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Getting older might seem like a slow, gradual process – but that's not always the case, research suggests. In fact, if you wake up one morning, look in the mirror, and wonder if your aging somehow accelerated, you might not be imagining things. According to a recent study into the molecular changes associated with aging, humans experience two drastic lurches forward, one at the average age of 44, and the other at the average age of 60. "We're not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes," geneticist Michael Snyder of Stanford University explained in August 2024...

Most people slow down with age, trading suits and deadlines for slippers and daytime TV. Not Dr. Howard Tucker. The Cleveland-born neurologist treated patients for nearly eight decades, earning the Guinness World Record title for oldest practicing doctor just before his 99th birthday. Now 102, Tucker may have hung up his white coat, but he hasn’t hit the brakes. He spends his days lecturing future doctors at Case Western Reserve University and consulting on medical-legal cases — thanks to the law degree he picked up at the age of 67. Oh, and he’s gone viral on TikTok while promoting What’s...

An Israeli biotech firm says it is nearing human trials for a breakthrough drug that could extend human lifespan by up to 30 percent by targeting the age-regulating protein SIRT-6, which the company says would also improve brain function, organ health, and overall vitality. On Friday, Israeli news site N12 reported that Tel Aviv-based Sirtlab is preparing to launch clinical trials on a drug designed to stimulate SIRT-6, a protein associated with youth, vitality, and disease resistance. The treatment could be available within three years, pending successful trials and regulatory approval. Professor Haim Cohen, the company’s chief scientist and head...

Opinion Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with millions of new cases reported each year. In 2022 alone, approximately 20 million new cancer cases were diagnosed globally, and 9.7 million lives were lost to the disease. In India, the numbers are equally alarming, with around 100 out of every one lakh people diagnosed with cancer. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), more than 14 lakh cancer cases were estimated in 2023. [1 lakh = 0.1 million] Despite advancements in early detection and treatment, many myths surrounding cancer testing prevent people from undergoing timely...

More than 3,700 days later, he hasn't missed a single day of exercise, though he does take some easier days of light cardio to give his body a chance to recover. The 74-year-old from Rhode Island said the regular routine of combining strength training with cardio has kept him energized, healthy, and strong over time. "I am hardly ever sick, and I don't get headaches. I have maintained my drive, diligence, dedication, and determination all these years," DiMonte told Business Insider in an interview coordinated by Planet Fitness, his gym of choice.

Most of what we know about humans living to very old age is based on faulty data, including the science behind the “blue zones” famous for having a high proportion of people over 100, according to one researcher. The desire to live as long as possible has driven a booming lifestyle industry selling supplements, books, tech and tips to those wanting to learn the secrets of the world’s oldest people. But Saul Justin Newman, a researcher at University College London’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies, said that most extreme old age data “is junk to a really shocking degree”. Newman’s research,...

Researchers have shown that the carotenoid phytoene increases the lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and can slow the onset of paralysis associated with the formation of amyloid plaques in a model of Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, increases in longevity of between 10% and 18.6% and decreases in the proteotoxic effect of plaques of between 30% and 40% were observed. The studies tested pure phytoene and extracts rich in this carotenoid obtained from microalgae. According to Dr. Paula Mapelli Brahm, "These are very exciting preliminary results, so we are looking for funding to continue this line of research and to find...

Henry is thought to have been born before Salvador Dalí and Dr Seuss, but he's still going strong. At the ripe estimated age of 123 years old, Henry is the oldest known crocodile in the world – and what a life he’s led. In the past few decades alone, the mature gentleman has fathered thousands upon thousands of offspring With all those decades under his belt, Henry has amassed a gigantic size. The immensely hefty croc measures over 5 meters (16 foot 5 inches) from snout to tail and weighs 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds). For context, the average Nile crocodile...

Probably everyone has heard the conventional wisdom that a glass of wine a day is good for you. The problem is that it's based on flawed scientific research, according to a report. However, not all studies have painted such a rosy picture—and the new analysis sheds light on why. In a nutshell, studies linking moderate drinking to health benefits suffer from fundamental design flaws, said Tim Stockwell, Ph.D. The major issue: Those studies have generally focused on older adults and failed to account for people's lifetime drinking habits. So moderate drinkers were compared with "abstainer" and "occasional drinker" groups that...

Discovered in a mysterious land, rapamycin can slow the growth of everything from wrinkles to cancer. Scientists are still uncovering the secrets of a compound discovered 50 years ago on Easter Island. Produced by bacteria there, rapamycin appears to be a powerful life-extender and may be a transformative treatment for age-related diseases. In 2009, the National Institute on Aging Interventions Testing Program (ITP) published a groundbreaking study indicating that rapamycin extended the lifespan of mice by 9 percent to 14 percent. Experiments conducted by various research institutions worldwide have further corroborated these findings or have found the compound to have...

On March 4, the world´s oldest person, Maria Branyas Morera, celebrated her 117th birthday in Catalonia. Morera was born in San Francisco, USA, but returned to Spain with her family at the age of eight, spending the rest of her life in Catalonia. For the past 23 years, she has stayed in the nursing home, Residencia Santa Maria del Tura. “Order, tranquillity, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity and staying away from toxic people” is what Morera credits her health and longevity to. Morera´s family arrived in Barcelona...

Lifestyle and habits can have a big effect on our health - and our life expectancy. A recently released study that followed U.S. veterans of the age group 40 to 99 between the years 2011 and 2019 is attempting to show just how much.As Statista's Katharina Buchholz details below, according to mortality trends collected among 719,147 veterans and lifestyle factors assessed among 276,132, being physically active lowered the risk of death among the sample population the most - by 46 percent - opposite someone with no healthy habits and factors.You will find more infographics at StatistaThe study applied the Department...

A Wakhi woman and her yak in Avgarch Village, one of the oldest settlements of Hunza Valley that’s only accessible by foot. Photo: Samantha Shea ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In a little-known mountainous area called Hunza Valley, located far north of Pakistan, people seem to defy all medical odds. It is primarily home to the Burusho and Wakhi people, who for centuries have survived and thrived in remote villages — with minimal amenities and rudimentary health facilities. Studies have found that the average life expectancy here is around 100 years. My husband was born and raised here, and is from the Burusho indigenous...

An international team of public health specialists, addiction researchers, cardiovascular and metabolic health professionals and nutritionists has found that switching from a typical Western diet to a healthier regimen could add 10 years of life for the average middle-aged person. In their study, the group analyzed dietary data for people listed in the UK Biobank study. Prior research has shown that unhealthy diets lead to more than 75,000 premature deaths every year in the U.K. alone. Other studies have suggested healthier eating patterns could reduce the risk of early death for people living in the U.S. In this new effort,...

The long-term consequences of Covid-19 vaccination are now being realised… A year ago, doubly vaccinated Australians were 10.72x more likely to catch Omicron than the unvaxxed. Now they are 20x more likely and the triply or more vaxxed are 35x more likely, as the latest NSW Health stats show (see below). Meanwhile, the latest Cleveland Clinic Data and the latest US data analysed by Josh Stirling, founder of Insurance Collaboration to Save Livess and former #1 ranked Insurance Analyst, shows a really really disturbing trend. The damage to health caused by each vaccine dose does not lessen over time. It...

Platelets are behind the cognitive benefits of young blood, exercise and the longevity hormone klotho. In a remarkable convergence, scientists have discovered that the same blood factor is responsible for the cognitive enhancement that results from young blood transfusion, the longevity hormone klotho, and exercise. In a trio of papers, teams identify platelet factor 4 (PF4) as a common messenger of each of these interventions. As its name suggests, PF4 is made by platelets, a type of blood cell that alerts the immune system when there is a wound and helps to form clots. It turns out that PF4 is...

A new study involving over 700,000 U.S. veterans reports that people who adopt eight healthy lifestyle habits by middle age can expect to live substantially longer than those with few or none of these habits. The eight habits are: being physically active, being free from opioid addiction, not smoking, managing stress, having a good diet, not regularly binge drinking, having good sleep hygiene, and having positive social relationships. According to the results, men who have all eight habits at age 40 would be predicted to live an average of 24 years longer than men with none of these habits. For...

Jeanne Calment, a French woman, achieved an incredible feat of living to age 122, thus earning the honor of being the world’s oldest person on record. But before her passing, Calment met and discussed her life with Jean-Marie Robine, an expert demographer who studies the links between health and longevity. As a disclaimer, Robine says: “We have to keep in mind that a big part of the longevity of Jeanne Calment is due to just chance because it’s just so exceptional.” However, there are some aspects of her life that likely contributed to her ability to live so long, he...

In 1938, Harvard researchers embarked on a decades-long study to find out: What makes us happy in life?The researchers gathered health records from 724 participants from all over the world and asked detailed questions about their lives at two-year intervals.Contrary to what you might think, it's not career achievement, money, exercise, or a healthy diet. The most consistent finding we've learned through 85 years of study is: Positive relationships keep us happier, healthier, and help us live longer. Period.The No. 1 key to a happy life: 'Social fitness'Relationships affect us physically. Ever notice the invigoration you feel when you believe...

Story at-a-glance: * A carnivore or meat-only diet can be uniquely beneficial for some people, especially those struggling with autoimmune diseases, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, chronic pain and mental health disorders * It can also be used as a detox strategy for three to 12 months * One of the primary benefits of a carnivore diet — as long as you focus on red meat and limit chicken and pork — is that it’s a really low in omega-6 fat, which is the most harmful type of fat and a primary driver of chronic disease * You’re also removing most...