SCIENCE OF AGING

March 2005
		Scientists have isolated a series of genes found in many different plants and animals that seem to control the aging process. Two leading scientists on the study of these anti-aging genes -- Dr. Stephen Helfand of the University of Connecticut and Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard Medical School -- answer your questions about their research. Special Report: Science of Aging

Forum Introduction What kinds of food should we eat to exploit this finding? Is there any connection between this work and the theories on telomeres? How many years away are we from human trials? Is it likely that drinking red wine, eating grapes or taking resveratrol in the form of supplements can slow down aging? Aren't there negative side effects from being kept in a state of constant emergency mode? What should the caloric intake for humans be to potentially extend health and life? How does expending calories through exercise affect the rate of aging?	Yusef Lovato of Albuquerque, N.M. asks: How many years away are we from human trials? Dr. Stephen Helfand responds: There are presently human trials ongoing for Calorie Restriction. In order to find out more about them I suggest you contact the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health. One of the trial funded by the NIA is based at the Pennington Center in Louisiana. Dr. David Sinclair responds: Human trials to delay or treat aging are not feasible due to money and time constraints. So the pharmaceutical industry is planning on testing this class of molecule on specific diseases of aging, like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Resveratrol, one of the molecules that extends life span of yeast, worms and flies, is already in clinical trials to treat colon cancer. The National Cancer institute has already spent $10 million on it, apparently. Within 10 years I'm betting we will see a new class of drugs to treat age-related diseases by activating our body's own innate defenses against aging, an approach that is currently foreign to medicine.