From: Al Villalobos (al.villalobos@qm.com)
Date: Wed Apr 05 2000 - 10:20:42 MDT
Ron Harrinson wrote:
...." In addition, to working to maintain good health has anyone read Roy
Walford, MD; Dr. Atkins, MD, of diet fame; Ronald M Klatz, MD or one of the
many others that are working on life
extension. Some of these seem to be awfully close to having a method of
extending life."
I think Walford, et al have done good work with limited resources. Most of
the real money now is going to specific age-related diseases like
alzheimers. Longevity research in general is still seen, IMHO, as fringe
science by the big boys, but I thinks its slowly getting better. Here's a
good example. this research dovetails nicely with Walford and provides an
explanation of WHY calorie restriction works. This abstract is 3 years old,
though, and I cant find any follow up stuff so far. Anybody have a more
recent reference on this line of research?
Gerontology 1997;43(3):182-200
Insulin exposure and aging theory.
Parr T
The underlying mechanism of calorie restriction (CR) extension of mammalian
life spans operates
by altering the rate of decline in reserve capacity (with time) as well as
the exposure to growth
stimulus, two mechanisms that seem to be related to the central genetically
determined mechanism
that controls mammalian life span over a 50-fold range. While genetic
control is principally
exerted at the level of metabolic rate and entrained protective defenses, CR
appears to alter the
rate of decline in reserve capacity and the exposure to growth stimulus
without appreciable
alteration of metabolic rate. CR accomplishes this by lowering the
nutritionally driven level of
insulin exposure, which in turn lowers overall growth factor exposure,
improves age-declining
maintenance of mitochondrial maximal function, and maintains a longer-term
favorable balance of
the insulin:growth hormone antagonism. Obtaining the 'halved' insulin
exposure in
calorie-restricted animals (relative to ad libitum fed) can be specifically
targeted in non-obese ad libitum fed humans by multiple techniques, a
situation that may confer most of the life span
extension of CR without restricting calories. The prospect for even further
extension of the human life span is considered.
"In addition, a couple of years ago I saw an article that Geron, inc was
expected to produce a major step forward in life extension within the next
5-10 years or even sooner."
Does anybody have any info on this?
" My problem is that I can read the literature but have no way of
distinguishing between the good and the bad.
Has anyone else read any of the literature about the work of the life
extenders and have enough background to offer any guidance at all? Comments
anyone?"
Some folks doing solid research in longevity and ageing:
Rose at U.C. Irvine, extensive work with fruit flies.
Caleb Finch, Several books (very technical) about ageing
A female( Cathy Something?) at U.C. San Francisco, work with C. Elegans
worms
Maybe we could all add to this list and then Anders could put it up on his
new website so we could all have access to a high quality, filtered list of
references on ageing and longevity research.
Regards,
Al Villalobos
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