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Jellyfish Age Backwards: Nature's Secrets to Longevity
A Sunday Times (UK) Best Book of the Year • This eye-opening book offers a "clear and captivating" (Dr. Kris Verburgh) scientific deep dive into how plants and animals have already unlocked the secrets to immortality–and the lessons they hold for us all.
Recent advances in medicine and technology have expanded our understanding of aging across the animal kingdom, and our own timeless quest for the fountain of youth. Yet, despite modern humans living longer today than ever before, the public’s understanding of what is possible is limited to our species—until now. In this spunky, effervescent debut, the key to immortality is revealed to be a superpower within reach. With mind-bending stories from the natural world and our own, Jellyfish Age Backwards reveals lifespans we cannot imagine and physiological gifts that feel closer to magic than reality:
• There is a Greenland shark that was 286 years old when the Titanic sank, and is currently 390, making it older than the United States. Scientists predict it will live for another 100 years.
• Trees and lobsters don’t “age” in the way we know it. They simply get bigger and bigger.
• There are forms of radiation that have been known to actually increase the lifespans of certain species, from tortoises to naked mole-rats.
• There's a species of jellyfish, the size of a fingernail, that can age forwards, then, when threatened, age backwards and begin the process all over again.
Mixing cutting-edge research and stories from habitats all around the world, molecular biologist Nicklas Brendborg explores extended life cycles in all its varieties. Along the way, we meet a man who fasted for over a year; a woman who edited her own DNA; redwoods that survive thousands of years; and in the soil of Easter Island, the key to eternal youth. Jellyfish Age Backwards is a love letter to the immense power of nature, and what the immortal lives of many of earth's animals and plants can teach us about the secrets to longevity.
Recent advances in medicine and technology have expanded our understanding of aging across the animal kingdom, and our own timeless quest for the fountain of youth. Yet, despite modern humans living longer today than ever before, the public’s understanding of what is possible is limited to our species—until now. In this spunky, effervescent debut, the key to immortality is revealed to be a superpower within reach. With mind-bending stories from the natural world and our own, Jellyfish Age Backwards reveals lifespans we cannot imagine and physiological gifts that feel closer to magic than reality:
• There is a Greenland shark that was 286 years old when the Titanic sank, and is currently 390, making it older than the United States. Scientists predict it will live for another 100 years.
• Trees and lobsters don’t “age” in the way we know it. They simply get bigger and bigger.
• There are forms of radiation that have been known to actually increase the lifespans of certain species, from tortoises to naked mole-rats.
• There's a species of jellyfish, the size of a fingernail, that can age forwards, then, when threatened, age backwards and begin the process all over again.
Mixing cutting-edge research and stories from habitats all around the world, molecular biologist Nicklas Brendborg explores extended life cycles in all its varieties. Along the way, we meet a man who fasted for over a year; a woman who edited her own DNA; redwoods that survive thousands of years; and in the soil of Easter Island, the key to eternal youth. Jellyfish Age Backwards is a love letter to the immense power of nature, and what the immortal lives of many of earth's animals and plants can teach us about the secrets to longevity.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 4, 2022
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December 5, 2023
As someone who gets stung by jellyfish basically every time I step into the ocean, I have grown to have a rather irrational fear of them. They are the enemy. However, this book is seemingly less about the tentacled monsters as it is about aging, anti-aging and the human obsession with not dying. There is some rather engrossing information in here.
I had forgotten about this book until I got an email from the National Nordic Museum about an event that has since happened. If you're ever in Seattle, I highly recommend this museum. The surrounding neighborhood of Ballard is an old Scandinavian neighborhood.
I had forgotten about this book until I got an email from the National Nordic Museum about an event that has since happened. If you're ever in Seattle, I highly recommend this museum. The surrounding neighborhood of Ballard is an old Scandinavian neighborhood.
December 4, 2022
Among all the corrupt self-help books invoking exotic diets, lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements and mind over matter, there is the occasional worthwhile examination of the state of ageing. That is currently Jellyfish Age Backwards, by Niklas Brendborg. It is a pleasure to read such balanced evaluations of all the possibilities, without any of the hype. Readers might actually benefit from reading it.
Brendborg, a Danish molecular biologist by trade, collects facts, figures and anecdotes, and balances them against each other and against science. His book first examines everything but humans. He shows how various creatures extend their lives, and have the equipment to do so. He then spends the rest of the time among mice and men, looking at diet, lifestyle, supplements, medicines and attitudes. Everything has something to contribute, and lots to be wary of.
At all times, he is friendly, with a terrific bedside manner, the occasional attempt at a joke, and an independence that allows him to say this or that will not work or might even kill you instead. He is not pushing a new diet book or a new pill or a new online course. He is not looking for patients or political influence in the healthcare industry. He is just reporting the state of the art. A breath of fresh air.
He examines bees (workers vs queens), flatworms and the female octopus, all of which have been studied to determine the secrets of their differing lifespans. Bees, for example determine their lifespans by their roles. There is even much to learn about health and longevity from the naked mole-rat. Birds are relatively long-lived because they can fly away from threats. Smaller beings typically live longer, even when they are smaller versions of larger species (eg women vs men). Brendborg fills in readers on the why, and whether we could leverage this knowledge for longer lives for all mankind.
There have been communities of extremely long-lived people. Hucksters have leveraged their traditional diets into books and food delivery services, but the results never match the original. Worse, they are disappearing. People in Okinawa, for example, who used to be among the longest-lived, now bulk up on KFC, have huge BMIs and are among the shortest-lived in Japan. They are no longer a model for anyone. There are other clues: cars in the driveways, satellite dishes, processed foods – pretty much anything Western reduces the chances of extended life for a society that had figured it out centuries ago.
In the supposed sciences, he shows that the fanatic focus on antioxidants is all wrong. That the studies show people who take antioxidants to improve strength and prevent age-related diseases actually die younger. The body knows how to handle free radicals. Antioxidant supplements get in the way.
On the other hand, hormesis, the recovery from physical strain, does have age-related disease effects that would benefit everyone. The way to access them is physical stress, aka strenuous exercise. That is what helps mitochondria decide to stay alive and help sweep away dead cells (autophagy). And the free radicals produced by the stress, prove to be valuable, and not something to take antioxidants to eliminate. There is a reason for everything in living things.
Getting molecular, Brendborg discusses several natural chemicals that definitely increase lifespan. Spermidine promotes autophagy, the cleaning up of dead molecules and remnants. It thereby improves heart health, and lessens cardiovascular disease. This is pretty central to lowering the death rate, as cardiovascular diseases remain solidly in first place. In mice, spermidine demonstrably prolongs life, even when initiated later in life. Humans make it naturally, but it decreases with age, as therefore obviously, does autophagy. Spermidine cannot be made into a convenient oral supplement (so beware) but plenty of foods contain it, from soybeans to cauliflower to corn to adzuki and sunflower seeds.
Another molecule readers might not know of is urolithin A. This one not only cleans up dead and dying mitochondria, but promotes the health of mitochondria, the engine of muscles. It even encourages mitochondria to divide, increasing muscle mass. Elliagitannins promote urolithin A, and they can be had from pomegranates, walnuts and raspberries. Certain gut bacteria then convert them into urolithin A. This is an example of both how little we know and understand about how the body works, and how complex every process is. Pills don’t do it.
That is, there are no silver bullets. Taking 40 supplements daily will not work. Most will do no harm, at least. But even something as common as iron supplements can increase the severity of diseases, and promote the risk of bacterial infections and malaria in children, Brendborg says. The bottom line with supplements is that most people should steer clear. Not only have they been proven not to work, but numerous studies continually find them a ripoff, containing little or none of the vitamins and minerals promised on the label. They can be counted on reliably as placebos, but that’s about it.
Brendborg has a great deal to say about telomeres, the end caps of DNA strands. Long ones imply long life ahead, while short ones mean approaching death. Extending them is therefore a hot business. However, (and this comes up again and again throughout the book) extending the telomeres by turning on the telomerase enzyme can cause cancer and death. So many wonderful life-enhancing discoveries end in cancer and death when Man applies them instead of our own bodies doing it.
A Japanese scientist has a found a way to turn old cells back into pluripotent stem cells, giving them an effective age of zero. Cellular reprogramming attempts to control this process so that the whole body doesn’t just disintegrate and start over. A jellyfish from the book’s title has figured this out, and could potentially live forever. But being a jellyfish, it usually gets eaten instead. Meanwhile, and once again, cellular reprogramming by doctors can result in a fearsome cancer called teratoma. This cancer is so ugly, Brendborg says, it grows hair on itself and has been found to grow teeth inside, grinding away — something to be avoided at all cost.
Nonetheless, cellular reprogramming holds great promise. It is probably what Man will ultimately employ to stay young. But it will require precision application and constant monitoring, and we are nowhere near that stage. It reminds me of the nuclear fusion story. It’s the obvious answer to our energy problems, and it can be shown to work, but it is always a decade or two away and never gets closer.
For a long while, there was a theory floating around that young blood was the answer to ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. So a study was done to see what improvements could be measured with young blood in older people with dementia, and the result was, as so often, nothing.
But then, it has also been discovered that blood donors, as opposed to transfusion recipients, live measurably longer. Forcing the body to produce more blood is a stressor, hormesis again, and the result is the body marshaling its forces to overcome the sudden deficit of blood. This keeps the body vibrant. It is frightening to think that barber shops, where men could be bled into a pan for their health, were actually doing the right thing 350 years ago.
Another great point Brendborg makes concerns microbes. While many think they can extend their lives and their health based purely on taking supplements, it is microbes that do the real damage: “Microbes influence the development of every single age-related disease that plagues us.” They are everywhere, in and on humans as well as everything else on the planet. Extending life by eliminating age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s are doomed to fail unless they account for the influence of microbes, and not just the symptoms seen in patients.
There is a valuable assessment of the very fashionable calorie restriction fad, through which numerous animals have extended their lives by being starved. It’s hormesis again, as their bodies fight to thrive in adverse conditions. It is feasible in humans too, but they will have to weigh a lifetime of deprivation and hunger against an extra couple of years in their late 90s. Brendborg says not for him.
Context is big factor. Studies have looked at the longevity of vegans vs vegetarians and found no difference in life expectancy. Because both have committed to a new and different lifestyle. They both tend to be better educated, wealthier and exercise a lot more. Their food intake is not what differentiates them. Brendborg has found this again and again. The better educated live longer because they apply their constant search for knowledge. The actual details of what they do differently matters less than the bigger picture of consciously working and adapting for a longer life. That, and most of their success can be directly attributed to exercise regimens, he says.
There are several lessons from this book. It is best not to tamper with proven systems, and while some new things actually do work in a small way, they are generally not worth the torturous change in lifestyle (and expense) they require. By far the biggest bang for the buck is strenuous exercise. It tells the organism directly that it and all its component parts are still needed and need to be kept up. This provably works, and better than just about everything else put together. It requires variety: steady state, interval and weightlifting. He also suggests mild exercise after eating – even just taking a walk — to counteract the sugar shock the body deals with every time we eat. That would be taking good advantage of the systems already in place. And underutilized.
This is the first US edition of a number one international best seller. It quickly proves its worth for readers, and maintains a fast and entertaining pace as it straightens out the facts. Jellyfish Age Backwards is a book that can settle arguments.
David Wineberg
If you liked this review, I invite you to read more in my book The Straight Dope. It’s an essay collection based on my first thousand reviews and what I learned. Right now it’s FREE for Prime members, otherwise — cheap! Reputed to be fascinating and a superfast read. And you already know it is well-written. https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Dope-...
Brendborg, a Danish molecular biologist by trade, collects facts, figures and anecdotes, and balances them against each other and against science. His book first examines everything but humans. He shows how various creatures extend their lives, and have the equipment to do so. He then spends the rest of the time among mice and men, looking at diet, lifestyle, supplements, medicines and attitudes. Everything has something to contribute, and lots to be wary of.
At all times, he is friendly, with a terrific bedside manner, the occasional attempt at a joke, and an independence that allows him to say this or that will not work or might even kill you instead. He is not pushing a new diet book or a new pill or a new online course. He is not looking for patients or political influence in the healthcare industry. He is just reporting the state of the art. A breath of fresh air.
He examines bees (workers vs queens), flatworms and the female octopus, all of which have been studied to determine the secrets of their differing lifespans. Bees, for example determine their lifespans by their roles. There is even much to learn about health and longevity from the naked mole-rat. Birds are relatively long-lived because they can fly away from threats. Smaller beings typically live longer, even when they are smaller versions of larger species (eg women vs men). Brendborg fills in readers on the why, and whether we could leverage this knowledge for longer lives for all mankind.
There have been communities of extremely long-lived people. Hucksters have leveraged their traditional diets into books and food delivery services, but the results never match the original. Worse, they are disappearing. People in Okinawa, for example, who used to be among the longest-lived, now bulk up on KFC, have huge BMIs and are among the shortest-lived in Japan. They are no longer a model for anyone. There are other clues: cars in the driveways, satellite dishes, processed foods – pretty much anything Western reduces the chances of extended life for a society that had figured it out centuries ago.
In the supposed sciences, he shows that the fanatic focus on antioxidants is all wrong. That the studies show people who take antioxidants to improve strength and prevent age-related diseases actually die younger. The body knows how to handle free radicals. Antioxidant supplements get in the way.
On the other hand, hormesis, the recovery from physical strain, does have age-related disease effects that would benefit everyone. The way to access them is physical stress, aka strenuous exercise. That is what helps mitochondria decide to stay alive and help sweep away dead cells (autophagy). And the free radicals produced by the stress, prove to be valuable, and not something to take antioxidants to eliminate. There is a reason for everything in living things.
Getting molecular, Brendborg discusses several natural chemicals that definitely increase lifespan. Spermidine promotes autophagy, the cleaning up of dead molecules and remnants. It thereby improves heart health, and lessens cardiovascular disease. This is pretty central to lowering the death rate, as cardiovascular diseases remain solidly in first place. In mice, spermidine demonstrably prolongs life, even when initiated later in life. Humans make it naturally, but it decreases with age, as therefore obviously, does autophagy. Spermidine cannot be made into a convenient oral supplement (so beware) but plenty of foods contain it, from soybeans to cauliflower to corn to adzuki and sunflower seeds.
Another molecule readers might not know of is urolithin A. This one not only cleans up dead and dying mitochondria, but promotes the health of mitochondria, the engine of muscles. It even encourages mitochondria to divide, increasing muscle mass. Elliagitannins promote urolithin A, and they can be had from pomegranates, walnuts and raspberries. Certain gut bacteria then convert them into urolithin A. This is an example of both how little we know and understand about how the body works, and how complex every process is. Pills don’t do it.
That is, there are no silver bullets. Taking 40 supplements daily will not work. Most will do no harm, at least. But even something as common as iron supplements can increase the severity of diseases, and promote the risk of bacterial infections and malaria in children, Brendborg says. The bottom line with supplements is that most people should steer clear. Not only have they been proven not to work, but numerous studies continually find them a ripoff, containing little or none of the vitamins and minerals promised on the label. They can be counted on reliably as placebos, but that’s about it.
Brendborg has a great deal to say about telomeres, the end caps of DNA strands. Long ones imply long life ahead, while short ones mean approaching death. Extending them is therefore a hot business. However, (and this comes up again and again throughout the book) extending the telomeres by turning on the telomerase enzyme can cause cancer and death. So many wonderful life-enhancing discoveries end in cancer and death when Man applies them instead of our own bodies doing it.
A Japanese scientist has a found a way to turn old cells back into pluripotent stem cells, giving them an effective age of zero. Cellular reprogramming attempts to control this process so that the whole body doesn’t just disintegrate and start over. A jellyfish from the book’s title has figured this out, and could potentially live forever. But being a jellyfish, it usually gets eaten instead. Meanwhile, and once again, cellular reprogramming by doctors can result in a fearsome cancer called teratoma. This cancer is so ugly, Brendborg says, it grows hair on itself and has been found to grow teeth inside, grinding away — something to be avoided at all cost.
Nonetheless, cellular reprogramming holds great promise. It is probably what Man will ultimately employ to stay young. But it will require precision application and constant monitoring, and we are nowhere near that stage. It reminds me of the nuclear fusion story. It’s the obvious answer to our energy problems, and it can be shown to work, but it is always a decade or two away and never gets closer.
For a long while, there was a theory floating around that young blood was the answer to ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. So a study was done to see what improvements could be measured with young blood in older people with dementia, and the result was, as so often, nothing.
But then, it has also been discovered that blood donors, as opposed to transfusion recipients, live measurably longer. Forcing the body to produce more blood is a stressor, hormesis again, and the result is the body marshaling its forces to overcome the sudden deficit of blood. This keeps the body vibrant. It is frightening to think that barber shops, where men could be bled into a pan for their health, were actually doing the right thing 350 years ago.
Another great point Brendborg makes concerns microbes. While many think they can extend their lives and their health based purely on taking supplements, it is microbes that do the real damage: “Microbes influence the development of every single age-related disease that plagues us.” They are everywhere, in and on humans as well as everything else on the planet. Extending life by eliminating age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s are doomed to fail unless they account for the influence of microbes, and not just the symptoms seen in patients.
There is a valuable assessment of the very fashionable calorie restriction fad, through which numerous animals have extended their lives by being starved. It’s hormesis again, as their bodies fight to thrive in adverse conditions. It is feasible in humans too, but they will have to weigh a lifetime of deprivation and hunger against an extra couple of years in their late 90s. Brendborg says not for him.
Context is big factor. Studies have looked at the longevity of vegans vs vegetarians and found no difference in life expectancy. Because both have committed to a new and different lifestyle. They both tend to be better educated, wealthier and exercise a lot more. Their food intake is not what differentiates them. Brendborg has found this again and again. The better educated live longer because they apply their constant search for knowledge. The actual details of what they do differently matters less than the bigger picture of consciously working and adapting for a longer life. That, and most of their success can be directly attributed to exercise regimens, he says.
There are several lessons from this book. It is best not to tamper with proven systems, and while some new things actually do work in a small way, they are generally not worth the torturous change in lifestyle (and expense) they require. By far the biggest bang for the buck is strenuous exercise. It tells the organism directly that it and all its component parts are still needed and need to be kept up. This provably works, and better than just about everything else put together. It requires variety: steady state, interval and weightlifting. He also suggests mild exercise after eating – even just taking a walk — to counteract the sugar shock the body deals with every time we eat. That would be taking good advantage of the systems already in place. And underutilized.
This is the first US edition of a number one international best seller. It quickly proves its worth for readers, and maintains a fast and entertaining pace as it straightens out the facts. Jellyfish Age Backwards is a book that can settle arguments.
David Wineberg
If you liked this review, I invite you to read more in my book The Straight Dope. It’s an essay collection based on my first thousand reviews and what I learned. Right now it’s FREE for Prime members, otherwise — cheap! Reputed to be fascinating and a superfast read. And you already know it is well-written. https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Dope-...
December 26, 2022
Thank you NetGaley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars, generously rounded up because the author is a young scientist who decided to reach out to a lay audience during his PhD studies, and we need more people like him. However, we also need better organized scientific books for the general audience. Because while the title was an excellent hook, and the opening of the book was very intriguing, the following chapters were not clearly organized and they failed to expand much on general advice that's already easily available on most youtube channels and blogs created by experienced medical providers.
I was disappointed the author didn't take more time to define aging at a molecular level and clarify the risks inherent to circumventing aging mechanisms: most of the time we risk cancer. Sure, this was mentioned, but so quickly it's almost in passing. There was also unhealthy enthusiasm for presenting correlative studies with insufficient critical analysis. For e.g.: In the chapter "Mind over matter" the author discusses the placebo effect and mentions that people who drank a low-sugar drink experienced a spike in their blood sugar levels if they were told they drank a high-sugar drink; my question is, did the study address the possibility that the spike in blood sugar levels was caused by stress? Most people know that high-sugar drinks are unhealthy and if they experience any rise in stress hormone levels that easily explains the rising blood sugar levels. There was also a lot of talk about how viruses and bacteria cause cancer, but they are not the reason for the majority of cancers. Most cancer types are caused by bad luck (such as an accidental pro-cancerous mutation following a lot of cell divisions, or being born with a gene having a mutation or series of mutations predisposing one to cancers); second most common reason for cancers are environmental factors such as high exposure to UV and ionizing radiation, exposure to certain chemicals and infection with tumorigenic viruses and bacteria. When such examples were appropriate, the author forgot to mention (or was unaware of) the whole story. For example: yes, certain H pylori strains increase the risk of stomach cancer, but if you aggressively treat against the bacteria you increase the risk of esophageal cancer, There is increasing evidence that the stomach is normally colonized by bacteria, including H. pylori, and that removing anything except the strains that can cause cancer, or treating in the absence of symptoms, is likely to cause different problems.
The reality is that aging is complicated, The book ended up being a collection of fun facts but stuck in the end to the old, trusted and known: to prolong your life exercise, eat lots of fruits and veggies, keep your morale up; and maybe you will live long enough until you can pop a pill to live longer. Despite the engaging title, there was almost no discussion about aging in other animals. The jellyfish that ages backward? The molecular mechanisms allowing that are not discussed in the book, As a former cancer researcher now involved in cancer treatment management via my medical writer job, I learned very little new things from this book. And I was also stressing out a lot in the second half of the book about how much the author jumped around, without a clear backbone to the structure. Perhaps a lay audience interested in fun facts about aging will find it more engaging than I did.
2.5 stars, generously rounded up because the author is a young scientist who decided to reach out to a lay audience during his PhD studies, and we need more people like him. However, we also need better organized scientific books for the general audience. Because while the title was an excellent hook, and the opening of the book was very intriguing, the following chapters were not clearly organized and they failed to expand much on general advice that's already easily available on most youtube channels and blogs created by experienced medical providers.
I was disappointed the author didn't take more time to define aging at a molecular level and clarify the risks inherent to circumventing aging mechanisms: most of the time we risk cancer. Sure, this was mentioned, but so quickly it's almost in passing. There was also unhealthy enthusiasm for presenting correlative studies with insufficient critical analysis. For e.g.: In the chapter "Mind over matter" the author discusses the placebo effect and mentions that people who drank a low-sugar drink experienced a spike in their blood sugar levels if they were told they drank a high-sugar drink; my question is, did the study address the possibility that the spike in blood sugar levels was caused by stress? Most people know that high-sugar drinks are unhealthy and if they experience any rise in stress hormone levels that easily explains the rising blood sugar levels. There was also a lot of talk about how viruses and bacteria cause cancer, but they are not the reason for the majority of cancers. Most cancer types are caused by bad luck (such as an accidental pro-cancerous mutation following a lot of cell divisions, or being born with a gene having a mutation or series of mutations predisposing one to cancers); second most common reason for cancers are environmental factors such as high exposure to UV and ionizing radiation, exposure to certain chemicals and infection with tumorigenic viruses and bacteria. When such examples were appropriate, the author forgot to mention (or was unaware of) the whole story. For example: yes, certain H pylori strains increase the risk of stomach cancer, but if you aggressively treat against the bacteria you increase the risk of esophageal cancer, There is increasing evidence that the stomach is normally colonized by bacteria, including H. pylori, and that removing anything except the strains that can cause cancer, or treating in the absence of symptoms, is likely to cause different problems.
The reality is that aging is complicated, The book ended up being a collection of fun facts but stuck in the end to the old, trusted and known: to prolong your life exercise, eat lots of fruits and veggies, keep your morale up; and maybe you will live long enough until you can pop a pill to live longer. Despite the engaging title, there was almost no discussion about aging in other animals. The jellyfish that ages backward? The molecular mechanisms allowing that are not discussed in the book, As a former cancer researcher now involved in cancer treatment management via my medical writer job, I learned very little new things from this book. And I was also stressing out a lot in the second half of the book about how much the author jumped around, without a clear backbone to the structure. Perhaps a lay audience interested in fun facts about aging will find it more engaging than I did.
July 2, 2022
Nicklas Brendborg hat ein gut lesbares und informatives Sachbuch rund um die biologischen Prozesse der Alterung geschrieben. Dabei hat er sein Buch in drei Oberkapitel unterteilt:
Im ersten Teil geht es um Wunder der Natur. Hier beschreibt er Lebewesen, die einen Altersrekord aufgestellt haben, zB Bäume oder die am längsten lebenden Säugetiere, und verschiedene Bedingungen, die anscheinend zu einem langen Leben beitragen, zB das Leben der Menschen in den sogenannten Blue Zones.
Im zweiten Teil beschäftigt er sich mit den Entdeckungen der Forschung, zB der Möglichkeit das biologische Alter an "Todesuhr" genannten Biomarkern in der Zelle ablesen zu können. Brendborg geht auch auf die Ursachen dafür ein, welche Rolle also die Gene, Medikamente oder biologische Prozesse dabei spielen können. Im Fokus stehen immer die Mechanismen, die für ein längeres Leben sorgen und wie sie akitiviert beziehungsweise verstärkt werden können und welche Erkenntisse Forschende in aller Welt anhand von Experimenten an insbesondere Mäusen erlangt haben.
Im dritten Teil geht es darum, was wir selber tun können, um länger und gesünder zu leben. Hier stehen vor allem die Ernährung und Sport im Mittelpunkt.
Insgesamt habe ich das Buch sehr gerne gelesen, es war amüsant und unterhaltsam geschrieben und man konnte Brendborgs ausführungen einfach folgen. An einigen Stellen hätte ich mir allerdings eine Vertiefung gewünscht und bisweilen schien sich der Autor auch an einigen Stellen selbst zu widersprechen, zB wenn es hieß, dass eine vegane Ernährung nicht zur Lebensverlängerung beitragen würde, an einer anderen Stelle aber die besondere Bedeutung und der große Effekt einer hohen Ballasstoffzufuhr betont wurde. Veganer nehmen im Schnitt deutlich mehr Ballaststoffe zu sich als Mischköstler. Hier wäre es schön gewesen, wenn er diese Stellen aufeinander bezogen hätte, bzw tiefgehender erläutert hätte.
Wer schon Bücher wie "How not to die" von Dr. Greger gelesen hat, dem werden viele Aspekte bekannt, aber verkürzt vorkommen. Das Buch ist also meiner Meinung nach besonders für Menschen geeignet, die sich mit dem Thema noch nie oder nur wenig auseinandergesetzt haben, oder die ihre Kenntnisse ein bisschen auffrischen wollen.
Im ersten Teil geht es um Wunder der Natur. Hier beschreibt er Lebewesen, die einen Altersrekord aufgestellt haben, zB Bäume oder die am längsten lebenden Säugetiere, und verschiedene Bedingungen, die anscheinend zu einem langen Leben beitragen, zB das Leben der Menschen in den sogenannten Blue Zones.
Im zweiten Teil beschäftigt er sich mit den Entdeckungen der Forschung, zB der Möglichkeit das biologische Alter an "Todesuhr" genannten Biomarkern in der Zelle ablesen zu können. Brendborg geht auch auf die Ursachen dafür ein, welche Rolle also die Gene, Medikamente oder biologische Prozesse dabei spielen können. Im Fokus stehen immer die Mechanismen, die für ein längeres Leben sorgen und wie sie akitiviert beziehungsweise verstärkt werden können und welche Erkenntisse Forschende in aller Welt anhand von Experimenten an insbesondere Mäusen erlangt haben.
Im dritten Teil geht es darum, was wir selber tun können, um länger und gesünder zu leben. Hier stehen vor allem die Ernährung und Sport im Mittelpunkt.
Insgesamt habe ich das Buch sehr gerne gelesen, es war amüsant und unterhaltsam geschrieben und man konnte Brendborgs ausführungen einfach folgen. An einigen Stellen hätte ich mir allerdings eine Vertiefung gewünscht und bisweilen schien sich der Autor auch an einigen Stellen selbst zu widersprechen, zB wenn es hieß, dass eine vegane Ernährung nicht zur Lebensverlängerung beitragen würde, an einer anderen Stelle aber die besondere Bedeutung und der große Effekt einer hohen Ballasstoffzufuhr betont wurde. Veganer nehmen im Schnitt deutlich mehr Ballaststoffe zu sich als Mischköstler. Hier wäre es schön gewesen, wenn er diese Stellen aufeinander bezogen hätte, bzw tiefgehender erläutert hätte.
Wer schon Bücher wie "How not to die" von Dr. Greger gelesen hat, dem werden viele Aspekte bekannt, aber verkürzt vorkommen. Das Buch ist also meiner Meinung nach besonders für Menschen geeignet, die sich mit dem Thema noch nie oder nur wenig auseinandergesetzt haben, oder die ihre Kenntnisse ein bisschen auffrischen wollen.
January 10, 2023
O carte cu informații foarte interesante care nu te vor face nemuritor dar care aduc detalii din diverse studii realizate pe substanțe, organisme, gene și obiceiuri ce ajută la o înțelegere mai bună a întregului proces de îmbătrânire.
Lumea se concentrează tot mai mult pe găsirea unor soluții minune care să ne ofere mai mult timp și rezultatele sunt bune până acum însă nu complete.
Foarte bine structurată și povestită!
Lumea se concentrează tot mai mult pe găsirea unor soluții minune care să ne ofere mai mult timp și rezultatele sunt bune până acum însă nu complete.
Foarte bine structurată și povestită!
August 30, 2021
Kæmpe anbefaling herfra. Nicklas Brendborg er forskningens svar på Beyoncé 🔥
July 23, 2022
Jellyfish Age Backwards is an easy-to-read book about the fight against ageing. It is inspired by some of the weirder examples from nature where ageing does not apply in the conventional way, such as the eponymous jellyfish, but it is mainly about the quest to combat ageing in humans.
Nicklas Brendborg writes in a very fluid style that makes it easy to follow and maintains the reader's interest, and the text is not flooded with footnotes (although there are extensive references at the end of the book if you are that way inclined). He isn't trying to sell any products, make any claims, or lecture about how you should look after yourself, he's just explaining mainly where research into the fight has got to. He does have a few suggestions on how you might eke out a few extra years, but that's all they are.
Nicklas Brendborg writes in a very fluid style that makes it easy to follow and maintains the reader's interest, and the text is not flooded with footnotes (although there are extensive references at the end of the book if you are that way inclined). He isn't trying to sell any products, make any claims, or lecture about how you should look after yourself, he's just explaining mainly where research into the fight has got to. He does have a few suggestions on how you might eke out a few extra years, but that's all they are.
October 26, 2022
Das Thema interessiert mich einfach sehr, daher kam mir das Buch als Hörbuch genau gelegen 😇 mir hat vor allem die Bandbreite an Themen gefallen, wer sich schon grundlegend mit Ernährung, Biologie Basics oder dem tatsächlichen Altern auseinandergesetzt hat wird hier sicherlich noch gutes Zusatzwissen rund um das Älterwerden und unsere Zellen finden 🧬
March 18, 2022
"den her lille biologi ting kan være hemmeligheden til at leve for evigt, men ikke prøv og spise den fordi vi har kun testet den på rotter" gange 20
Udover det et par fine fun facts
Udover det et par fine fun facts
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 10, 2023Interessant lytning. En gang imellem havde jeg svært ved at følge med i alle fagtermerne, men det var måske også, fordi jeg slugte bogen på 2 dage.
November 26, 2021
Bogen er godt læst op af Torben Christensen. Diktionen er tydelig og klar selvom der er en pæn sjat af ord, der nok er nemmest at udtale, hvis man til daglig arbejder i det naturvidenskabelige forskningsmiljø.
Bogen er populærvidenskabelig og lykkes godt med den balance. Der er dybde i det faglige, men det opsumeres løbende med let-fordøjelige bidder og tilbageblik til tidligere nævnte ting; "Kan du huske.." "... og her er vores gamle ven XXXX igen...".
Det gør lytteoplevelsen let på trods af, at der strengt taget er tale om et ret tungt emne.
Lærer man så noget om, hvordan man bliver ældre? Ja, også selvom meget af informationen i virkeligheden er det vi kender i forvejen: Spis grønt, dyrk motion, få nok spermidin.
Og så viser det sig til sidst, at Mills Brothers havde ret: Be my life's companion and you'll never grow old (Ok, ikke never, men senere).
Bogen er populærvidenskabelig og lykkes godt med den balance. Der er dybde i det faglige, men det opsumeres løbende med let-fordøjelige bidder og tilbageblik til tidligere nævnte ting; "Kan du huske.." "... og her er vores gamle ven XXXX igen...".
Det gør lytteoplevelsen let på trods af, at der strengt taget er tale om et ret tungt emne.
Lærer man så noget om, hvordan man bliver ældre? Ja, også selvom meget af informationen i virkeligheden er det vi kender i forvejen: Spis grønt, dyrk motion, få nok spermidin.
Og så viser det sig til sidst, at Mills Brothers havde ret: Be my life's companion and you'll never grow old (Ok, ikke never, men senere).
April 1, 2024
No jo, většinou víme, že máme sportovat a nepřežírat se. Ale líbí se mi i postoj autora v tom, že například prodloužení života řekněme o 2-3 roky za cenu celoživotního hladovění, nebude asi pro čtenáře tak lákavé. Kniha je psaná populárně naučnou formou, takže se člověk neztrácí v nějakých cizích termínech apod. Možná je to ale na úkor hloubky ponoření do jednotlivých témat.
Každopádně je stravitelnou formou podáno, jakým směrem se vyvíjí trendy výzkumu stárnutí a délky života zejména s ohledem na použitelnost principů, "vyzkoumaných" zvířaty a jinými organismy, u lidského druhu.
Líbí se mi tento styl podání informací, našla jsem si tu pro sebe i něco nového, takže mohu doporučit. Stojí za to se alespoň nad popsanými skutečnostmi zamyslet.
Genetiku neovlivníme, ale spousta toho ještě upravit půjde...
Každopádně je stravitelnou formou podáno, jakým směrem se vyvíjí trendy výzkumu stárnutí a délky života zejména s ohledem na použitelnost principů, "vyzkoumaných" zvířaty a jinými organismy, u lidského druhu.
Líbí se mi tento styl podání informací, našla jsem si tu pro sebe i něco nového, takže mohu doporučit. Stojí za to se alespoň nad popsanými skutečnostmi zamyslet.
Genetiku neovlivníme, ale spousta toho ještě upravit půjde...
June 30, 2023
Huvitav ja hariv raamat inimkeha toimimisest, vananemisuuringutest ja sellest, mida teha, et elada pikemalt ja tervemalt. Hoolimata sellest, et jutt on teaduslik ja sisaldab palju mõisteid molekulaarbioloogiast, on seda siiski lihtne lugeda. Loomasõbrana oli kõiki neid laboriloomadega tehtud katseid siiski natuke jube lugeda, aga samas mõistan, et ega teadust muud moodi teha ka ei saa.
September 19, 2022
Ich habe sehr viel faszinierendes gelernt über das Altern, sei es bei Menschen, Tieren oder Pflanzen. Wirklich interessant geschrieben, easy erklärt und gut strukturiert. Hat mir gut gefallen und werde ich sicher irgendwann nochmal lesen, um mein Wissen dann nochmal aufzufrischen.
May 30, 2023
Really interesting, accessible and well written. Some of it made me a little nervous because I felt like it was starting to veer towards areas of toxic wellness and pseudoscience, but ultimately I feel like he was able to ground his points with data and avoid being hyperbolic about the information he was presenting.
I would like to read more of his writing.
I would like to read more of his writing.
January 29, 2023
Fin bog, hvor Brendborg beskriver en rækker cellulære mekanismer, der driver og påvirker aldring i forskellige organismer. Der er medtaget mange (kreative) analogier, som kan gøre biologien mere forståelige for personer uden en faglig baggrund indenfor dette felt.
January 7, 2024
4.5 / 5 stars
tw: animal cruelty/ medical content
"imagine if we could one day learn how these animals work their magic "
a deep-dive into the astonishing nature and true science of longevity. molecular biologist nicklas brenborg takes us on a journey on the mystery journey of what the world and science have to offer on aging. filled with mind-bending discoveries are sometimes far fetched thoughts, this books shows that we might be closer to immortality that one might think. 'can we truly live forever?'
i am back with another review on a science non fiction book! the secret and mysteries behind living a long life never interested me that much, until my classmate told me that she started reading this book. after diving into the summery, i came to the conclusion that this is a side of biology that actually do interest me. so, i went ahead and bought a copy of this book.
soon after, i started reading and annotating in it, and let me tell you: this book did not dissapoint. if you read some more of my reviews, you might have realised that i was slowly falling more and more in love with science non-fiction, and with good reasons! the mysterious art of immortality is no joke and at first glance sounds like a science fiction novel, but it is more than that. it is actually a lot closer than we realise, the only part is: every postive point has a double negative opposite to that. over the years, evolutions made out bodies way too complicated
if you want to start reading science non-fiction, i want to recommend this one. yes, there is science talk, but the author explains the terms clear and logically, with a spice of sarcasm. plus, the topic is really interesting :D
tw: animal cruelty/ medical content
"imagine if we could one day learn how these animals work their magic "
a deep-dive into the astonishing nature and true science of longevity. molecular biologist nicklas brenborg takes us on a journey on the mystery journey of what the world and science have to offer on aging. filled with mind-bending discoveries are sometimes far fetched thoughts, this books shows that we might be closer to immortality that one might think. 'can we truly live forever?'
i am back with another review on a science non fiction book! the secret and mysteries behind living a long life never interested me that much, until my classmate told me that she started reading this book. after diving into the summery, i came to the conclusion that this is a side of biology that actually do interest me. so, i went ahead and bought a copy of this book.
soon after, i started reading and annotating in it, and let me tell you: this book did not dissapoint. if you read some more of my reviews, you might have realised that i was slowly falling more and more in love with science non-fiction, and with good reasons! the mysterious art of immortality is no joke and at first glance sounds like a science fiction novel, but it is more than that. it is actually a lot closer than we realise, the only part is: every postive point has a double negative opposite to that. over the years, evolutions made out bodies way too complicated
if you want to start reading science non-fiction, i want to recommend this one. yes, there is science talk, but the author explains the terms clear and logically, with a spice of sarcasm. plus, the topic is really interesting :D
March 23, 2024
v good- would be 5 but the title is misleading. I think there was a single paragraph about jellyfish raging "backwards". Otherwise very good!!
Read
July 25, 2023Not what I was expecting but not in a bad way
January 15, 2024
Anbefalelsesværdig (lyd)bog, hvis man ønsker at lære mere om forskning inden for anti-aging, menneskekroppen og forskellige “biologiske processer”, og hvad man konkret kan gøre for at leve et sundere og (forhåbentlig) længere liv.
September 19, 2023
Okay den her bog var faktisk virkelig god! Den var enormt interessant og MEGET motiverende. Hver gang jeg vendte en side, fandt jeg en ny ting jeg ville afprøve. Den er skrevet i et letlæseligt sprog og er en god blanding af redegørelse/diskussion af tunge forsøg og meget håndgribelige råd.
Alle burde måske læse denne bog?
Jeg kunne godt finde på at læse den igen med en blok ved hånden, så jeg kan skrive alle de gode ideer ned. Hvem vil ikke leve længere?😇
Alle burde måske læse denne bog?
Jeg kunne godt finde på at læse den igen med en blok ved hånden, så jeg kan skrive alle de gode ideer ned. Hvem vil ikke leve længere?😇
April 23, 2022
Velskrevet og underholdende bog om aldringens gåde. Fyldt med spændende info om biologi og krop.
Desværre sad jeg tilbage med en underlig hul fornemmelse efter at have læst den. Jeg er klar over, at det ikke er naturvidenskabens opgave at spørge "hvorfor", men "hvordan" (Hvordan virker aldersmekanismerne? Hvordan kan vi bremse dem?). Alligevel mangler jeg refleksion over, hvorfor vi skal forsøge at forsinke - eller måske ligefrem standse - menneskets aldring. Hvorfor og med hvilke konsekvenser? Brendborg pointerer selv i bogen, at naturen har taget millioner af år om at afstemme alting i en fin balance, og når vi rykker ved én ting, så rykker vi også ved noget andet. Trods det taler han om manipulation af biologiske mekanismer med fremtidig medicin. Han skriver også, at naturens "mening"/"drive" er forplantning/næste generation. Hvis vi lever længere - måske en dag uendeligt - bliver der kun begrænset behov for kommende generationer. Vi piller altså ved selve naturens "natur"; at generationerne naturligt afløser hinanden.
Bogen er altså fyldt med masser af interessant biologisk info, men ingen refleksion over emnet.
Desværre sad jeg tilbage med en underlig hul fornemmelse efter at have læst den. Jeg er klar over, at det ikke er naturvidenskabens opgave at spørge "hvorfor", men "hvordan" (Hvordan virker aldersmekanismerne? Hvordan kan vi bremse dem?). Alligevel mangler jeg refleksion over, hvorfor vi skal forsøge at forsinke - eller måske ligefrem standse - menneskets aldring. Hvorfor og med hvilke konsekvenser? Brendborg pointerer selv i bogen, at naturen har taget millioner af år om at afstemme alting i en fin balance, og når vi rykker ved én ting, så rykker vi også ved noget andet. Trods det taler han om manipulation af biologiske mekanismer med fremtidig medicin. Han skriver også, at naturens "mening"/"drive" er forplantning/næste generation. Hvis vi lever længere - måske en dag uendeligt - bliver der kun begrænset behov for kommende generationer. Vi piller altså ved selve naturens "natur"; at generationerne naturligt afløser hinanden.
Bogen er altså fyldt med masser af interessant biologisk info, men ingen refleksion over emnet.
October 3, 2023
I am a geek for science books that are dumbed down *juuuust enough* for non-professional enthusiasts to understand.
I picked up this book even before knowing it was voted Times Book of the Year and I can safely say it deserves its title greatly.
I have immeeeense health anxiety as a person in general and I still managed to finish this book in approximately 3 weeks without getting triggered too many times. This was despite the constant mention of potential viral infections you wouldn't know how to avoid that may give you cancer or shorten your lifespan in the long run.
What I mean by that is that the book is written in a non-doomsday-like fashion and offers practical ways to approach what we do know about ageing for regular people.
The writing style is, for lack of a better word, friendly! It feels like your close friend is an ageing and life expectancy researcher and describing to you fascinating insights in an approachable way.
Fully recommend :)
I picked up this book even before knowing it was voted Times Book of the Year and I can safely say it deserves its title greatly.
I have immeeeense health anxiety as a person in general and I still managed to finish this book in approximately 3 weeks without getting triggered too many times. This was despite the constant mention of potential viral infections you wouldn't know how to avoid that may give you cancer or shorten your lifespan in the long run.
What I mean by that is that the book is written in a non-doomsday-like fashion and offers practical ways to approach what we do know about ageing for regular people.
The writing style is, for lack of a better word, friendly! It feels like your close friend is an ageing and life expectancy researcher and describing to you fascinating insights in an approachable way.
Fully recommend :)
January 8, 2024
If you listen to a lot of books on longevity, this one is good but nothing new.
October 14, 2021
Anmeldelse af Gopler ældes baglæns af @nbrendborg *Anmeldereksemplar*
Bogen handler om, hvor langt videnskaben er nået i kampen mod aldring. Der bliver kigget på, hvordan der i de tidligere videnskaber blev eksperimentet for at finde opskriften på det lange liv. Vi lærer, at videnskaben står over for nybrud inden for aldringens hidtidige mysterium og gåden om, hvordan man får det lange liv. For hvordan forlænger vi livet?
*Dette er faglitteratur*
Som kommende biolog synes jeg, at dette lød som en rigtig interessant bog. Og det var det også. Forfatteren er jo selv mikrobiolog og er god til at beskrive de svære ting i biologien, som man nok ikke ved, hvis man ikke har en interesse for det. Bogen er inddelt i forskellige kapitler, og forfatteren skriver ikke på en lineær måde. Og det synes jeg faktisk var ret fedt. Det virkede som om forfatteren var startet et sted, men så kommet i tanke om den her spændende ting, også blev han nødt til at snakke om den også. Og det fik mig til at føle, at forfatteren var meget passioneret omkring det her emne.
Jeg var lidt skeptisk over, om det rent faktisk er muligt at forlænge livet. Men forfatteren tager os både igennem datidens videnskab, nutidens videnskab og fortæller om ting, som er dårlige at gøre for ens helbred og gode at gøre for ens helbred. Alt dette blev yderligere interessant, når der også blev givet eksempler fra andre organismer (primært dyr).
Selv vidste jeg ikke så meget om alt dette med at forlænge ens liv. Men jeg føler, at jeg er blevet klogere på mange punkter. Der var ting, som jeg vidste i forvejen, men jeg lærte også nye ting. Det var en meget spændende læsning. Forfatteren har formået at fortælle med en passion, som jeg kunne mærke skinne igennem siderne, og det var helt vildt fedt.
Hvis man er interesseret i at høre om vi faktisk kan forlænge livet. Og hvordan man måske kan gøre for at forlænge livet, så vil jeg virkelig anbefale denne bog. Jeg vil også anbefale denne bog, hvis man bare er interesseret i biologi og hvordan kroppen fungerer. Der bliver også snakket om diverse sygdomme (hjerte-kar-sygdomme, kræft) og hvordan man måske kan undgå dem 🤓
Bogen handler om, hvor langt videnskaben er nået i kampen mod aldring. Der bliver kigget på, hvordan der i de tidligere videnskaber blev eksperimentet for at finde opskriften på det lange liv. Vi lærer, at videnskaben står over for nybrud inden for aldringens hidtidige mysterium og gåden om, hvordan man får det lange liv. For hvordan forlænger vi livet?
*Dette er faglitteratur*
Som kommende biolog synes jeg, at dette lød som en rigtig interessant bog. Og det var det også. Forfatteren er jo selv mikrobiolog og er god til at beskrive de svære ting i biologien, som man nok ikke ved, hvis man ikke har en interesse for det. Bogen er inddelt i forskellige kapitler, og forfatteren skriver ikke på en lineær måde. Og det synes jeg faktisk var ret fedt. Det virkede som om forfatteren var startet et sted, men så kommet i tanke om den her spændende ting, også blev han nødt til at snakke om den også. Og det fik mig til at føle, at forfatteren var meget passioneret omkring det her emne.
Jeg var lidt skeptisk over, om det rent faktisk er muligt at forlænge livet. Men forfatteren tager os både igennem datidens videnskab, nutidens videnskab og fortæller om ting, som er dårlige at gøre for ens helbred og gode at gøre for ens helbred. Alt dette blev yderligere interessant, når der også blev givet eksempler fra andre organismer (primært dyr).
Selv vidste jeg ikke så meget om alt dette med at forlænge ens liv. Men jeg føler, at jeg er blevet klogere på mange punkter. Der var ting, som jeg vidste i forvejen, men jeg lærte også nye ting. Det var en meget spændende læsning. Forfatteren har formået at fortælle med en passion, som jeg kunne mærke skinne igennem siderne, og det var helt vildt fedt.
Hvis man er interesseret i at høre om vi faktisk kan forlænge livet. Og hvordan man måske kan gøre for at forlænge livet, så vil jeg virkelig anbefale denne bog. Jeg vil også anbefale denne bog, hvis man bare er interesseret i biologi og hvordan kroppen fungerer. Der bliver også snakket om diverse sygdomme (hjerte-kar-sygdomme, kræft) og hvordan man måske kan undgå dem 🤓
December 31, 2022
Author and molecular biologist Nicklas Brendborg writes what could be otherwise heavy reading with oodles of wit and thoughtfulness using loads of fascinating facts and ponderations about longevity. He often waxes philosophical and invites readers to contemplate moral and ethical dilemmas (such as Henrietta Lacks)...and they are always present where there are people.
Though not exactly what I had expected (my hopes were on more of the animal kingdom), the information I learned will stick with me such as the five-minute fly, strengthening of lobsters over time, heritability, potential to increase immune function in humans, progeria, healing through social interaction and the power of pineapple, The Easter Island story is remarkable Science in history and present is eye opening such as rejuvenation through blood and bloodletting which are making a resurgence in our quest for living longer. One of the stories which stand out most to me is the Barry Marshall project...don't know that many would be that desperate. But I understand why he was. Many "a-ha!" moments generously scattered throughout these pages. Humans have much to learn from it.
Scientifically minded, slightly or wholeheartedly? Intrigued by the miracles which make our bodies tick? Not written in a textbookish way but rather an easy-to-read format which at times reads like Fiction.
My sincere thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this thought-provoking book.
Though not exactly what I had expected (my hopes were on more of the animal kingdom), the information I learned will stick with me such as the five-minute fly, strengthening of lobsters over time, heritability, potential to increase immune function in humans, progeria, healing through social interaction and the power of pineapple, The Easter Island story is remarkable Science in history and present is eye opening such as rejuvenation through blood and bloodletting which are making a resurgence in our quest for living longer. One of the stories which stand out most to me is the Barry Marshall project...don't know that many would be that desperate. But I understand why he was. Many "a-ha!" moments generously scattered throughout these pages. Humans have much to learn from it.
Scientifically minded, slightly or wholeheartedly? Intrigued by the miracles which make our bodies tick? Not written in a textbookish way but rather an easy-to-read format which at times reads like Fiction.
My sincere thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this thought-provoking book.
January 28, 2023
Beautifully and easy-reading book about why and how cells and organisms die, enter a senescence status or get sick. Overview about different species which live very long (Greenland shark -> 390 years, a californian pine -> 5000 years…), some populations known to be long-lived (Sardinia, Okinawa…), some forms of conditions which affect aging, like dwarfism (people affected by the Laron’s syndrome, caused by a defective receptor for somatrophin, the growth hormone, do not develop any form of cancer, no diabetes and no cardiovascular disease)…
The last part of the book is more focused on foods and nutrients that are known to protect from cell aging or sickness and the possible mechanism behind.
The last part of the book is more focused on foods and nutrients that are known to protect from cell aging or sickness and the possible mechanism behind.
May 11, 2023
After reading this I wanted to be a researcher and work with biology.
This is a very well written book about topics everyone benefits from knowing more about. Not necessarily for life extension but for health reason. Though those to go hand in hand, I'd imagine the talk of life extended research can scare some people. But also intrigue many others - me included.
Definitely a must read.
This is a very well written book about topics everyone benefits from knowing more about. Not necessarily for life extension but for health reason. Though those to go hand in hand, I'd imagine the talk of life extended research can scare some people. But also intrigue many others - me included.
Definitely a must read.
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