True longevity should not mean surviving longer with machines and medications.
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* Humans living healthily to 150 years is debated and considered fantastical by some experts
* Steve Horvath’s DNA methylation test measures biological age and aids anti-ageing research
* Longevity depends on multiple factors including gut health, stress, sleep, and lifestyle habits
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Is it even possible for humans to live 150 years? Not just being alive, but living a healthy life. A life of 150 years is a subject of scientific debate, and the Nature journal, in one of its articles, calls it a “fantastical idea”. Some researchers think that humanity is on the cusp of a major longevity breakthrough. But what about the quality of life?
A study published by Nature noted that mortality reduction was observed over the course of the twentieth century, but it was unclear whether this would continue into the twenty-first century.
Recently, Steve Horvath, a leading expert who is also the inventor of the epigenetic biological clock (the Horvath Clock), told Time that humans could soon live up to 150 years due to rapid advancements in anti-ageing technology. Horvath’s work focuses on measuring ageing on a cellular level, allowing scientists to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-ageing therapies.
The outlet mentioned that the breakthrough came when Horvath developed a test based on DNA methylation, which is a chemical modifications that help control genes. It is believed that it could estimate a person’s biological age across tissues.
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What does this mean?
While speaking to NDTV, Functional Nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan, CEO & Founder of iThrive, a Pune-based health & wellness platform, said that it looks at DNA methylation patterns often referred to as “epigenetic clocks” to understand how biological ageing may differ from chronological age.
“From a research standpoint, the variables have been set thoughtfully, and DNA methylation is indeed a meaningful marker when it comes to ageing and longevity,” Pradhan said.
She added that methylation is just a “single piece of the entire puzzle” and human health, as well as lifespan, are majorly influenced by many other factors, such as gut health, nutrient status, chronic stress, inflammation, environmental toxins, sleep, and lifestyle.
She added that the research around ‘150 years of lifespan’ provides key insight and direction, it shouldn’t be seen as a single, definitive predictor of how long someone will live, rather it’s an important part of a much bigger picture.
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Are we adding years to life or life to years?
With the help of modern medicine, the lifespan has already extended. People can be kept alive longer using dialysis, ventilators, pacemakers, and medications, but often without independence or quality of life. In many cases, lifespan has increased while ‘healthspan’ has shrunk.
“The goal of longevity research is not only to live longer but also to be healthier for more years,” Dr Anshul Singh, Team Leader, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Artemis Hospitals, told NDTV.
Dr Singh said that scientists are working to lengthen the health span, which is the time in a person’s life when they are active and independent. Treatments need to boost energy, mobility, mental clarity, and disease resistance in order to make extra years worth it.
Pradhan, the founder of iThrive, said that true longevity should not mean surviving longer. “It should mean staying mobile, mentally quite sharp, emotionally well-balanced, and independent well into later decades,” she said, further adding that living to 100 only makes sense if you can live those years fully with a lot of energy, purpose, as well as contribution.
“Longevity also comes with a lot of responsibility. If we choose to live longer, we must also choose to live consciously, caring for our bodies, our minds, and obviously the planet. A longer life without any meaning, compassion, or contribution is not progress. Real longevity is not just about staying alive, it’s truly about staying alive well, and using those extra years to do something that truly matters,” Pradhan said.
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How do we know for sure that these ‘clocks’ are actually predicting a longer life?
“The honest answer is we can’t know with absolute certainty. These clocks are predictive models, not guarantees,” Pradhan said, adding that such clocks work on probability, not destiny.
“If a person is biologically healthy today, meaning their tissues are repairing well, inflammation is low, muscle mass is preserved, and organs are functioning efficiently, and this state continues consistently over time, there is theoretically no immediate reason for the body to fail,” she said.
While progress is promising, achieving a 150-year lifespan would require significant breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, gene therapy, and cellular repair.
“This perspective posits that extended longevity is achievable in the future, contingent upon consistent scientific advancement, meticulous testing and sustained innovation rather than abrupt miracles,” Dr Singh said, summing up her belief.
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