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Are Genetic Treatments To Slow Aging Possible?

February 28th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

For as long as anyone can remember there has been the on going search for the Holy Grail to grant us eternal life and keep us young forever. With new advancements in the various fields of science there are more companies working to make this a reality at least in part. One of the most dynamic aspects of genetic research is the quest to create genetic treatments to slow the aging process with a focus on disease prevention.

The definitive goal in the engineering of genetic treatments to slow aging is to understand aging in human beings. Much of the studies for human genetics are not only conducted on human beings but also on replica organisms such as the fly, worm, rodents and yeast to find genetic variations that affect aging. According to Geneticists, at birth human beings are endowed with 30,000 active genes. As we age these genes slowly become inactive resulting in a slowing down of bodily functions such as a reduced immunity, slower metabolism, loss of energy and weakened eyesight. Many diseases are also triggered by the aging process including cancer, dementia, type II diabetes, kidney disease and cardiovascular disease.

Genetic treatments to slow aging experiments have been conducted that have shown that certain organisms can live six times their usual span. Geneticists claim they may have tapped into one of the most fundamental factors that control the rate at which people age. The genetic treatments to slow aging tests were conducted on single-celled organisms, forcing them into as geneticists claim an “extreme survival mode”. Rather than growing quickly and showing signs of aging the organisms became pliant to damage and were better able to repair the genetic defects that build up with age, often leading to cancer in later life.

Scientists believe that drastically cutting calories triggers a switch in an organism’s behavior to a state of starvation and subsequently growth and aging are put on hold at the expense of reproductive ability until more food is available. Scientists are now trying to copy the effect by manipulating the gene pool in the hope of developing anti-aging treatments that work without having to cut food intake.According to the study, genetic treatments to slow aging experiments with animals are likely to continue for the next decade before tests in humans will begin. If the same genetic apparatus exist in humans, researches believe it could lead to drugs that suppress ageing, particularly after people have had families. In addition, scientists at Stanford have claimed that they can reverse the aging of skin in mice, making it look and act like new.Researches claim that the genome has amazing plasticity and when you understand the logic of the cells it may be possible to reprogram them to reverse the aging process. However, researchers go further to say that their discoveries do not translate directly to humans.Last year in the United States, youth crazed human beings spent five point eight billion dollars on skincare products. This proves that there is a defiant interest in beating the battle against aging. Although science has provided some interesting facts we may have to wait a little longer because the general consensus is that anti-aging therapies are a thing of the future.