By: N. Jannuzzi

By: O. Astor

In the world of health, longevity and the fight against aging has long been humanity’s biggest barrier - an impossible hurdle that defies the laws of nature as we know it. Sure, we have made plenty of progress - from the discovery that microbes cause diseases to the development of antibiotics and vaccines, life expectancy has skyrocketed. A hundred years ago, the average lifespan for an American citizen was around sixty years. Today, it has increased by almost 20 years to 79.4.

Despite all the advancements,  society is never satisfied. All around us, adults are peering anxiously into mirrors, searching for lines on their foreheads or feeling for that dreaded bald spot. Some complain of aches and pains and poorer memory, and others fret about developing age-related diseases. In an effort to remedy this, thirty five percent of adults above fifty in the US admit to investing time and money into anti-aging technology boasting clearer skin, less wrinkles, or enhancing skin elasticity. Furthermore, how many times have you walked past magazines with titles such as ‘Top 30 Foods to Prevent Aging” or "Exercises to Live to 100”. The idea of a long, healthy life that is now seemingly possible appeals to us all, fuelled by social media and resulting in a global immortality craze.

So - how close are we, in 2025, to overcoming this final frontier? 
During my research, I came to the conclusion that whilst there is still no definitive ‘cure’ for aging, there is much research underway with three main hypothetical ‘solutions’ currently being explored. Firstly, drugs that remove cells which contribute to inflammation. Secondly, rejuvenating chromosomes. Thirdly, mimicking a molecule produced by following a severely calorie restricted diet (do not try this at home!) All these approaches strive for the same thing - longevity - and strangely, all involve mice…

So, what are the limits and possibilities of each of these methods? 

Senescent cells are cells that have permanently stopped dividing but remain metabolically active. They build up as you age, and while they are not directly harmful, they have been linked to inflammation, tissue damage, and can contribute to the development of harmful conditions such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cancer. However, they also have essential roles such as wound healing and tissue repair. 

Following this knowledge, scientists have been testing a new class of drugs called ‘senolytics’. These drugs have been observed to destroy ‘sensescent’ cells in mice by disabling certain neural pathways. During testing, it was discovered that the drug caused a balding and frail mouse with an age equivalent to ninety human years to grow back its fur and regain previous energy levels. Understandably, this caused a wave of excitement amongst researchers. If such treatment were to work on humans, it would surely counteract many of the undesirable effects of aging. 

Following this discovery, Professor Tohru Minamino of Juntendo University in Japan announced an ‘anti ageing vaccine’ in 2021 that uses a special protein to remove ‘bad’ senescent cells that contribute to inflammation, ideally leaving behind enough for our bodies to function. Again, this has been shown to work well with mice, who have been shown to live longer with less physical and mental impairments as a result. 

Despite this, Minamino admits there are still many challenges. For example, “we don’t have particularly good tools to estimate the number of senescent cells in the human body and the extent to which this changes with treatment”. This means it is hard to actually monitor how well it is working, and only through observation and guesswork are they able to proceed.

Furthermore, these ‘senolytics’ are designed only to slow down or reduce aging - not actually reverse it.

More promisingly, researchers are now studying how to change ‘epigenetic’ markers on chromosomes. Epigenetic markers regulate gene development, tumor suppression, and gene proteins. Over time these markers accumulate, worsening some of these effects. Remove some, and a sixty five year old may start producing the genes of a twenty five year old instead. This would eliminate the gradual ‘wear and tear’ all our bodies inevitably face. 

Lastly, over the past ninety years, time and time again, experiments have shown that living on a calorie restricted diet promotes a longer life in animals and humans too. Researchers in China have identified a specific molecule in the gut that is produced under calorie deficit and have discovered that when dosed to nematodes, fruit flies, and mice, results in a generally extended lifespan and restores age weakened muscles. The idea is that by isolating these molecules, and turning it into a pill, people may be able to reap its benefits without having to go hungry. 

Despite these exciting experiments, none of these drugs have been formally tested on people yet. Most drug testing companies do not yet recognize ‘aging’ as a curable condition or disease. Therefore, trials are hard to register. Not only this, but the nature of the cure means it must be observed over thousands of people for extended periods of time - ten, twenty, or even thirty years. 
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It will likely be a long time before any of us can start expecting to live to a hundred and fifty but, in the meantime, I think this should only make us appreciate life more, and be thankful that at turning sixty you won't be waking up to your deathbed. Humans have come a long way, and we are sure to go much further.