Sci/Tech: Lose weight and Live 50% Longer? Just Get A Shot!, page 1

posted on Sep, 23 2004 @ 03:58 AM

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For years scientists have known that calorie restricted diets in mammals can extend the life span but untill recently no one has known why. Now Leonard Guarente believes he has the answer, a single intriguing gene labelled SIR2.

www.technologyreview.com
On his laptop computer, biology professor Leonard Guarente plays a video clip of 29-month-old mice hobbling around a cedar-chip-filled cage. They�re scruffy, fat, slow moving, and over the hill by rodent standards. Then he plays a clip of another group of 29-month-old mice. They�re svelte, frisky, and scrambling around like adolescents. What�s their secret? These mice have eaten about two-thirds as many calories as their portly peers. Not only does the meager diet seem to keep them light in the limbs, but they tend to live 30 percent longer than their well-fed friends and are less likely to contract age-related diseases, such as diabetes and cancer.

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By reducing the amount of fat the body stores this could lead to 50% longer life, reduced incidents of obesity (which s one of the top three causes of premature death according to the WHO) and possibly even lowered incidents of diabetes. All of this from a single gene. Will our decendeats be slender immortals?

[edit on 23-9-2004 by Nerdling]

Merkeva

posted on Sep, 23 2004 @ 04:11 AM

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Hi,
Personally i think its because as we intake food we also take in things called free radicals, spare oxides flying around body that litearally rust you with time.
Elimnating free radicals is one of the best candidates for prolonged human lifespans,,but it wouldnt be that it just prolonged human lifespan it actually would slows the ageing process its self !

Merkz out..

[edit on 23-9-2004 by Merkeva]

veritas93

posted on Sep, 23 2004 @ 11:02 AM

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I think that anyone who survives the next 30 years or so may very well have a shot at something close to immortality. This is only one of many genetic experiments, and the benefits will not necessarily be limited to future generations. Gene therapy may be able to make these genetic alterations within an already existing and full grown adult. Sheesh, I could only dream of living for centuries or maybe... millenia lol.

shadarlocoth

posted on Sep, 23 2004 @ 11:13 AM

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that would be very cool but if you did you would have to limit kids 1 per couple. Shoot I would do it in a heart beat if you could say that I would live 150 years + with out living in a bed.

Kidfinger

posted on Sep, 23 2004 @ 11:18 AM

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If immortality ever became an issue, we would probable have some tough choices to make. The gov would probaly say something like " OK, you can have this Imortality shot, but only if you are sterilized." Live 300 years with no kids, or 80 years and have kids.

[edit on 9/23/04 by Kidfinger]

RedBalloon

posted on Sep, 23 2004 @ 11:38 AM

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There's another theory on why low calorie diets and cold climates tend to help prolong lives: it spurs cell repair and regeneration into effect. Sort of like exercising the repair components of our bodies, we keep them in shape, and they work longer for us. I can't seem to locate the exact study that showed this effect, but until then these might do...

Here's a good article on longevity: www.discover.com...

On Free Radicals and Age: www.discover.com...

cloudx

posted on Sep, 23 2004 @ 02:35 PM

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Well, if we start colonizing on other planets then a longer life span would have no overpopulation problem. If we were to start going out into space and if we have these Immortality shots 30 years from now, we wouldn't need to be sterilized. With more planets that gives more room and then we wouldn't have a problem. I definately wouldn't mind living for about 150 years or longer. So,
Immortality shot+ colonizing on other planets= No overpopulation

veritas93

posted on Sep, 24 2004 @ 12:40 AM

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Hehe, I'd be one of the first to sign up for relocation to an offworld colony despite the risks. Certainly been a fantasy of mine for some time. I'd love to be a moonite or even a martian lol.