Have we hit a biological wall in the fight against aging?
- Toren Finkel, a gerontologist with Harvard Medical School degrees, discusses the biological processes involved in aging.
- He suggests that intermittent fasting may help manage cellular waste and disease onset.
- Finkel concludes that we may have reached a biological wall in extending human life expectancy, particularly in older adults.
In a recent discussion, gerontologist Toren Finkel shared insights on the complexities of aging and the potential for anti-aging treatments. Finkel, who has an academic background from Harvard Medical School, emphasized the significance of cellular waste removal in the aging process. He highlighted that while we age, the body becomes less efficient at eliminating cellular 'garbage', leading to diseases associated with aging. He advocates for intermittent fasting as a way to promote autophagy, a process that can help manage this waste and potentially delay disease onset. However, he acknowledges that maintaining such practices throughout life presents challenges, as complete adherence to intermittent fasting for a lifetime is nearly impossible. Additionally, he explored the evolving landscape of new drugs aimed at appetite control and their potential implications for life expectancy, noting that the experience of hunger may differ from satiety in regard to the body’s response to caloric reduction. Finkel compared the current state of aging research to the early days of chemotherapy, where treatments often had significant side effects but lacked efficacy. While there has been increased awareness and research into extending life expectancy, Finkel cautioned that as humans age into their 70s and 80s, a biological barrier has been hit, suggesting that significant changes in life expectancy might not materialize in the near future.