Ways to delay aging process
Nowadays, aging, the process of becoming older is no longer a new topic. Scientists actually believe that aging is related to some expression of the genes in our body. Thus, many researchers have been done so that we might encounter a way to stop aging. So, how is this happen?
Process of aging
When we are young, the cells in our skin are renewed every two to three weeks. But as we grow older, it takes between four to six weeks to renew. Mistakes begin to happen in the process of cell death and renewal, with DNA becoming increasingly prone to damage. This inevitably results in the formation of non-functional cells. Aging then serves us with a double blow by diminishing our ability to produce the necessary replacement cells to compensate for the non-functional ones. All of this leads to the skin becoming more fragile with a drier, thinner appearance and thinner skin receives fewer nutrients. Why?
This is because the undulating interfaces between the dermis (the bottom layer of the skin) and the epidermis (top layer) becomes flatter, reducing the surface area between the two. A reduction in this surface area results in a concomitant reduction in the amount of nutrients supplied which leads to a decline in cellular metabolism. It also results in a reduction in the removal of waste products from the skin cells including free radicals. With fewer nutrients available, less collagen is produced and so a self-perpetuating cycle ensues (antiaging-systems.com, 2010). This is one of the common processes of aging.
The average age of human is around 50, depending on the environment factors and gender differences (Wikipedia, 2010). However, many people actually believe that human can survive longevity. Even people in the ancients were trying it by creating cheap cialis to slow down aging. As the technologies nowadays are kept improving, aging can be slowed down through genetics perspective.
Ways to slow down or prevent aging.
i) Co Q10
We believe that many human who are looking forward to stay young forever might like to try this. Co Q10, otherwise known as ubiquinone is a structure with vitamin-like activity, it has been recognize for its anti-aging activities (anti-aging-guide.com, 2001). It has a strong ability to give up electrons quickly and thus acts as a powerful antioxidant against free radicals that helps to protect the skin against the influence of highly reactive oxygen radicals, which damage cells and accelerate skin aging. CoQ10 compensates for deficits in the energy metabolism, conserves skin functions and also helps to strengthen cell metabolism.
Moreover, Co Q10 keeps other antioxidant such as vitamins E and C in their active states. For example, as vitamins C and E perform their functions as antioxidants, they themselves become oxidized. CoQ10 recharges them to their active states by accepting electrons (antiaging-systems.com, 2010).
However, high dosage of CoQ10, such as more than 100 or 200mg can induce restlessness, insomnia, headaches and fatigue. Another important factor to consider is the level of blood sugar as glucose levels will drop while taking CoQ10. Before taking CoQ10, it is recommended to consult a physician about its use as our bodies react differently to different substances (EzineArticles.com, 2010).
ii) Increasing telomerase activity
In 2001, researchers at the biotech giant Geron Corporation isolated a molecule called TA-65 from the herb astragalus. This pill is said boosted telomerase activity but evaluation is still carrying out to prove the effect. However, the unsettling flip side is that telomerase-boosting treatments aimed at slowing aging might increase the risk of cancer (Karlin S. 2010).
Dietary restriction was initially assumed to extend lifespan simply by reducing the rate at which cellular damage accumulates over time as a result of nutrient metabolism.We now know that the longevity response to dietary restriction is actively regulated by nutrient sensing pathways involving the kinase target of rapamycin (TOR), AMP kinase, sirtuins and insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) signalling. Ideally, we just tweak a regulatory gene that controls the pathway by causing mutation and we can expand our live.
But of course the fact is not so easy and researches still being carried out for the case of human instead of animals. Can a perturbation of insulin/IGF-1 activity increase lifespan in humans? The answer seems to be yes. In mammals, insulin levels rise in response to glucose, and this rise might be predicted to shorten lifespan. Thus, not only how much you eat and the type of diet, but when you eat, may influence which lifespan-extending pathways are activated. Until today, there are several drugs have been created for other purposes have been thought in potential to expand human life. In general, we do not know how potent these drugs might be, and because many stress and nutrient sensors are essential, they could have serious side effects. Still, given all we have learned, it seems reasonable to think that mutations in our future evolution could give us longer lifespans and that if they do, then drugs that mimic their effects should be produced. (Kenyon C.J. 2010)
iii) Nanomedicine
One of the ways of delaying aging is through nanomedicine. ‘Nanomedicine is most simply and generally defined as the preservation and improvement of human health, using molecular tools and molecular knowledge of the human body’ (Robert, 2002). This field uses tiny devices in the degree of nanometres to insert into the human body to perform specific biological tasks including repairing tissue, cleaning arteries, attacking cancer cells and viruses like AIDS, and even reversing the aging process (Kayne, 2010).
In this part, we will specifically narrow down the scope into ‘dechronification’, a term used in an article by Robert, 2002. Dechronifications are able to:
·Removes metabolic toxic which accumulates in the body by using respirocyte- and microbivore-class intracellular nanorobots in every tissue cell.
· Corrects genetic damage using chromosome replacement therapy in every cell.
· Repair persistent cellular structural damage using cell repair devices in every cell.
By performing these tasks, we can continue arresting biological aging and also reduce the current biological age. However, the processes of removal of metabolic toxic and chromosome replacement therapy need to be done annually.
Statically speaking, a research done in the year 2001 showed that there was a total death of about 52 million a year caused by natural death. This out beats the other disasters such as the World War I and II which only had about 2 million and 9 million respectively. The nearest number of deaths per year to the natural death occurring in 2001 is the influenza pandemic which occurred in 1918. This pandemic only had about 21 million deaths. Therefore, it is logical to find a solution to delay aging as it causes a whole lot more people to die each year.
Through nanomedicine, it might be possible to extend the life of a person to a thousand years excluding medical conditions of a person.
However, one would worry about overpopulation of the world since the age of the people would significantly increase. Molecular nanotechnology would give an answer to that worry. It is proposed that this field can use nanorobots to clean the air, remove pollutants from drinking water and oceans and restore our ecosystems. It provides a means to support a population that lives longer (Kayne, 2010).
There are other concerns on application of this nanomedicine into real time usage. There are risks such as nano-toxicity and carcinogenesis (Ciutan, Sasu & Skiba, 2010) . Other challenges such as financial costs, population acceptability and ethical issues may delay the application of nanomedicine in delaying the aging of human. This nanomedicine has yet to be applied to the real world. This is just a proposed theory as there are ethical issues pursuing this method.
Conclusion
Actually there are some ethical issues related to this topic. Some people might be looking forward to longevity whereas some people might be thinking process of slowing down aging is indeed playing god. Slowing down aging actually contributes to other problems such as over population and insufficient food supply as well. However, we can’t stop researchers and technologies from moving forward. We can just hope that human will be contented for they have and be moderate in their actions towards the universe.
References:
1. antiaging-systems.com (2010) “NeySkin CoQ10” (online) (cited 30 June 2010). Available from URL: http://www.antiaging-systems.com/a2z/neyskin.htm
2. anti-aging-guide.com (2001) “Anti-aging drugs and supplement” (online) (cited 30 June 2010). Available from URL: http://www.anti-aging-guide.com/51co-enzyme.php
3. brazillivecoral.com (2010) “ Anti-aging benefits of Coenzyme Q10” (online) (cited 30 June 2010). Available from URL: http://www.brazillivecoral.com/coenzyme.php
4. EzineArticles.com (2010) “Side effects of CoQ10” (online) (cited 30 June 2010). Available from URL: http://ezinearticles.com/?Side-Effects-Of-Coq10&id=82448
5. journal.managementinhealth.com, 2010 ‘Nanomedicine - the future medicine’, Management in Health, VOL14, No1.
6. Karlin S., 2010. ‘Can a pill keep your DNA young’ (online) (cited 30 June 2010). Available from URL: http://discovermagazine.com/2010/may/20-can-a-pill-keep-your-dna-young
7. Kenyon C.J., 2010 . ‘The genetics of ageing’, Nature, Vol 464.
8. Melville, K. (2000) “ The Genetics of Aging” (online) (cited 30 June 2010). Available from URL: http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20000230170901data_trunc_sys.shtml
9. Robert A. Freitas Jr. (2010) ‘Death is an Outrage’ (online) (cited 30 June 2010). Available from URL: http://www.longevitymeme.org/articles/viewarticle.cfm?page=1&article_id=9
10. www.wisegeek.com (2010) ‘What is Nanomedicine’ (online) (cited 30 June 2010). Available from URL: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nanomedicine.htm