Genes and Aging

Last Friday, August 5, 2011, the radio show Science Friday, had as a guest, a researcher who studies genetics and aging.  In fact, he is currently engaged in a long term study regarding the characteristics, biological and otherwise, of persons who live past the age of 100 (more often women than men).

I was so happy when I heard the exchange below that I knew I would have to tell you about it.  Of course, I was falling asleep while listening to the show, so I had to find the transcript.  What you can't get from the text below is HOW Dr.Nir Barzilai Director, Institute for Aging Research 

Albert Einstein College of Medicine  Bronx, New York,   gave. his "Absolutely Not" answer.  It was very passionate and it thrilled me to pieces, as it would of course.

The full interview is only about 12 minutes and you can listen to it by going to this website and clicking the arrow on the top left of the page, under the word LISTEN.

The exchange below is from Ira Flatow the host, and Dr. Barzilai

FLATOW: No kidding. So can you then make the blanket statement that forget about all this exercise and good food?

MEDICINE: Absolutely not. You know, those people are rare. They are unique. They are one out of 10,000. And they can do it because they have the genes. Whatever we know is still right for the rest of us, the people who are not naturally going to be 100, if we want to live healthy longer, if we want to get over the age of 80, if we want to live eight years more than others, we do have to go and do all those lifestyle interventions.