Ageing well and the quest for immortality

This is definitely the first, and – I suspect – the last, blog post I write inspired by Vladimir Putin. Bear with me.

I know it’s strange, and we’ll have to side step, if we can, the horrors of the war in Ukraine, and keep this focussed on ageing well. I was struck by unguarded comments Putin made to Xi Jinping before a military parade in Beijing a couple of weeks ago. He was overheard explaining to his Chinese counterpart that ‘human organs can be constantly transplanted, to the extent that people can get younger, perhaps even immortal’. At a press conference later, he told reporters, “Modern means and methods of improving health, even various surgical [operations] involving organ replacement, allow humanity to hope that … life expectancy will increase significantly,”

Is this the next stage for those with absolute power and/or endless wealth? The quest for immortality? It makes sense, I suppose, that if you’ve got an iron grip on power, you’re not going to let a simple issue like well, death, get in the way. There are precedents throughout history, of course. Alexander the Great was said to have searched for the water of life. Putin is known to fund genetic research and the creation of replacement organs with lab-grown cells.

CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH

The whole thing fills me with horror, to be honest, and I’d much rather keep ageing well with a healthy diet, plenty of exercise and all the other markers of a good life Annabel and I write about here. But if the autocrats and billionaires are happy to invest in cutting edge research into longevity that may, one day, filter down to the likes of us, who am I to complain?

Talking of billionaires, Jeff Bezos of Amazon is known to be one of the investors in Altos Labs, the $3 billion longevity start up with the goal of ‘rejuvenating’ humans at a cellular level. Lead researchers there have worked on programmes to reprogramme cells and rejuvenate the epigenome (the ‘instruction manual’ for our DNA). Nobel Prize winner Dr Shinya Yamanaka is an unpaid advisor. He upended the world of longevity research 20 years ago when he showed how to reprogramme cells to their embryonic state by switching on four specific genes, now known as Yamanaka factors. These factors are like pressing the ‘reset button’ on cells. In the long run, they could help scientists repair organs, fight the diseases of ageing – including Alzheimer’s – and extend longevity.

DRIFTING OFF COURSE

Another Altos researcher, Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, is taking this further, looking at how switching off certain genes can help keep cells doing the job they’re designed for. In the body we have Mesenchymal cells, a type of stem cell designed to support repair, regeneration, and immune balance. As we age, these cells gradually lose their youthful identity and function, becoming more inflammatory and fibrotic (scar-like). It’s like they slowly ‘drift off course’ from supporting regeneration and become contributors to tissue dysfunction. Imagine your body’s repair team (stem cells) showing up late, doing sloppy work, and causing trouble — which leads to slower healing, more inflammation, and many of the changes we associate with ageing. Dr Belmonte’s work on keeping the Mesenchymal cells on track could help make the entire body more resilient to disease.

It’s all fascinating stuff, but will it ultimately benefit us all? The science of longevity isn’t just about what’s possible, but also about who gets access to it.

ELITE-LEVEL THERAPIES

We do have to be realistic: ageing research is high-risk, long-term, and expensive. Much of the research Annabel and I write about here is funded by the university grant system. Private investors (like Altos’s backers) can pour billions into projects that other funders might consider too uncertain. Even if their therapies start as elite-level-only, the knowledge will flow into academia, biotech startups, and eventually mainstream medicine.

There needs to be a ripple effect in knowledge and technology that could ultimately improve health for many. Let’s hope that happens. I’d love to know your thoughts on this.

SAUNA FOR AGEING WELL

We’ve often written about the benefits of sauna for ageing well, so I was delighted to be invited onto the SweatyAF podcast. Host Lucy records each episode in her home sauna.  Sadly, I was just sat at my desk! We talked about putting brain health first, cognitive reserve and – of course – the power of sauna. You can catch it here.

APPLE SEASON

Annabel has very kindly just dropped off a big bag of organic apples from her tree. And this bounty reminded me of one of my favourite recipes from the archive, granola baked apples. I might add in some recently foraged blackberries. I doubt Putin gets to experience these small joys…..

Susan

 

 

Photo by Alex Belogub on Unsplash