Life extension is a field that seeks ways to combat aging, with the hope of extending the healthy human lifespan far beyond its current limits. Americans can expect to live about 78 years, according to federal government estimates, and the upper register of the human lifespan is about 122. But life extension proponents such as Dr. Ronald Klatz, founder of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, believe that many people alive today will live to be 130 to 150 years of age. The field approaches the issue from several angles.
Caloric Restriction
Calorie restriction involves reducing caloric intake--perhaps by as much as 20 to 40 percent--while maintaining needed levels of all important vitamins and minerals. Animal studies have shown that it may increase lifespan by up to 40 percent, but scientists are still debating whether the findings are applicable to humans, according to the Longevity Meme, a nonprofit promoting life extension.
Nutrition
The life extension field places heavy emphasis on nutrition, examining how different foods and supplements affect various diseases. Antioxidants receive much attention. As of November 2009, the Life Extension Foundation's Web site, for example, had posted articles on the effects of antioxidant enzymes on heart disease risk, Vitamin D on Alzheimer's plaques, fiber intake on breast cancer risk and fish intake on dementia.
Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine focuses on inducing the body to heal itself faster and on regrowing tissue, including entire organs, that normally could not regrow. Much of the research in this area centers on stem cells of various types, including embryonic and adult. The research is promising, according to the Longevity Meme, and will eventually "help to produce extended healthy longevity, as we will be able to repair some of the damage caused by aging, organ by organ." But the nonprofit also notes: "Aging damages every part of our bodies, however - including the stem cells required for regenerative therapies!"
Cryonics
Cryonics involves freezing the body after death, but before decay has set in. The idea is that science will advance to the point of someday reviving it--and curing whatever caused the death in the first place. Bodies are preserved at about 200 degrees (Fahrenheit) below zero. An industry of cryonics providers has developed to serve people who wish to be frozen upon their death.
