New Study Predicts Maximum Human Lifespan
Longest life
"They are asking the question of 'What's the longest life that could be lived by a human complex system if everything else went really well, and it's in a stressor-free environment?'" Duke University Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development director Heather Whitson said.
Elderly individuals
For elderly individuals, "everything is just a little bit dampened, a little slower to respond, and you can get overshoots," Whitson noted.
The conclusion
The conclusion came from an investigation into the "pace of aging," which revealed that as people age, their bodies lost resilience in recovering from disruptions, leading to incremental declines in health.
Large cohorts
Researchers analyzed large cohorts from the U.S., U.K., and Russia, examining factors such as blood cell counts and step activity.
First step
"Measuring something is the first step before producing an intervention," study co-author Peter Fedichev said.
Consistent pattern
Researchers found a consistent pattern indicating that after age 35 to 40, the body's ability to stabilize after health disturbances diminishes.
Steep turn
"We observed a steep turn at about the age of 35 to 40 years that was quite surprising," researcher Timothy Pyrkov noted.
Extending lifespan
Experts emphasized that extending lifespan should also focus on maintaining a healthy quality of life.
Living longer
"The focus shouldn't be on living longer but on living healthier longer," epidemiology and biostatistics professor S. Jay Olshansky said.
Death
"Death is not the only thing that matters," Whitson said. "Other things, like quality of life, start mattering more and more as people experience the loss of them."
Extend life
"And the question is: Can we extend life without also extending the proportion of time that people go through a frail state?" Whitson pressed.
The long run
"Hey, guess what? Treating diseases in the long run is not going to have the effect that you might want it to have. These fundamental biological processes of aging are going to continue," Olshansky said.
