Is life extension feasible?
- Javier Irizarry
- Jan 1, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 2, 2023
Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.
- Albert Einstein
I got some good news. Life extension is not only feasible, in a way, it has already been happening for decades.
Before we embark in this journey, there are three important metrics to understand life or longevity. These are life expectancy, healthspan and lifespan. Life expectancy is the average number of years that a person or animal may expect to live, and this is a statistical figure that includes socioeconomic, cultural and other factors. Healthspan is the part of a person’s or animal's life during which they are generally in good health, that is without physiological pain and with the ability to perform normal physical activity. Lifespan is the maximum number of years that a human or animal can live unless an external factor, such as illness or injury, ends their life.
Good #hygiene practices, such as brushing your teeth and properly preserving and cooking your food, have been a major factor on helping people live longer and healthier lives around the world.
Life expectancy statistics are tracked and documented by different organizations worldwide; healthspan and lifespan not so much.
A healthy diet, regular #exercise, good #hydration, #sleeping well, good hygiene, vaccinations, regular medical checkups and treatments are examples of common tools we use for life extension without even thinking much about them. More recent technological advancements such as the 9-1-1 emergency system, mobile phones with location services, and smart watches with heart rate and EKG sensors can also play a role in our chances to make it out alive of near-death experiences. More novel techniques in regenerative medicine, such as stem cell therapy, have proven to help patients with spinal cord injuries, type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, burns, cancer and osteoarthritis (Mayo Clinic. Stem cells: What they are and what they do, 2019). With current knowledge of stem cells, it is feasible to design and test interventions that delay aging and improve both health and lifespan (Ullah, M., Sun, Z. Stem cells and anti-aging genes: double-edged sword—do the same job of life extension. Stem Cell Res Ther, 2018).
How about "radical" or long-term life extension?
While all these techniques and innovations help us live longer healthier lives, many of us are interested about being able to live healthy and young for much longer periods of time, surpassing our species maximum life expectations. 150 years? 200 years? Maybe indefinitely? This is what we call "radical", exponential or long-term life extension, with a potential of achieving what people know as "immortality".
The Paths to long-term life extension
One size does not fit all. Aging is a complex problem that needs to be tackled with an informed and balanced approach. At Xanathos we educate you about healthy habits, supplements, next-gen diagnostics (wearables, implants), regenerative therapies, organ replacement, gene manipulation, mind transfer and as a last resort, cryonics, as paths to long-term life extension. We also support and aim to make these techniques and technologies safe and accessible to everyone.
Sources/references:
Comments