01.38 am, Friday February 24 2012

Want to live to be 150 years old?

07:00 AEDT Mon Oct 17 2011
By ninemsn staff
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New drugs which slow down the ageing process are increasing the possibility of humans living to be 150 years old, researchers say.

The drugs, which are in the early phases of development but could be released in five to 10 years, help the body to repair itself, The Age reports.

When combined with advances in medicine, lifestyle, public health and new stem cell therapies, the thought of living beyond 100 is not unreasonable.

"I think there is real hope we can extend human life by some decades further" said Peter Smith, dean of medicine at the University of NSW.

"The aim is not just to eke out extra existence but to facilitate a longer healthy life."

Professor Sinclair, an Australian ageing expert at Harvard, has shown that resveratrol, a plant compound found in red wine, can extend the life of yeast, worms and mice but activating certain proteins called sirtuins.

Scientists developed synthetic molecule 1000 times stronger than resveratrol and so far, tests carried out on people with diseases typical of old age such as type two diabetes have shown "early signs of efficacy".

 
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