A photo from open sources About the latest discoveries in the field of longevity and how to slow down aging for all of us, KP learned from leading world scientists
Scientists from many countries of the world are struggling with a riddle: why some Do people live up to 100 years and longer? About the latest discoveries and how all of us slow down aging, using the experience of centenarians, experts told at an international conference that recently held in Sochi
“ALIENS AMONG US”
– In Italy, we have more centenarians than in most others countries: one in 4 to 5 thousand people (while on average one out of 10 thousand people lives for more than 100 years. – Ed.), – proud Professor of the University of Bologna, Claudio Francesca. Together with his he conducted the largest study in the world with a team: he tried solve the riddle of longevity on the example of 16 thousand “super elderly” Italians. The experts decided to dig deep – We figured out not only the “chips” of lifestyle, but also sequenced (decoded) by the genome, studied the microflora, metabolism and others important factors.
“Most centenarians manage to avoid the most dangerous age related diseases: diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and dementia – senile dementia. In addition, in in old age they look much better than their peers, ” – says Professor Francesca. That is, in fact, these people aging slows down! What’s the secret?
Opening the veil of secrecy was largely helped by the study of the genome. By compared with us, long-livers in this regard look … like aliens, scientists joke. Centennial discovered unique protective changes in genes that prevent the development of severe senile diseases, due to which most die “ordinary” people. At the same time, some participants in the experiment had also found variants of genes, indicating predisposition to dangerous diseases. However, apparently the protective changes are so strong that they even neutralize their fellow “pests”, the researchers say.
GENEALOGICAL TREE FOR YOUR HELP
“One of our latest discoveries is a specific gene associated with protection against cardiovascular diseases “, – shared an important news Claudio Francesca with a KP correspondent. Only here is how determine: do you have the same valuable form of this gene as that of centenarians? In principle, genetic testing can be done, but in Russia it is still not cheap (in Moscow today – about 30 thousand rubles), but to find a specialist who can adequately deciphering the results is another task. But there is also a simpler way.
Protective genes can be inherited, explain scientists. Therefore, if the parents or one of them are centenarians, then the child’s chances to overcome the 100-year milestone soar. “More it’s even possible that dad or mom actually didn’t live that way long, but had the potential of long-livers – that is, they the same defensive changes in the genes were present, however death due to an accident, acute infection, or other reasons not related to aging, “adds the professor. Harvard Medical School Vadim Gladyshev. Such cases to understand if parents had the potential to live longer 100 years, you need to look at the life expectancy of grandmothers and grandfathers.
AU, BACTERIA!
Suppose, centenarians in our family were not found. What’s next? In the future, scientists plan using special technologies “tweak” genes, including missing defensive changes and even transplant whole genes. Now such genetic engineering is actively and successfully applied to animals. “Recently, we are in our laboratory transplanted one of the yeast genes to fruit flies-Drosophila and they began to live longer, ”Professor Gladyshev gives an example.
At the same time, scientists are developing many other ways extend a healthy life. At the same time, experts emphasize: from good longevity of heredity does not even depend on half, but on 25 – thirty%.
– In the centennial participants in our research, we also found sharp differences in the intestinal microflora, continues Claudio Francesca. In this section of the human body, a huge the amount of bacteria that produce vitamins release energy needed by the body to fight infections or on the contrary, they themselves emit toxins. In centenarians increased amount of beneficial bacteria.
– Probiotic drugs with beneficial bacteria now in any the pharmacy is full – so you have to lean on them? – I’m interested in professors.
However, the scientist believes another method is more effective: transplantation intestinal contents. This method is already applied to people on practice. True, not for life extension, but for treatment severe illnesses. The most famous case today is salvation young american caitlin hunter. In 2011, the girl got into terrible car accident, her intestines were badly damaged, and there a dangerous infection has occurred. Antibiotics only made things worse Caitlin was losing weight dramatically, and restore her health only the transplantation of donor material from the mother helped.
In fact, probiotics can give a similar effect, the main thing is to correctly calculate and compose the most important bacteria, for example, those who have centenarians are encouraging biologists.
A photo from open sources
Anti-aging experts Mikhail Batin and Alexey Turchin developed a life extension roadmap
MORE LUCKY VEGETARIANS?
Another way to bring the intestinal microflora to the ideal is nutrition. Claudio Francesca sure nothing is better Mediterranean diet followed by Italian centenarians. “Olive oil, fish, lots of fruits – it’s a real source of youth and vitality! “, – emotionally professor waves his hands.
– What about the northern and other countries where people have long been eat differently?
– Now we are conducting a new experiment: we took volunteers not only from Italy, but also from Poland, Holland, Great Britain, and all persuaded go on a Mediterranean diet. Waiting for the results.
Vadim Gladyshev from Harvard, who was an expert at the filming of the recently released film “The Rules of Life of a 100-year-old person, “adds:” When centenarians in the USA were studied, then it turned out: most of them are vegetarians. “In general, in different laboratories of the world have already been noticed more than once: if in the body mammals receive a large amount of protein food (especially with the types of proteins found in meat and dairy products), then it speeds up aging. Since the cells are getting big the amount of building material – amino acids, are adjusted to growth and reproduction. And in adulthood, when the body is already formed, further growth accelerates aging. If reduce the amount of amino acids, that is, cut down on protein components in nutrition, then cells will spend less resources on growth, and concentrate on protecting the body, confronting stress and infections. Thanks to this, aging slows down.
BTW
Oddly enough, it turned out that the extension of life was prevented by the adored many sweets. Not only do they give extra calories, but also glucose, a breakdown product of sugar, can react with proteins cells of our body, resulting in the so-called accidental cross-linking of proteins and other dangerous damage. These and others disturbances, accumulating with age, cause loss elasticity of the skin, diseases of the joints, heart, blood vessels and the appearance of cancerous tumors. If we limit ourselves to sweets, the accumulation of harmful damage slows down.
CLEAN UP THE APARTMENT – EXTEND YOUR YOUTH
“I never sit idly by.” I walk from one floor to another, I wipe the dust, I clean the carpets with a vacuum cleaner, ”says centenarian American Elsie McClalam in the movie Rules of Life 100 year old man. ”
“Exercise is something that always works in the fight against aging and prolongs life “, – confirms the director of the Institute Gerontology at Albert Einstein Nir College of Medicine Barzilai.
On the one hand, during sports or other active movements (for example, the same housekeeping) we actively breathe, we consume a lot of oxygen, and as a result of its processing a large number of free radicals are formed which, like believed to damage our cells. That is, for the body it is stress. However, we are talking about short-term stress, and he, as it was proven, trains and tempers cells, increases their resistance to damage, improves the ability to recover. Eventually the body’s defenses are strengthened, and this helps to delay aging.
“However, this is not episodic, but only regular physical exercises, – professor Barzilai emphasizes. – It is desirable that sports or walks took a quick but comfortable step for you at least 40 minutes a day. “However, you should not overdo it either: excessive stress is already excessive stress, which is harmful to organism.
SEEK THE BUSINESS OF LIFE!
Psychologists note: people who want to live as long as possible happy, passionate about something and optimistic about the future. “At most centenarians we met during filming, there was some passion, a matter of life, “- confirms Vadim Gladyshev. For example, 103-year-old Louis Charpentier, which in his years easily kneels to toss firewood in the fireplace, and then easily gets up, all his life he did something. is he created an iconostasis for the local church and even now every day draws and designs.
Until biologists can explain why passion, optimistic attitude towards life helps to prolong it. However mass examples confirms: people who find joy in every day and enjoy their favorite activities, live longer.
FROM THE PAST TO THE FUTURE
In 2013, in the laboratory under the guidance of Professor Gladyshev a unique experiment started at Harvard University. Researchers decided to analyze and compare organisms of 50 species mammals with different lifespan. “Say mice nature takes no more than three years of life, and there are a bowhead whale that is aging very slowly and has been living for 200 years, ” – gives an example of a scientist. But we all descended from one ancestor. During the experiment, it is planned to find genes whose changes in evolution has allowed individual species to live much longer others. Then the researchers will calculate the reasons – which substances or compounds have led to valuable changes in genes that prolong life centenarial animals. Thus, it will be possible to find the key to a major increase in life expectancy for the rest to mammals. And then – and to the person.
Moreover, this does not mean at all that we will go against evolution, we will violate its laws, biologists emphasize. After all, the main principle of evolution – the transfer of genetic information from one generations to another, simply put, the production of offspring. And how much time live after the birth of the heirs, parents – animals or people, nature is no longer fundamental. Therefore in terms of evolution There are no barriers to a significant extension of life.
SUMMARIZING
Five signs that you will live up to 100 years
1. Heredity: your parents, one of them and / or grandparents are centenarians.
2. Proper nutrition (maximum vegetables, fruits, minimum meat and sweets) and healthy intestinal microflora.
3. Regular physical activity: sports, walking at a brisk pace or other movements (including housework) for at least 40 minutes in day.
4. Stress tolerance: coping with emotional stresses, “disconnect” from worries about those things that you can not influence.
5. “Matter of life”: a hobby, a favorite pastime that does not give miss and inspire.
How many years would you like to live and what are you doing for of this?
Anna GOOD WOMAN
Time Life Italy Russia Fruit Evolution
