Study Claims Humans Can Live to 150 Years Old? But What’s the Catch?
A new study on longevity says humans could live up to 150 years old. But does the science back up this claim?
A recent study by Singapore-based biotech firm GERO, examine the changes in blood cell counts and the number of steps taken by test subjects in the US, UK, and Russia. By studying these variables they found that people did not steadily decline as they age, but their resilience, or ability to bounce back from illness, stepped down over time. And barring disease or accidents, the maximum lifespan would be 150 years old when the body’s capacity for resilience would be exhausted.
Bill Andrews, president and CEO of Sierra Sciences, has studied anti-aging and telomeres for 30 years and is skeptical about this new claim.
“There have been at least five publications, and often times when I speak at conferences I’ll show those publications, in the last 25 years they’ve done a much better job of narrowing it down, and they’ve all come down to somewhere between 120 and 125 years,” Andrews said.
“Ok, so this new study that’s come out that claims 150 isn’t actually saying they’ve extended it out from 125 to 150, the accuracy of their data is not allowing them to give narrow answers. And when they contacted the press to make this press release about their study, they focused on the 150.”
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What are the Health Secrets to the Hunza People's Longevity?
In a mountainous region of Northern Pakistan, lies the Hunza Valley – an isolated area of the Himalayas, home to a community of people said to survive longer than anyone on Earth, living well over a century. So, what are the health secrets to the Hunza people’s longevity?
The Hunza Longevity
Those who have heard of the Hunza are likely familiar with the legendary rumors that this secluded people have a life expectancy of 120 years, with some living up to the age of 150. Meanwhile, the average life expectancy in Pakistan is only 67 years.
Whether the Hunza longevity is exaggerated is up for debate, but what is undoubtedly true is that their isolation and quality of life have some interesting characteristics that would certainly make one healthier. It is also highly likely that their average life expectancy is somewhere around 100 years old.
