3 November 2023
By Minhoo Jeong
Can we live forever, beyond the reach of aging and death? People have been captivated by this question for a very long time. To address the idea of "not dying," we must first examine the concept of "preventing aging." But what causes aging, and can it be reversed?
To understand the causes, we must first understand what aging means. Aging involves the processes from birth to physical and intellectual decline as we grow older until we ultimately face death. Life is sustained through cell division, which plays a crucial role. But can cells divide forever? No. There are protective caps known as telomeres at the ends of DNA strands to prevent DNA damage during replication. With each cell division, telomeres gradually shorten, and when they're gone, cell division stops, which leads to aging.
Efforts to reduce aging have focused on telomeres, and discoveries like "telomerase," a protein enzyme synthesizing telomeres, provided hope. Yet, its role in all cell types can lead to uncontrolled cell division, especially in cancer cells, raising the dilemma of extended life versus cancer prevention. Science is looking into medications like Metformin, Acarbose, and Rapamycin, which have shown the potential to delay aging. However, living life without aging is challenging as we must navigate the adequate balance between extending life and maintaining health.
While the eternal quest for youth continues, we may find ourselves in a future where we can gracefully age with health and vitality for longer than ever before.
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