$Unique_ID{BRK00658}
$Pretitle{Community and Social Problems}
$Title{Is There Any Real Way to Ensure You'll Live Longer?}
$Subject{longevity life extension}
$Volume{Q-23}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Is There Any Real Way to Ensure You'll Live Longer?


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QUESTION:  Is there any real way to ensure you'll live longer?  I've seen some
pills in health food stores that make claims to extend your life.  Is it
possible that they really work?

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ANSWER:  I'm sorry to say that with all of the advanced technology we have,
there is still no magic elixir that can provide us with a "fountain of youth".
     Scientists have been studying gerontology--learning about what happens to
the body during normal aging--but they haven't figured out how to slow or stop
this process.  A large number of Americans are obsessed with youth and staying
young, allowing quacks and manufacturers of useless products to make tens of
millions of dollars every year.  I'm not saying that all of these
manufacturers are insincere and intentionally ripping people off, but there is
nothing to prove that these products work.  Some of the products you might
have seen in health food stores include dietary antioxidants, superoxide
dismotase (SOD), Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and Gerovital-H3.
     The antioxidants are based on the belief that normal chemical reactions
within the body produce harmful by-products which accumulate.  To counter
this, some individuals recommend taking increased amounts of anti-oxidant
substances, which include vitamins A, C and E and the mineral selenium.  This
theory backfires though, because selenium and vitamins can be toxic in high
quantities and scientists have not come to an agreement that an anti-oxidant
regimen will increase one's life-span.  SOD is a protein thought to have
antioxidant properties, but it occurs naturally in the body and there is no
evidence that SOD supplements can be ingested and utilized.
     DHEA is a hormone produced in human beings by the adrenal gland which
seems to help curb caloric intake.  There have been no scientific studies on
people to conclude DHEA supplements have life extending effects.
     Gerovital-H3 is marketed as a treatment for age-related bodily changes.
A Rumanian doctor has reported this substance has helped laboratory rats to
live longer lives, but those results have not been found by other scientists
studying the compound.
     There really is no proven method to guarantee a longer life, but there
are things you can do to help you live a healthier life and perhaps indirectly
prolong life.  The National Institutes of Health concluded that people who are
slightly underweight live longest; other scientists disagree.  Exercise, begun
early in life is believed to play an indirect role in life extension.  Active
people have fewer problems with their hearts and are generally healthier, but
studies on athletes done by the National Institute on Aging have not found
athletes to have longer lives than the general population.
     Proper diet, exercise, a life lived within the rules of good health will
make your existence a healthier and more enjoyable one, and will avoid many
diseases that can shorten your time here in this world, but it would seem
that there really is still only one manner by which you may truly increase
your longevity, and that is to choose parents with the right genes.  Since
that choice has already been made for you, you must use your efforts to choose
a life style that provides you with the best possible chances for a long and
happy life.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
