They said age is just a number. “You are only as old as you feel,” they said. But age and ageing are not the same thing. Yes, age is just a number and is often subjective. But ageing, on the other hand, is an observable process. And oh boy, we can definitely observe it. With the help of science, we can do more than just observe it.
Recently, I have been reading and researching the latest trends in longevity, biohacking devices, and therapies. It was my birthday last week, and I thought it might be a good idea to check the recent developments in science and its plans to keep us humans young and fresh like a newborn baby. I read some really fascinating stuff, some of it quite unconventional. For example, there was urine therapy. This woman was talking about how adding urine to your morning cup of coffee boosts your body’s energy currency (no, but thanks) and how effective it is to get vitamin D to maximum levels if you put urine on your skin just before you go out in the sun. She said you can use someone else’s urine too, a family member’s, for example. I thought she was taking the piss, but then I remembered people putting urine on jellyfish and bee stings. Maybe it is just an old wives’ tale, but urine has been called the gold fountain since ancient times.
OK, I am going to park the golden fountain issue as I have a feeling this article will start to go places. Concentrate. Longevity. Biohacking. Hold tight, we are going to cover a lot today.
What is Longevity?
The word longevity originates from the Latin word ‘longaevitas’, which derives from ‘longus’ meaning ‘long’ and ‘aevum’ for ‘age’. Ultimately, it means living a longer and healthier life.
Life expectancy has doubled over the last century, making 50 the new 30. People want to not only live longer but also stay healthy and active in their later years. They are taking steps to prevent health problems instead of just treating them when they happen. Instead of only seeing a doctor when they’re ill, people are going to longevity clinics for detailed health tests that check more than just weight and blood pressure.
Longevity has three concepts:
- Extending your lifespan
- Expanding your healthspan (living longer free of diseases)
- Controlling and reversing the hallmarks of ageing
Genetics
There are many factors that determine how long and how healthy you live, with genetics being one of the most important. Longevity is partly influenced by genetics. Studies show that about 25% of the differences in how long people live are due to genes. These genes help keep our cells healthy by maintaining the ends of chromosomes (telomeres), repairing DNA, and protecting cells from damage caused by oxidative stress.
In addition to the genome (your DNA material) that you inherit from your parents, there is the epigenome. The epigenome is the collection of all the epigenetic marks on the DNA in a single cell. At this point, we need to talk about the epigenetic clock.
The Epigenetic Clock
An epigenetic clock is a way to measure your biological age, which can be different from your actual age. It looks at changes in your DNA that happen over time.
Here’s a simple example to understand it better:
Imagine your DNA is like a book. Over time, the pages of the book can get a bit worn out, and notes might be added in the margins. These changes don’t change the story (your genetic code) but can affect how well the story is read (how your body functions). Scientists have found that by looking at these changes, they can estimate how old your body really is, not just how many birthdays you’ve had.
So, the epigenetic clock is like a tool that reads these “notes” and “wear and tear” on your DNA to tell you your biological age. For instance, if you have a healthy lifestyle, your biological age might be younger than your actual age. But if you have a lot of stress or unhealthy habits, your biological age might be older than your actual age.
This tool helps researchers and doctors understand ageing better and can be used to see how different factors like diet, stress, or exercise affect how quickly you age.
Environmental Factors
Another important factor is the environment you live in. For example, one of the environmental factors is air quality. During the lockdown, Europe’s mortality decreased due to reduced air pollutants from vehicles and industries. There are a few geographic areas in the world called Blue Zones, where people live longer and have lower risks of chronic diseases. These Blue Zones include Okinawa (Japan), Ikaria (Greece), Sardinia (Italy), Loma Linda (California), and Nicoya (Costa Rica). There is an interesting Netflix series called Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. Dan Buettner, the author of the book, travels around the world to investigate the diets and lifestyles of those living the longest lives. Give it a watch if you want to know more about Blue Zones.
Lifestyle Choices
Along with genetic and environmental factors, you can directly influence your health and longevity through your lifestyle choices. You know the drill: regular exercise, eating plant-based healthy food, maintaining a good sleep pattern, and avoiding smoking and drinking (you can add your choice of naughty behaviour to this list).
The Travel Industry and Longevity
The travel industry is also benefiting from these longevity and biohacking methods. Travelling for health is now one of the latest trends. You can check into a posh clinic in Switzerland and undergo physical rigours like tests to gauge cardiovascular prowess and bioenergetic checkups that assess your organs’ vitality. You can have hypoxic training in an altitude room or run on anti-gravity treadmills with your personal coach. Or how about a wellness sanctuary in Thailand? You can do ozone therapy and energy-enhancing IV drips. If you want to lie down on a bed that uses vibroacoustic, electromagnetic, and infrared technology to detoxify the cells, then your destination could be a retreat in Miami.
Of course, drinking from the fountain of youth comes with a hefty price tag. I thought the only thing money couldn’t buy is time. It looks like the ultra-wealthy are now doing their best to change that. They have the luxury of putting their money into research and expensive treatments to slow down, or even reverse, their ageing process.
Eternal Life and Immortality
Eternal life and immortality have always fascinated people. People made the same claims thousands of years ago about some magical elixir that would make you live longer and healthier. In the famous Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero Gilgamesh sets out on a journey to find the plant that can restore youth. Or the story of Tithonus in Greek mythology: Tithonus was loved by the goddess Eos. She asked Zeus to grant him eternal life but forgot to request eternal youth. As a result, Tithonus lived forever but kept ageing, eventually becoming extremely old and frail.
There are so many stories like this that we have known for centuries. The difference is that the fountain of youth is now being pursued by a lot of people with a lot of money to make even more money. Look at tech millionaire Bryan Johnson, for example. He is spending about $2 million a year in his quest to turn back time. The 47-year-old Johnson’s regime includes ingesting dozens of supplements, a vegan diet, injectable gene therapy, and blood plasma transfusions from his teenage son. He really wants to live forever, and he wants to earn a lot of money while doing so.
I don’t like getting old. Not one bit. But I’m also not sure if I want to live until 150, even if I am super fit and healthy. Would I bother getting blood plasma transfusions from my teenage son? No. I am already mentally tired with everything happening in my life. Do I need more of that for another, what, 100 years? Also, I am thinking, can this crazy pursuit of longevity be regarded as a form of hedonism? Maybe it is. And maybe there is nothing wrong with that. Maybe life is about increasing pleasure and decreasing pain. Nothing more, nothing less.