| I would like to raise a question: Is | | | | theory, at least partially. Many big trials |
| Rejuvenation possible and how to approach it? | | | | and experiments are published in leading |
| This is just my own opinion about possible | | | | journals - Science, Nature, PNAS, New England |
| procedures. I used certain techniques based | | | | JM, JAMA, etc.One bias for caloric |
| on a theory. As strange as it sounds some of | | | | restriction experiment in my opinion is |
| those techniques and procedures might | | | | following. Rats live in cage 30cmX60cm for |
| actually worked.There are several hundreds | | | | their whole life. There are at least five |
| theories of aging. New and old ones. | | | | rats or 20 mice. They live couple years and |
| Different authors classify them differently.I | | | | die. During the experiments they are |
| would divide all those theories into 2 groups | | | | celebrities when they live 5 years - some |
| :1. Theories of Deterioration from external | | | | lucky ones. The Food is a balanced mixture of |
| cause. "Wear and tear". Theory of free | | | | nutrition. Caloric restriction is - 60% of |
| radicals damage is most fashionable at | | | | their regular meal. They practically don't |
| present time. Antioxidants are considered a | | | | move - there is no space in cage. Mostly they |
| cure. Benefits of caloric restriction are | | | | sleep whole day. Sometime they fight and |
| often explained by that theory. The theory | | | | mate. They live in those conditions at Yale, |
| has good objective support in scientific | | | | at Med U of South Carolina, at Russian State |
| literature. Other theories of this group | | | | Medical University and I think everywhere |
| included changes of bacteria in the gut, | | | | else. To compare our fellow humans we would |
| radiation and accumulation of mutations | | | | place 10 people on area of 20 square metres |
| during life of an individual, etc. - many | | | | (200 sq. feet) for 50 years in a row, feeding |
| more of those theories were discussed in the | | | | them with what they want but all the same - |
| XX century. 2. Internal clock - theories.I | | | | let say junk food from McDonalds.I remember |
| would divide the "internal clock" theories | | | | my cat (who was partially wild) stole meat |
| into 2 more subgroups: 1. Internal clock on | | | | and ate until it started to vomit. He |
| the level of cell. Telomeres shortening is | | | | repeated it many times when he was able to |
| the most discussed in literature at present. | | | | steal some steak or whatever. The same |
| 2. Internal clock on the level of organism. | | | | happens in wild - lions have maybe one |
| Growth hormone changes was a recent example | | | | successful hunt out of ten. When they catch a |
| of discussion.Authors are usually very | | | | prey, they eat like crazy. Much more than |
| cautious and objective in scientific | | | | they can digest at the moment. So it looks |
| literature. Telomeres are usually discussed | | | | like there is an instinct. Eat as much as |
| in connection with "immortal" cancer cells. | | | | possible. This is not a joke - 60% of people |
| Caloric restriction is discussed as a mean of | | | | in western countries are overweight. Abundant |
| longevity (not rejuvenation per se). Level of | | | | high calorie food and lack of activity. It |
| growth hormone (GH) or insulin-like growth | | | | does not seem that for these people any |
| factor drops in aged persons.Mass media | | | | internal mechanism restricts food |
| speculates wider: telomeres restoration - | | | | consumption. Applying this back to rats, we |
| possible immortal life, growth hormone will | | | | can see that what is considered normal |
| rejuvenate you, etc.Original scientific | | | | consumption - "ad lib" - maybe actually big |
| studies usually do not speculate about this. | | | | overfeeding of the animals in these cages.In |
| In no way for example drop of GH level in | | | | this case 60% of caloric restriction would be |
| elderly means that just giving it back will | | | | just what rats need, just what the calories |
| make you young again.Scientific literature | | | | they spend in lazy, uneventful daily life. So |
| rarely discuss "Rejuvenation" as it is. | | | | called "control", "normal" rats - that fed as |
| Authors mostly talk about "longevity". This | | | | they usually fed might be compared for fat |
| is very different story. Longevity in a | | | | overweight humans. They consume junk food. |
| wheelchair is very distinct from a youth | | | | They prone to the bunch of diseases of |
| playing soccer. One proven method to reach | | | | obesity and low activity. Heart diseases, |
| longevity is caloric restriction. Often they | | | | strokes, variety of cancers, arthritis, |
| say it is the only proven technique. Using | | | | etc.In this case all the hype about caloric |
| antioxidants as a method to prolong life is | | | | restriction would just be brought to the |
| in the same category. To put simple, the | | | | business of mere balancing diet and activity |
| Theory says: nutrition produce products of | | | | in so called "calorie-restricted animals". I |
| oxidation - peroxides, etc. These products | | | | haven't seen any discussion of this problem. |
| damage DNA, proteins, etc. Cell ages. Caloric | | | | I might be wrong. This is why I use caloric |
| restriction switches metabolic pathways. | | | | restriction for myself. I did not work with |
| There are less free radicals. Hence | | | | worms and spiders. But my guess would be that |
| longevity. Antioxidants work in similar way - | | | | they all are also in artificial standardized |
| they remove free radicals. Another | | | | conditions. "Control" worms might be also |
| speculation is that caloric restriction | | | | overfed. To put rats into bigger cages (to |
| starting at young age delays reproductive age | | | | increase activity in control group and |
| in animals and this slows down biological | | | | balance calories and catabolism) would be |
| clocks and prolongs life until an environment | | | | incredibly expensive.Even at present |
| with high nutrition supply is found. Animals | | | | conditions because of "animal lovers" and |
| look small and undeveloped.Caloric | | | | bunch of other regulations and considerations |
| restriction significantly (25%-100% and more) | | | | (e.g. sterile conditions), the price of |
| prolonged life in worms, flies, spiders, | | | | animal housing is sky-high.You would say |
| rats, mice, etc. Experiments on monkeys and | | | | animals in wild would live longer because |
| humans are under way and will take | | | | they balance activity and consumption. Well, |
| decades.Well, it is all good in experiments | | | | recently I read that life span of animals in |
| and theories. Some argue: why in this case | | | | wild is shorter than animals in captivity. |
| prisoners of concentration camps do not live | | | | Correct me if I am wrong: pandas live 15-20 |
| longer. Another example came from "Scientific | | | | years in nature and 20-30 in zoos, bears |
| American" - a person had caloric restriction | | | | 20-25 in nature and 30-40 in captivity. |
| of something 20 years or more - no effect - | | | | Civilization has certain benefits - |
| he just looks like very thin undernourished | | | | vaccinations, good medical care, more or less |
| person of 50 years. Examples of opposite | | | | good hygiene. So just moving into wild |
| opinion also exist (tribes or groups with low | | | | conditions wouldn't make you younger or allow |
| food consumption or high antioxidants | | | | to live longer.Now, to discuss rejuvenation |
| consumption have more centenarians than | | | | procedures, I would need to talk about aging |
| general population). Maybe you really need to | | | | first. In this case Rejuvenation could be |
| start at 10 years of age, look malnourished | | | | considered as reversal of aging |
| and weak for the whole life and live to 100 | | | | (deterioration). Longevity is different story |
| years, getting to your puberty at 25. | | | | - it is prolonged life span. Rejuvenation |
| Antioxidants also bring many controversy. | | | | supposedly should lead to longevity. But |
| Vitamin E did not show many benefits though | | | | longevity is not equal to Rejuvenation. Aging |
| it was a big hope for prevention of many | | | | leads to Death eventually. It is easier to |
| diseases of old age. And so on. Today there | | | | discuss from that end.All written here is |
| are big trials that disprove the theory. | | | | just plain speculation, take it with a grain |
| Tomorrow - great experiments that confirm the | | | | of salt. |