gene could double the lifespan of roundworms, skipping the long wandering period she observed in their normal friend roundworms. He told me of the awe he felt as he watched the modified roundworm wriggle around until it was almost dead.
A steady stream of discoveries is driving the emerging field of geroscience. Many people focus on halting the decline in the body's ability to repair DNA. Some molecular biologists are conducting research into her NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a central enzyme in metabolism that decreases with age. People like Australian-American David Sinclair believe that epigenetic noise is the main cause of aging, disrupting signals within the body. Life Biosciences' Sinclair and his colleagues partially restored vision in mice and monkeys.
Some teams are experimenting with drugs that are already prescribed to humans. Rapamycin, an immunosuppressive drug used in human transplant surgery, has been shown to significantly extend the lifespan of mice, including very old mice. It is thought to work by suppressing the mTOR complex, a set of genes that regulate metabolism. Meanwhile, trials are being conducted to examine whether metformin, commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, may delay the onset of other chronic diseases. For example, studies have found a correlation between metformin and slowing the progression of cancer, but a causal relationship has not yet been proven, and metformin has not been tested in healthy, non-diabetic older adults. Not yet.
In addition to the idea of treating one disease at a time, there is also an emerging process for approving new drugs and treatments, where they are approved only for specific conditions. For example, statins are prescribed for heart disease. Insulin for diabetes. But even if we could eliminate cancer, heart disease, and stroke, which are among the major causes of death, our life expectancy would only increase by a few years because something else would give us life instead. . Although the plummeting death rate from heart attacks is a major success, aging makes us more vulnerable and could lead to more cases of dementia in the future.
Part of the goal of the metformin trial is to convince the US Food and Drug Administration to approve aging as an “indication” to show that aging can be “treated.” Because metformin is a generic drug, it doesn't offer enough profit to pharmaceutical companies, which have struggled to raise enough money for clinical trials.
The turning point may come not through humans but through dogs. The wonderfully named “Dog Aging Project” is sequencing the genomes of more than 7,000 pets donated by passionate owners, and is investigating whether rapamycin can extend the lifespan and health of our furry friends. We are conducting clinical trials to confirm this. Last year, veterinary drug company Royal announced that a drug it was developing to extend the lifespan of dogs had met the FDA's “reasonable expectation of efficacy” test.
While these ideas are evolving through clinical trials, protocols, and safety testing, there is one time-tested and reliable way to reduce your risk of developing certain age-related diseases. It's exercise. Other than the occasional injury, there are no serious side effects. Every scientist I've ever interviewed says that cardio and weight training are essential to staying healthy, no matter how many additional medications you take.
It may seem selfish for Western countries to try to extend the lives of pets, especially when tuberculosis and malaria remain endemic in large parts of the world. But if we can reduce morbidity, our thinking could change. We fear old age long before we reach it. The possibility of being healthier and more active is a liberating thought in itself, as it has been for the past few decades.
Summarize this content to 100 words Unlock Editor's Digest for freeFT editor Roula Khalaf has chosen her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.Do you dream of becoming immortal? me too. The sight of Silicon Valley giants seeking “escape velocity from death” gives me chills. However, most of us would like to stay young for longer, preferably without Botox. A series of breakthrough advances suggest that the science of aging is currently at a tipping point.Already, our perception of old age is changing. When I was young, the people who filled concert halls to hear Beatles songs asked, “Do you still need me?” . What if I turn 64? ” Today's middle-aged and older people think more about growing old than previous generations, according to a large German study.This reflects an increase in life expectancy, particularly among the richest half of the population in rich countries. The big prize now is to improve his final decade for everyone, rich and poor. Few people want to live forever, even if it were possible. But we go to great lengths to avoid a disastrous fall into the twilight zone of severe frailty.Since interviewing scientists for a book on aging, I'm regularly asked for advice on what substances to take, including “off-label” ones. Everyone wants a shortcut to longevity. American men in high-stakes jobs are especially keen to try products such as supplements that are available in the United States rather than Europe. My boyfriend and I both take one, but there is no visible effect. But in that case it would be invisible. Given the amount of snake oil in this market, it's safer to wait for officially licensed products. But that's the big problem right now. Will regulators agree to consider aging a “treatable” condition?While conventional medicine treats one disease at a time, scientists have made discoveries since the 1990s that suggest they can target the biology underlying aging itself. By targeting specific genes, they created worms and mice that lived longer and stayed more vibrant. Biologist Cynthia Kenyon discovered that partially disabling a single gene could double the lifespan of roundworms, skipping the long wandering period she observed in their normal friend roundworms. He told me of the awe he felt as he watched the modified roundworm wriggle around until it was almost dead.A steady stream of discoveries is driving the emerging field of geroscience. Many people focus on halting the decline in the body's ability to repair DNA. Some molecular biologists are conducting research into her NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a central enzyme in metabolism that decreases with age. People like Australian-American David Sinclair believe that epigenetic noise is the main cause of aging, disrupting signals within the body. Life Biosciences' Sinclair and his colleagues partially restored vision in mice and monkeys.Some teams are experimenting with drugs that are already prescribed to humans. Rapamycin, an immunosuppressive drug used in human transplant surgery, has been shown to significantly extend the lifespan of mice, including very old mice. It is thought to work by suppressing the mTOR complex, a set of genes that regulate metabolism. Meanwhile, trials are being conducted to examine whether metformin, commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, may delay the onset of other chronic diseases. For example, studies have found a correlation between metformin and slowing the progression of cancer, but a causal relationship has not yet been proven, and metformin has not been tested in healthy, non-diabetic older adults. Not yet.In addition to the idea of treating one disease at a time, there is also an emerging process for approving new drugs and treatments, where they are approved only for specific conditions. For example, statins are prescribed for heart disease. Insulin for diabetes. But even if we could eliminate cancer, heart disease, and stroke, which are among the major causes of death, our life expectancy would only increase by a few years because something else would give us life instead. . Although the plummeting death rate from heart attacks is a major success, aging makes us more vulnerable and could lead to more cases of dementia in the future. Part of the goal of the metformin trial is to convince the US Food and Drug Administration to approve aging as an “indication” to show that aging can be “treated.” Because metformin is a generic drug, it doesn't offer enough profit to pharmaceutical companies, which have struggled to raise enough money for clinical trials. The turning point may come not through humans but through dogs. The wonderfully named “Dog Aging Project” is sequencing the genomes of more than 7,000 pets donated by passionate owners, and is investigating whether rapamycin can extend the lifespan and health of our furry friends. We are conducting clinical trials to confirm this. Last year, veterinary drug company Royal announced that a drug it was developing to extend the lifespan of dogs had met the FDA's “reasonable expectation of efficacy” test. While these ideas are evolving through clinical trials, protocols, and safety testing, there is one time-tested and reliable way to reduce your risk of developing certain age-related diseases. It's exercise. Other than the occasional injury, there are no serious side effects. Every scientist I've ever interviewed says that cardio and weight training are essential to staying healthy, no matter how many additional medications you take.It may seem selfish for Western countries to try to extend the lives of pets, especially when tuberculosis and malaria remain endemic in large parts of the world. But if we can reduce morbidity, our thinking could change. We fear old age long before we reach it. The possibility of being healthier and more active is a liberating thought in itself, as it has been for the past few decades. camilla.cavendish@ft.com
https://www.ft.com/content/bb0a8eb7-227a-400a-919a-ab7dd2f20f0b Science is closing in on frailty in old age
