(From ScienceDaily). Stem cell based regenerative medicine offers potential cures for a wide range of conditions. Diabetes is one of these; in this case a cure would consist of producing new pancreatic tissue for the patient. Researchers are far along in the process of understanding how to do this. Just like cancer, diabetes as a life threatening condition appears to be on a short clock. All this research depends, of course, on the US government not enacting a ban on these technologies. The current administration has already slowed research with ill-advised legislation. Remember: you can do something about this!

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/07/030730080701.htm

Betterhumans talks about recent work on a new way to help the brain regenerate damage from stroke or neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease. This is comparatively low-tech - simply blocking a key chemical involved in regulating neural growth - and is not a path to real cures. However, researchers would not be able to make this leap without the tremendous advances in medical technology and biochemistry over the past decade. The more we learn, the more we can do. Articles like this are very encouraging.

Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-30-1

The latest news article at SAGE Crossroads is a helpful high-level overview of recent research on the common ground shared by cancer and aging in the body. Scientists have made amazing progress in the past few years in uncovering the complex biochemical mechanisms of both cancer and aging, and we see the two ever more entangled the more we dig. Understanding always leads to the ability to act, however. Researchers will soon be able to use this new knowledge to develop far more effective therapies in the fight against cancer, and the first true therapies in the fight against aging.

Link: http://www.sagecrossroads.com/news.cfm

The Alliance for Aging Research is getting better exposure these days, as this press release/article at Yahoo! News shows. AFAR does a very good job in the sort of advocacy that supports the advance of medical science for longer, healthier lives. They are more mainstream than most of the healthy life extension crowd, of course, but organizations like this play an important role in fighting to improve our future health and longevity.

Link: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030729/dctu018_1.html

There's no such thing as too many articles that hit all the sensible, obvious, smart points about maintaining long term health. Here's one from the Edmonton Journal. You only get one body to make it through the next few decades of medical advances in regenerative medicine, so it's best to take good care of yourself. Lose weight, exercise, take supplements, practice calorie restriction and keep up a good relationship with a physician you trust. Young or old, it's the simple, obvious things that will keep you alive and well to benefit from the future of healthy life extension and advancing medical science.

Link: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/story.asp?id=96FE5B07-69F4-4911-AEEE-E0034067902E

Christopher Reeve, movie star, vocal advocate for stem cell research and the potential of regenerative medicine, will be in Israel this week. (Article found via Transhumanity). There, he will speak out in support of Israeli medical researchers and the progress they have made in pushing the frontiers of the field. Reeve is one of the best known research advocates in the US today. He is understandably critical of US government efforts to slow and even criminalize the research that will lead to cures for his and many other conditions. His advocacy for better medicine benefits all of us too: you should certainly thank him for it.

Link: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/Entertainment/story_50596.asp

LONGEVITY MEME NEWSLETTER
July 28 2003

The Longevity Meme Newsletter is a biweekly e-mail containing news, opinions and happenings for people interested in healthy life extension: making use of diet, lifestyle choices, technology and proven medical advances to live healthy, longer lives.

______________________________

BAD LEGISLATION WATCH

A little good news over in Europe, as Spain has allowed embryonic stem cell research to continue.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&ncid=751&e=5&u=/nm/20030725/hl_nm/health_stemcells_dc

The restrictions are fairly onerous, however. It remains to be seen if this will result in the advancement of stem cell research in that country.

Tech Central Station published a very interesting article by James Pinkerton a week ago or so:

http://www.techcentralstation.com/1051/techwrapper.jsp?PID=1051-250&CID=1051-072203A

Ostensibly about religion and the state, it examines the roots of US government hostility towards healthy life extension research of all sorts: stem cell therapies, regenerative medicine and anti-aging medicine. The effort expended by the US government to prevent, slow or suppress these fields of scientific research is quite staggering. Influential government departments and commissions such as the FDA and the President's Council on Bioethics openly call for sweeping research bans on religious grounds and step in to halt successful trials of stem cell therapies.

http://www.detnews.com/2003/health/0306/13/d01-192073.htm

We must stand up for our freedoms and speak up to support the scientists who work hard to bring us longer, healthier lives. Visit the Take Action! section of the Longevity Meme, pick a topic and write to your representatives:

http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/

Living to see a future that looks just like today - in which 6000 people die every day of preventable illnesses and the effects of aging in the US alone – is not my idea of fun. As a society, we can do far better than that. We have to stop the politicians and government employees who would hold back medical progress and thereby condemn millions more to suffer and die in coming years.

GETTING STARTED ON CALORIE RESTRICTION

I strongly advocate a calorie restriction diet as the most important healthy life extension technique available here and now. In essence, calorie restriction means eating 25 to 40% fewer calories while maintaining a normal level of vital nutrients and vitamins. Decades of research have proven the effectiveness of calorie restriction in mammals. It extends lifespan and provides protection from all of the common diseases and conditions of aging. It's never too late to start, either: scientists have demonstrated that calorie restriction is very beneficial even if adopted late in life. Find out more about calorie restriction here:

http://www.calorierestriction.org/

Many benefits of calorie restriction appear keyed to weight loss. While the main goal of a calorie restriction diet is not weight loss, weight loss is a very noticeable side effect. Low calorie diets are very effective in this respect. A great deal of research has linked being overweight with increased risk of age-related illnesses and a shorter, less healthy life.

In recent years, researchers have started to identify the genetic roots of calorie restriction effects. There's definitely interesting stuff going on at the genetic level when you eat fewer calories; different gene expressions, different balances of proteins produced, different cellular signaling mechanisms utilized. A couple of companies are investigating the possibility of medicines that can reproduce these effects, but they aren't there yet. If you want the tremendous benefits of calorie restriction, you are going to have to go about it the old fashioned way.

How to get started? There's a wealth of information and few easy ways to digest it. Let me recommend the following path:

1) Obtain a Copy of "Beyond the 120 Year Diet" by Dr. Walford.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568581572/qid=1059379342/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/103-1373635-0455819

It is a very good, easy introduction to the principles and simple ideas behind calorie restriction. Beyond that, it is a practical guide that will help you over a lot of the early pitfalls. It handily answers the "what exactly is it I eat?" question and offers some great cooking tips.

2) Practice Eating a Better Diet First

While you're waiting for Amazon to deliver, you can start to shift your diet in preparation. Have a look at this "Paleodiet" resource:

http://www.panix.com/~paleodiet/

The selling point of Paleodiets is that they replicate the hunter/gatherer diet of our ancestors, and are therefore better for us. I don't agree with this argument at all, but I have found that Paleodiets make a great introduction into calorie restriction.

One thing you'll find out quite early on in your journey into calorie restriction is that you'll have to stop eating a lot of highly processed, rich, modern foods. They are heavy in calories and light in nutritional value. In the US, you can walk into any corner store and eat 1500 Kcal of junk food (chips, chocolate, and so forth) at a cost of $10. You'll be hungry again a few hours later. That same $10 could feed you for two days if you buy vegetables, rice and tofu. You'll eat 1500 Kcal a day and not be hungry at all.

I deliberately choose two examples at the opposite ends of the spectrum to make my point here, but most people do eat far more rich food and empty calories than they should. Adopting a Paleodiet for a while is an easy way to start thinking more on what you eat, how you cook and how you can better organize your eating habits in a constructive way. It's a smaller and more manageable jump than leaping straight into calorie restriction.

If you were eating an unhealthy diet before trying this, you'll notice the benefits of healthy eating within a few weeks. Your palate will be more sensitive to subtle tastes, you'll need less sleep and feel more alert, and mood swings will be diminished.

3) Pay Attention to Calories

Counting calories is a good thing, and it's something that you have to pay attention to. Your body will let you eat far more than is good for you, so your brain is going to have to take over managing the process.

Almost everything you buy from the grocery or supermarket has calorie content listed on the packet. Pay attention to these. Note that most manufacturers list calorie content by portion, and that even a lowly bar of chocolate usually has two portions. They don't like the number of calories to be too high, as people won't buy it…so they'll just divide the product into more portions with a lower calorie count per portion.

Most foods have more calories than you might think. You can always tell the new practitioners of calorie restriction at the supermarket: they'll be the ones looking at many different product packages and muttering "wow, I had no idea!"

For foods like apples, rice, loose vegetables and so forth, you will need a book of calorie values. I recommend Food Values of Portions Commonly Used:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0397554354/qid=1059380802/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-1373635-0455819?v=glance&s=books

The latest editions contain (fairly horrifying) values for fast foods as well as the more usual suspects.

4) Remember the Supplements

You should always take a multivitamin supplement at the very least when on a calorie restriction diet. In theory, it's perfectly possible to obtain all you need from what you eat. In practice, this just isn't going to happen. So take your supplements.

4) The Water Trick

Doctors tell us that few people in Western societies drink as much water as they should for optimal health. Many people even mistake low-level thirst for low-level hunger. A very, very helpful tactic for those of us practicing calorie restriction is to drink a glass of water when first feeling hungry. If you are still hungry twenty minutes later, then maybe it's time to think about eating. Half the time, you were just thirsty, however.

5) If You Have Questions, Ask!

There is a large and very helpful calorie restriction community out there. Visit:

http://www.calorierestriction.org

Join the mailing list and feel free to speak out. They have plenty of advice and helpful hints for newcomers. We were all new at this calorie restriction thing at some point in the past, and there are no stupid questions.

6) It's Just a Diet, So Relax

Many people approach diets in an all-or-nothing way. If they slip up or eat poorly one day, they become stressed or abandon the diet entirely in frustration. The key to health through diet is a relaxed attitude. If you slip up, let it go. Keep at it, do better next time, and stay working on the average.

FIN

That's all for my commentary this time: a news roundup for the past two weeks follows below. Have you told a friend about the Longevity Meme today?

DISCUSSION

Have comments for us, or want to discuss the newsletter?

Reason

Founder, Longevity Meme

______________________________

RECENT NEWS

Spain Conditionally Allows Stem Cell Research (July 25 2003)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&ncid=751&e=5&u=/nm/20030725/hl_nm/health_stemcells_dc
Back to legislation again, on a slightly happier note this time from Yahoo! News. Spain has approved embryonic stem cell research with some moderately restrictive conditions; a far better policy than in some other European countries. Indeed, better policy than there will be here in the US if legislation currently under consideration is pushed through. Stem cell research is immensely important to future health and longevity. Effective regenerative medicine and many therapies to prevent or repair the effects and diseases of aging seem likely to result from this vital medical science.

Investigating How We Grow Old (July 25 2003)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/07/25/WB69875.DTL
This SFGate reporter talks to scientists from the Buck Institute for Age Research. As they say: "We are the only freestanding institute in the country devoted to basic research on aging and age-associated diseases." Researchers at BIAR have produced great work in recent years, and the article is a fascinating view of the front lines in the fight against aging. The small size of the BIAR budget illustrates of the need for a vast expansion in funding for aging and healthy life extension research. Just think of the results if aging research were funded like cancer research!

Japanese to Map the Mechanics of Life (July 24 2003)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=570&ncid=753&e=3&u=/nm/20030724/sc_nm/science_japan_protein_dc
A short item at Yahoo News remarks on plans to map a large number of the proteins -- the "mechanics of life" -- inside every living thing. This, in essence, is the next big step for the biomedical community. Now that the Human Genome Map is done, we must turn to understanding how the proteins created by genes work. This understanding is fundamental to healthy life extension research. We have already reaped many early benefits from genetics, and we stand to gain far more from an understanding of proteins in the body.

More Artificial Bones On The Way (July 24 2003)
http://www.lef.org/news/aging/2003/07/24/eng-azdailystar/eng-azdailystar_005724_5392304453714777311.html
According to this article reprinted at the LEF News, a Tucson company has developed artificial bone for regenerative medicine. This is very similar to the successful Chinese work on regenerative bone implants that was reported on in past weeks. Competition and parallel research already is a very good sign. This sort of regenerative medicine is very promising, offering hope for a wide range of patients. There is a lot of fascinating, useful work going on today in the borders between biotechnology, nanotechnology and material sciences.

New England Journal of Medicine Pushes Stem Cell Research (July 23 2003)
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030723/03/
The influential New England Journal of Medicine has placed itself firmly in favor of stem cell research and regenerative medicine. A quote: "Of course, NEJM's move is political, and appropriately so, DeAngelis said. I have to believe that he truly thinks that this is a political way to drive the importance of stem cell research." Remember that legislation in the US and elsewhere is currently restricting this research, and threatens to even ban it. This only damages our future health, longevity and access to advanced medicine. As the article puts it: "We would hope that people will understand that you can't legislate away scientific progress."

Science and the GOP (July 22 2003)
http://www.techcentralstation.com/1051/techwrapper.jsp?PID=1051-250&CID=1051-072203A
From Tech Central Station, a fascinating article on how the US government came to be opposed to medical research and the advancement of medical science (especially in the areas of stem cell research and regenerative medicine). This is well worth a read. We should not forget that the US government is currently restricting vital medical research, and is debating further, harsher restrictions. This should certainly not be permitted to continue. Speak up for your medical rights today!

Gene Bank in the Fight Against Alzheimer's (July 22 2003)
http://www.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/spew4th.pl?ascribeid=20030722.082316&time=08%2045%20PDT&year=2003&public=1
A press release from the Ascribe newswire notes that the NIH and the Alzheimer's Association are to work on creating a gene bank to help in the fight against Alzheimer's. Defeating Alzheimer's (and other common degenerative neural conditions) is of particular importance to healthy life extension. It is looking increasingly likely that replacements for all organs except the brain could be grown to order within the next few decades. Thus, we have to spend more effort on defending our brains from the effects of aging -- we only get one of those.

New Anti-Aging Drug Promotes Anti-Oxidants (July 22 2003)
http://www.nupr.neu.edu/7-03/ceremedix.html
I'm normally wary of anti-aging drug announcements -- with good reason, since most are worthless -- but this one looks legitimate (found via KurzweilAI.net). Northestern University is reporting on research that claims remarkable success in an anti-oxidant related drug. The claims sound a little too good to be true, so we should definitely wait for peer review of the science before getting excited. Press announcements before peer review are usually a bad sign in this and most other scientific endeavors.

Exercise Is A Very, Very Good Thing (July 21 2003)
http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/local/scn-gt-aging4jul21,0,4838231.story?coll=green-news-local-headlines
The Greenwich Time reminds us that moderate exercise brings enormous health benefits, especially in the elderly. "I would say there is probably no single group in the United States that has more to gain from exercise than the elderly," said William Evans, director of the Nutrition, Metabolism and Exercise Laboratory in the Department of Geriatrics at the University of Arkansas. The rest of us benefit from exercise as well. Studies consistently show benefits in health and longevity resulting from moderate, easily accomplished exercise. If you are not exercising, you should certainly talk to your physician about it.

A Vaccine For Heart Attacks? (July 21 2003)
http://www.infoaging.org/news_article.html?SMContentIndex=1&SMContentSet=0
InfoAging details recent research that may lead to a vaccine that reduces the risk of heart attacks. This can only be a good thing, but it's worth noting that waiting around for medical science to help out is no substitute for a good diet, supplementation and exercise now. Diets and lifestyle choices like calorie restriction have been shown to greatly reduce the incidence of many age-associated diseases and condition. You really have to take care of your body if you are going to benefit fully from future therapies resulting from current medical research.

New Theory of Aging Proposed (July 20 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/07/030717091254.htm
A brief article from ScienceDaily notes a new theory on the evolutionary causes of aging and longevity. It doesn't look like a particularly watertight theory, but that's not the important point. The important point is that more scientists are talking about aging, thinking about the root causes, and working on genetics and biochemistry related to aging. This is, at heart, a good thing. In medical science, more discussion leads to more research. More research will lead to therapies and cures. One of the early steps in invigorating any field of research is to get scientists and researchers talking and exchanging theories.

Experts Debate Limits of Aging (July 19 2003)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=T5NQZFQSPI41OCRBAEOCFEY?type=scienceNews&storyID=3120365
At Reuters, a short article on the longevity discussion at the World Future Society conference. There are some disparaging comments on the ability of science to tackle aging from the normal disparaging sources. It's worth remembering this old motto: when a scientist says that something is possible, he might be right. When he says that something is impossible, he is always wrong. Right now, the scientific side of healthy life extension is looking very promising for the next few decades. It's the political and public awareness aspects that need shaking up.

More on Set of Longevity Genes Indentified (July 19 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-18-2
Betterhumans has a better article on recent work that identified a whole set of longevity-related genes. This puts researchs a large step closer to answering the all-important question: "What are the actual biochemical processes that determine lifespan?" As the article notes, this research will provide years of follow-on work for scientists. As the basic mechanisms of aging are identified, possible therapies to prevent or retard aging will surely follow.

"Male Menopause" A Myth? (July 18 2003)
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=425048
In an article from the Independent, male menopause is declared to be a myth, exaggerated and propped up by the companies that sell "treatments" for the condition. Research suggests that "male menopause" is simply a consequence of poor dietary and lifestyle choices that lead to weight gain. "Men who put on weight will have a fall in testosterone levels," Professor McKinlay said. "What they need to do is go on a diet and increase physical activity, not be treated with a patch." Given the many, many other unhealthy and downright unpleasant consequences of being overweight, I once again recommend looking into calorie restriction.

Repair Genes Offer Insights Into Aging, Cancer Therapies (July 18 2003)
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/6327773.htm
The Kansas City Star reports on research into the genes that repair our DNA. Since cancers and at least some of the effects and conditions of aging occur due to DNA damage, a better understanding of these "repair genes" could lead to a class of effective therapies. Don't hold your breath, however: it typically takes at least five years to get from this point to trialing treatments in the lab. This sort of basic research is the wellspring of new medicine, however. Congratulations to the researchers!

Update on Bionic Eyes (July 17 2003)
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,59634,00.html
On the one hand we have regenerative medicine, on the other hand the development of artificial replacement parts. Both young fields of medicine are striving to find better ways to repair the damaged human body. Here, from Wired, is an update on the state of the art in artificial eyes. These are early days yet, just as for regenerative medicine, but developments are coming thick and fast. Advancements in all such technologies are very welcome. Repairing the damage done to our bodies by age and accident offers the possibility of longer, healthier lives.

Stem Cell Research Forum Launched (July 17 2003)
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030717/04/
BioMed Central reports on the launch of the promised International Stem Cell Forum. This is an important step for this vital body of medical research, as greater collaboration and coordination between scientists worldwide will hasten the end results of research. A modest quote: "It could take 15 to 20 years, but there's a good chance we could produce therapies that are really revolutionary for diseases that cripple a lot of people."

The Phoenix Conference on Longevity Health Sciences (July 16 2003)
http://www.phoenixconference.org/
ISHARE (International Society for Healthy Aging Research and Education), Kronos Longevity Research Institute and the Oxidative Stress and Aging Association have teamed up to put together a new conference in December this year. A quote from the press release: "Despite the fact that there are numerous anti-aging products and clinical treatments on the market today, many lack scientific evidence, and the Phoenix Conference on Longevity Health Sciences has been created to help attendees separate fact from fiction, and to promote research into and implementation of legitimate practices." Good for them; high time we saw the industry starting to shake itself free from the quacks and shysters.

Stem Cell Therapies For Neural Conditions Looking More Likely (July 16 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-16-3
Betterhumans covers research that reinforces the possibility of near-future stem cell therapies for conditions like Parkinson's, paralysis or various forms of age-related blindness. It looks like stem cells from any human source can be transplanted into the brain, optic nerves or spinal cord without fear of immune rejection. There, they can start a process of regenerating damage. This is very promising indeed; it seems that the first wave of simple stem cell therapies will be as powerful as hoped.

Yet Another Approach to Beating Cancer (July 15 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/07/030715090345.htm
It's become interesting to keep track of the number of new potential anti-cancer therapies in the works. This is lucky number 13 since the last months of 2002, outlined at ScienceDaily. In essence, researchers have found a sneaky way to sabotage the telomeres in cancer cells. They believe that this will cause cancer cells in a given patient to simply die out, although far more testing and experimentation is needed. This is a good example of a therapy that is made possible by an increased level of understanding of the basic mechanisms within our cells.

Being Overweight Contributes to Alzheimer's? (July 15 2003)
http://www.msnbc.com/news/938690.asp?0cv=CB10
It seems that being overweight contributes to every degenerative disease known to man. I exaggerate, of course, but here (from MSNBC) is news of a link between weight and the onset of Alzheimer's. Excess weight has recently been linked to increased risk of cancer, and we should all know about the strong link between weight and diabetes. If you are overweight, you should certainly be looking into losing it as the first step towards living a longer, healthier life. I recommend talking to your physician and investigating calorie restriction.

Regenerative Stem Cell Treatment For Aging Arteries? (July 14 2003)
http://dukemednews.org/news/article.php?id=6765
(From Duke Health). Researchers have connected age-related damage and clotting of arteries (atherosclerosis) with the decline of a particular type of stem cell in the body. This raises the strong possibility of a regenerative therapy similar to that trialed successfully for heart damage in recent months. The patient's own stem cells could be extracted, cultured and returned to the body in greater numbers to help repair damaged tissue. If, that is, the FDA doesn't step in to block this therapy as well.

The End of Cancer As We Know It (July 14 2003)
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.08/cancer.html
A long, well-written article at Wired examines the dramatic shifts in cancer therapy that have happened in the past decade and continue today. Cancer, while still a danger, is on the way out as a life-threatening disease and well on the way to becoming a mere chronic condition. Just how this came to be is told in detail in this fascinating article. We can hope that we'll be reading very similar articles in ten or twenty years time about progress in the search for a cure for aging itself. Success (in the lab, in raising awareness and in securing funding) in the fight against cancer is the model for success in the path to healthy life extension medicine.

______________________________

Do you have comments for us, or want to discuss the newsletter?

Back to legislation again, on a slightly happier note this time from Yahoo! News. Spain has approved embryonic stem cell research with some moderately restrictive conditions; a far better policy than in some other European countries. Indeed, better policy than there will be here in the US if legislation currently under consideration is pushed through. Stem cell research is immensely important to future health and longevity. Effective regenerative medicine and many therapies to prevent or repair the effects and diseases of aging seem likely to result from this vital medical science.

Link: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&ncid=751&e=5&u=/nm/20030725/hl_nm/health_stemcells_dc

This SFGate reporter talks to scientists from the Buck Institute for Age Research. As they say: "We are the only freestanding institute in the country devoted to basic research on aging and age-associated diseases." Researchers at BIAR have produced great work in recent years, and the article is a fascinating view of the front lines in the fight against aging. The small size of the BIAR budget illustrates of the need for a vast expansion in funding for aging and healthy life extension research. Just think of the results if aging research were funded like cancer research!

Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/07/25/WB69875.DTL

A short item at Yahoo News remarks on plans to map a large number of the proteins -- the "mechanics of life" -- inside every living thing. This, in essence, is the next big step for the biomedical community. Now that the Human Genome Map is done, we must turn to understanding how the proteins created by genes work. This understanding is fundamental to healthy life extension research. We have already reaped many early benefits from genetics, and we stand to gain far more from an understanding of proteins in the body.

Link: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=570&ncid=753&e=3&u=/nm/20030724/sc_nm/science_japan_protein_dc

According to this article reprinted at the LEF News, a Tucson company has developed artificial bone for regenerative medicine. This is very similar to the successful Chinese work on regenerative bone implants that was reported on in past weeks. Competition and parallel research already is a very good sign. This sort of regenerative medicine is very promising, offering hope for a wide range of patients. There is a lot of fascinating, useful work going on today in the borders between biotechnology, nanotechnology and material sciences.

Link: http://www.lef.org/news/aging/2003/07/24/eng-azdailystar/eng-azdailystar_005724_5392304453714777311.html

The influential New England Journal of Medicine has placed itself firmly in favor of stem cell research and regenerative medicine. A quote: "Of course, NEJM's move is political, and appropriately so, DeAngelis said. I have to believe that he truly thinks that this is a political way to drive the importance of stem cell research." Remember that legislation in the US and elsewhere is currently restricting this research, and threatens to even ban it. This only damages our future health, longevity and access to advanced medicine. As the article puts it: "We would hope that people will understand that you can't legislate away scientific progress."

Link: http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030723/03/

From Tech Central Station, a fascinating article on how the US government came to be opposed to medical research and the advancement of medical science (especially in the areas of stem cell research and regenerative medicine). This is well worth a read. We should not forget that the US government is currently restricting vital medical research, and is debating further, harsher restrictions. This should certainly not be permitted to continue. Speak up for your medical rights today!

Link: http://www.techcentralstation.com/1051/techwrapper.jsp?PID=1051-250&CID=1051-072203A

A press release from the Ascribe newswire notes that the NIH and the Alzheimer's Association are to work on creating a gene bank to help in the fight against Alzheimer's. Defeating Alzheimer's (and other common degenerative neural conditions) is of particular importance to healthy life extension. It is looking increasingly likely that replacements for all organs except the brain could be grown to order within the next few decades. Thus, we have to spend more effort on defending our brains from the effects of aging -- we only get one of those.

Link: http://www.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/spew4th.pl?ascribeid=20030722.082316&time=08%2045%20PDT&year=2003&public=1

I'm normally wary of anti-aging drug announcements -- with good reason, since most are worthless -- but this one looks legitimate (found via KurzweilAI.net). Northestern University is reporting on research that claims remarkable success in an anti-oxidant related drug. The claims sound a little too good to be true, so we should definitely wait for peer review of the science before getting excited. Press announcements before peer review are usually a bad sign in this and most other scientific endeavors.

Link: http://www.nupr.neu.edu/7-03/ceremedix.html

The Greenwich Time reminds us that moderate exercise brings enormous health benefits, especially in the elderly. "I would say there is probably no single group in the United States that has more to gain from exercise than the elderly," said William Evans, director of the Nutrition, Metabolism and Exercise Laboratory in the Department of Geriatrics at the University of Arkansas. The rest of us benefit from exercise as well. Studies consistently show benefits in health and longevity resulting from moderate, easily accomplished exercise. If you are not exercising, you should certainly talk to your physician about it.

Link: http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/local/scn-gt-aging4jul21,0,4838231.story?coll=green-news-local-headlines

InfoAging details recent research that may lead to a vaccine that reduces the risk of heart attacks. This can only be a good thing, but it's worth noting that waiting around for medical science to help out is no substitute for a good diet, supplementation and exercise now. Diets and lifestyle choices like calorie restriction have been shown to greatly reduce the incidence of many age-associated diseases and condition. You really have to take care of your body if you are going to benefit fully from future therapies resulting from current medical research.

Link: http://www.infoaging.org/news_article.html?SMContentIndex=1&SMContentSet=0

A brief article from ScienceDaily notes a new theory on the evolutionary causes of aging and longevity. It doesn't look like a particularly watertight theory, but that's not the important point. The important point is that more scientists are talking about aging, thinking about the root causes, and working on genetics and biochemistry related to aging. This is, at heart, a good thing. In medical science, more discussion leads to more research. More research will lead to therapies and cures. One of the early steps in invigorating any field of research is to get scientists and researchers talking and exchanging theories.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/07/030717091254.htm

At Reuters, a short article on the longevity discussion at the World Future Society conference. There are some disparaging comments on the ability of science to tackle aging from the normal disparaging sources. It's worth remembering this old motto: when a scientist says that something is possible, he might be right. When he says that something is impossible, he is always wrong. Right now, the scientific side of healthy life extension is looking very promising for the next few decades. It's the political and public awareness aspects that need shaking up.

Link: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=T5NQZFQSPI41OCRBAEOCFEY?type=scienceNews&storyID=3120365

Betterhumans has a better article on recent work that identified a whole set of longevity-related genes. This puts researchs a large step closer to answering the all-important question: "What are the actual biochemical processes that determine lifespan?" As the article notes, this research will provide years of follow-on work for scientists. As the basic mechanisms of aging are identified, possible therapies to prevent or retard aging will surely follow.

Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-18-2

In an article from the Independent, male menopause is declared to be a myth, exaggerated and propped up by the companies that sell "treatments" for the condition. Research suggests that "male menopause" is simply a consequence of poor dietary and lifestyle choices that lead to weight gain. "Men who put on weight will have a fall in testosterone levels," Professor McKinlay said. "What they need to do is go on a diet and increase physical activity, not be treated with a patch." Given the many, many other unhealthy and downright unpleasant consequences of being overweight, I once again recommend looking into calorie restriction.

Link: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=425048

The Kansas City Star reports on research into the genes that repair our DNA. Since cancers and at least some of the effects and conditions of aging occur due to DNA damage, a better understanding of these "repair genes" could lead to a class of effective therapies. Don't hold your breath, however: it typically takes at least five years to get from this point to trialing treatments in the lab. This sort of basic research is the wellspring of new medicine, however. Congratulations to the researchers!

Link: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/6327773.htm

On the one hand we have regenerative medicine, on the other hand the development of artificial replacement parts. Both young fields of medicine are striving to find better ways to repair the damaged human body. Here, from Wired, is an update on the state of the art in artificial eyes. These are early days yet, just as for regenerative medicine, but developments are coming thick and fast. Advancements in all such technologies are very welcome. Repairing the damage done to our bodies by age and accident offers the possibility of longer, healthier lives.

Link: http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,59634,00.html

BioMed Central reports on the launch of the promised International Stem Cell Forum. This is an important step for this vital body of medical research, as greater collaboration and coordination between scientists worldwide will hasten the end results of research. A modest quote: "It could take 15 to 20 years, but there's a good chance we could produce therapies that are really revolutionary for diseases that cripple a lot of people."

Link: http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030717/04/

ISHARE (International Society for Healthy Aging Research and Education), Kronos Longevity Research Institute and the Oxidative Stress and Aging Association have teamed up to put together a new conference in December this year. A quote from the press release: "Despite the fact that there are numerous anti-aging products and clinical treatments on the market today, many lack scientific evidence, and the Phoenix Conference on Longevity Health Sciences has been created to help attendees separate fact from fiction, and to promote research into and implementation of legitimate practices." Good for them; high time we saw the industry starting to shake itself free from the quacks and shysters.

Link: http://www.phoenixconference.org/

Betterhumans covers research that reinforces the possibility of near-future stem cell therapies for conditions like Parkinson's, paralysis or various forms of age-related blindness. It looks like stem cells from any human source can be transplanted into the brain, optic nerves or spinal cord without fear of immune rejection. There, they can start a process of regenerating damage. This is very promising indeed; it seems that the first wave of simple stem cell therapies will be as powerful as hoped.

Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-16-3

It's become interesting to keep track of the number of new potential anti-cancer therapies in the works. This is lucky number 13 since the last months of 2002, outlined at ScienceDaily. In essence, researchers have found a sneaky way to sabotage the telomeres in cancer cells. They believe that this will cause cancer cells in a given patient to simply die out, although far more testing and experimentation is needed. This is a good example of a therapy that is made possible by an increased level of understanding of the basic mechanisms within our cells.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/07/030715090345.htm

It seems that being overweight contributes to every degenerative disease known to man. I exaggerate, of course, but here (from MSNBC) is news of a link between weight and the onset of Alzheimer's. Excess weight has recently been linked to increased risk of cancer, and we should all know about the strong link between weight and diabetes. If you are overweight, you should certainly be looking into losing it as the first step towards living a longer, healthier life. I recommend talking to your physician and investigating calorie restriction.

Link: http://www.msnbc.com/news/938690.asp?0cv=CB10

(From Duke Health). Researchers have connected age-related damage and clotting of arteries (atherosclerosis) with the decline of a particular type of stem cell in the body. This raises the strong possibility of a regenerative therapy similar to that trialed successfully for heart damage in recent months. The patient's own stem cells could be extracted, cultured and returned to the body in greater numbers to help repair damaged tissue. If, that is, the FDA doesn't step in to block this therapy as well.

Link: http://dukemednews.org/news/article.php?id=6765

A long, well-written article at Wired examines the dramatic shifts in cancer therapy that have happened in the past decade and continue today. Cancer, while still a danger, is on the way out as a life-threatening disease and well on the way to becoming a mere chronic condition. Just how this came to be is told in detail in this fascinating article. We can hope that we'll be reading very similar articles in ten or twenty years time about progress in the search for a cure for aging itself. Success (in the lab, in raising awareness and in securing funding) in the fight against cancer is the model for success in the path to healthy life extension medicine.

Link: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.08/cancer.html

LONGEVITY MEME NEWSLETTER
July 14 2003

The Longevity Meme Newsletter is a biweekly e-mail containing news, opinions and happenings for people interested in healthy life extension: making use of diet, lifestyle choices, technology and proven medical advances to live healthy, longer lives.

______________________________

PROTEST OVERZEALOUS FDA INTERFERENCE

There is a new action item up at the Longevity Meme "Take Action!" section, with thanks to Dean Pomerleau for prodding me into getting it done.

http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/protest_fda_interference.cfm

The FDA recently blocked a new stem cell therapy for heart damage that has proven very successful in trials. The therapy uses stem cells from the patient's own blood, directly analogous to using your own blood for transfusions in surgery. This sort of overzealous reaching on the part of the FDA carries a staggering cost; 50,000 lives every year are lost in the wait for heart transplants or a working therapy for heart disease. We must protest this sort of FDA interference if we are to benefit meaningfully from advanced medical technologies currently in development.

The US Food and Drug Administration has a long and checkered history of failing to live up to its mandate, covering up mistakes, blocking good therapies and drastically increasing the cost of bring new medicine to the marketplace. References for those who are interested can be found at the FDA Review:

http://www.fdareview.org/

Please visit the web page for this action item for more information. Read, form your own opinions and compose a short, sharp letter to your representatives. As always, faxes and short, clear, polite points are the key to communication with politicians. A sample letter is included on the web page for this action item:

http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/protest_fda_interference.cfm

You can find out more about who your representatives are and how to contact them at the following websites:

http://www.congress.org
http://www.senate.org/

One day, you may be one of the people who are sick, suffering or dying because the FDA acted as they did recently for this stem cell heart therapy. It's time to rein them in before they trample on further important medical research.

A REMINDER ON OTHER ACTION ITEMS

Those of you who are new to the newsletter may not have visited the "Take Action!" section of the Longevity Meme yet. Please do so, and take a moment to see how you can help to ensure a future of longer, healthier lives for all.

http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR HEALTH?

When it comes down to it, you and you only are responsible for your health. Not your parents, not your friends, not your doctor and certainly not any given government employee. There is a distressing tendency in modern society for individuals to drop the ball when it comes to fundamental rights and responsibilities. You can be as assured as you please in the belief that someone else will care as much about your health as you do, but you will be wrong. They don't: not parents, nor friends, nor your doctor and certainly not government functionaries.

If you give away your responsibility, your health will suffer. Here is a wonderful article on this subject from Dr. Mercola's web site. It deserves far wider distribution; feel free to forward this on to your friends:

http://www.mercola.com/2003/jul/9/health_responsibility.htm

Responsibility for your own future health and longevity is at the heart of the Longevity Meme: Live Healthily, Fight Aging, and Extend Your Life.

Live Healthily:
Take responsibility for your own health. Do the research and use the best techniques available today to slow the damaging effects of aging. Build a relationship with your physician, exercise, take supplements and practice calorie restriction.

Fight Aging:
Responsibility also means taking action to ensure a better, longer, healthier future. Don't just passively wait and hope! A little effort from each one of many people will make a large difference. Hastening the arrival of medicines that will ensure decades (or more) of healthy life for all of us is of vital importance. This medical technology could easily arrive too late for those of us reading this. Medical research into stem cells, aging and regeneration requires support and encouragement. Anti-research legislation and anti-progress groups must be defeated. Many, many people have yet to hear the healthy life extension message. Do your friends a favor and explain the Longevity Meme to them today!

Extend Your Life
Living a longer, healthier life is a decision. You choose to do it; health and longevity are not accidents for most of us. Like all things worth having, they must be worked at and fought for. That decision is your responsibility.

STEM CELLS IN THE NEWS

Stem cell research has been in the news non-stop for the past few months. Not a week goes by without some new amazing result. It seems that the first blush of simple stem cell therapies for regenerative medicine might be only a few years away. I say simple, because these therapies are literally on the level of transfusions. Stem cells are cultured from the patient's own tissue and then injected back into the patient. New medicine doesn't get much simpler than that in this day and age; we could be on the verge of seeing a revolution in medicine akin to that connected with early successes in blood transfusion and control of infection.

It almost seems like stem cells from your own body are the miracle cure-all; inject them anywhere and things start to fix themselves. Of course, this throwaway statement hides the many years of hard work by scientists that has brought us to this point. This hard work continues. While stem cell therapies for heart damage and eye injuries are demonstrated successes (here in the US in Japan, respectively), scientists are still hard at work to bring the similar therapies to bear on nerve damage and degenerative diseases like Parkinson's.

The future of this first wave of simple stem-cell-based regenerative medicine looks rosy from the technical side of things. Unfortunately, the political establishment in the US and other countries are doing their level best to hamper progress. A ban on a broad swathe of stem cell medicine is pending in the US:

http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/oppose_the_theraputic_cloning_ban.cfm

The FDA, as noted earlier in this newsletter, has forbidden further trials of successful stem cell therapies for heart damage:

http://www.detnews.com/2003/health/0306/13/d01-192073.htm

We are responsible for our own future health. This responsibility extends to telling our elected representatives that what they are doing is wrong.

FIN

That's all for my commentary this time: a news roundup for the past two weeks follows below.

DISCUSSION

Have comments for us, or want to discuss the newsletter?

Reason

Founder, Longevity Meme

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RECENT NEWS

Seeking Answers To Age-Related Blindness (July 13 2003)
http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2003/07/07/story7.html
We humans have a tendency to assume that things are easy if they are proceeding well. So it is with medical research. Research has been progressing very rapidly of late, but this is due to the hard work of tens of thousands of scientists. This article from the Memphis Business Journal shows us a small piece of the overall picture: the hard work required to solve one small part of the aging process. This is how aging will be beaten; one small step at a time, with the hard work of researchers like Malinda Fitzgerald and the support of people like you and I.

A4M In The Middle East (July 13 2003)
http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/26123.html
An article from AME Info notes that the American Association of Anti-Aging Medicine is gearing up to launch a new conference event in the Middle East. A4M already runs a number of large, influential events around the world. Unfortunately, they have been overrun in past years by the bad side of the "anti-aging" marketplace: quacks, miracle pills and potions. I understand that the scientific, honest side of the industry as a whole (and A4M specifically) are trying hard to clean up their act in this respect. Something certainly has to be done within the next few years before the shysters wreck the legitimate scientific industry that feeds them beyond any chance of repair.

Bostrom on Those Who Oppose Human Advancement (July 12 2003)
http://www.nickbostrom.com/ethics/dignity.html
Current legislative efforts to ban research into regenerative medicine, stem cell therapies and other healthy life extension medical technology are part of a larger battle. Those who oppose progress and change (such as bioconservatives) face off against those who desire a better world for all of us (such as transhumanists). Nick Bostrom has penned a great article on the arguments currently taking place. Our corner of the wider battle will determine future longevity and access to cheap, advanced medical technologies. It is a fight we must win.

"Merchants of Immortality" Discussed (July 12 2003)
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/13/books/review/13GAWANDT.html?ex=1058673600&en=e01b97d333416beb&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE
An article at the New York Times discusses the book "Merchants of Immortality." A catchy title for a book about recent and near future medical advances that will enable us to live longer, healthier lives. This is placed in the context of "political idiocy" (as the review puts it) surrounding this medical research. Regular readers will be quite aware of all of this; bad, anti-research legislation is a common topic of discussion here.

Cancer and Fat, Once More (July 11 2003)
http://www.msnbc.com/news/936778.asp?0dm=C14OH
MSNBC is running an article on the link between being overweight and an increased risk of cancer. This falls into the common sense and general health category: there are already so many health reasons to keep yourself at a sensible weight. Research has shown that being overweight -- even just a little overweight -- will cut years or decades from your healthy lifespan. All the more reason to investigate calorie restriction!

Stem Cell Therapies For Muscule Degeneration? (July 10 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-10-3
While we are on the subject of stem cell therapies, here is an article from Betterhumans on the subject. Research shows that stem cells cultivated from a patient could be used to treat regenerate muscle lost to degenerative conditions. Unlike similar work that regenerates damaged heart tissue (and was recently blocked by the FDA), this muscle regeneration is in the very early stages. Still, it shows that there should be a wide range of regenerative therapies resulting from stem cell work that should be available before the end of the decade. This is very promising indeed, and could have very beneficial effects on our future longevity. This is why we must stand up to support and defend medical research; it is in our own best interests to age in a world with stem cell medicine rather than one without.

EU Moving To Permit Stem Cell Research (July 10 2003)
http://dbs.cordis.lu/cgi-bin/srchidadb?CALLER=NHP_EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=EN_RCN_ID:20554
As reported in Cordis (found via Transhumanity), the EU is leaning towards allowing funding for embryonic stem cell research. This is something of a big fuss and bother over what is really a non-event. EU member countries can (and will) ignore EU guidelines. Both France and Germany already either ban or strongly restrict this promising research, while the UK would be funding it in any case.

Who is Responsible For Your Health? (July 09 2003)
http://www.mercola.com/2003/jul/9/health_responsibility.htm
An excellent article from Dr. Mercola's site asks this question. A quote: "Your answer to this question can increase or decrease the quality and length of your life, so consider carefully: Who is responsible for your health?" This is very, very true. We are individually responsible for our health and longevity. We cannot sit back and hope to be healthy, just as we cannot sit back and hope that the future of medical science turns out to be rosy. We must work for a positive outcome both in our personal health and in the future of medicine.

Building Replacement Organs To Order (July 08 2003)
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993916
One of the grails of regenerative medicine is the ability to grow organs for transplant from the cells of the recipients. There would be no need for donors and far fewer medical complications during a transplant. As this article from the New Scientist makes clear, researchers are getting closer to this goal. A cheap, unlimited source of replacement organs for everyone will be a very important step in the road to extending our healthy lifespans.

Of Twins and Centenarians (July 08 2003)
http://www.sagecrossroads.com/news_063003.cfm
An easy-reading article by Chris Mooney at SAGE Crossroads discusses twin studies and what they can tell us about genetics and aging. Ongoing studies of twins and centenarians illuminate the way in which some genetic combinations can help us to live longer lives. As the article points out, however, good genes are usually no substitute for good medical care and a healthy lifestyle! It will take more research and advances in medicine before we can have our cake, eat it, and still live to be 100.

Debating The Future of Life Extension (July 08 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/Events/Debating_the_Future/
Betterhumans is hosting a bioethics debate in late August in Toronto. Amongst the topics is radical life extension, but most other advanced medical technologies (nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and so forth) will have a strong bearing on our health and longevity as well. It looks to be an interesting event given the distance between the positions argued by the two sides. It should be very similar to the recent Stock vrs McKibben debate (which is well worth reading). Publicity materials are available in PDF form for those who want to help out with spreading the word.

Ted Williams Cryonics Dispute Continues (July 07 2003)
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/05/Tampabay/Dispute_over_slugger_.shtml
You may have thought that the dispute over Ted William's cryonic suspension was over and done with, but apparently not. This article from the St. Petersburg Times brings us up to date on recent happenings. From where I stand, it looks like the man made a rational choice to be suspended. The heirs who disagree should respect that choice rather than continue to try and have him cremated to satisfy their own selfish desires. The article also notes naive and uninformed efforts by someone unrelated to Ted Williams to have Alcor investigated for fraud! This will hopefully come to nothing.

Taming Cancer (July 06 2003)
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/187/metro/Advances_begin_to_tame_cancer+.shtml
From the Boston Globe, a good article on the way in which cancer has been tamed over the past decade. Incremental but significant advances in medicine have brought us to this point. I bring cancer up often, as the past 30 years of fighting cancer is the model for the next 30 years spent fighting aging. What we see now - cancer almost a mere chronic condition and nearly cured - is the fruit of success in activism, funding and hard scientific work. This can happen for aging as well: we merely have to work for it.

Aging Research Becoming Entrepreneurial (July 06 2003)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0707research07.html
The Arizona Republic discusses the move towards business realities by many medical research centers, including those working on aging and age-related diseases. This is a very good thing to see; this short of shift happens as a field becomes more legitimate and profitable therapies are seen as being closer to hand. It opens up reserves of funding that would otherwise go elsewhere. It encourages faster development and commercialization of new medicines and therapies. All in all, it should make us all very happy to see more articles like this in print!

Vitamin Study Creating Confusion (July 05 2003)
http://www.infoaging.org/news_article.html?SMContentIndex=1&SMContentSet=0
InfoAging is reprinting a couple of items on the recent government study on the effectiveness of vitamins. The mainstream press didn't emphasise that this was a narrow, short single study. In short, the results aren't all that useful or meaningful unless repeated in a lot more studies. It's always best to take a wait and see approach to recent research. The results in this study related to smoking are odd: if you want to lower your cancer risk, quit smoking, not taking vitamins!

More on Bone Regeneration (July 05 2003)
http://www.smalltimes.com/document_display.cfm?section_id=45&document_id=6300
You may recall recent news of Chinese advances in bone regeneration. It is are working well and has been successfully used dozens of patients. This article from Small Times notes that commercialization is only a few years away. Commentators seem optimistic that it will get through FDA approval rapidly; we can hope. A normal outcome is for a new medical technology to be blocked by the FDA for anything up to a decade. The pioneer of this technology is currently looking at regeneration of other body parts using similar techniques.

On Hormones, Aging and Risks (July 04 2003)
http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/health_and_fitness/article/0,1713,BDC_2431_2073847,00.html
An article from Boulder News offers a look at the practice of taking hormone supplements in an attempt to retard aging. There are some interesting quotes; I think that the important lesson to take away is that the science is very uncertain. There are unknown risks associated with the long-term use of hormone supplements. This is one of the reasons I advise people to stick to proven healthy life extension strategies. (Like calorie restriction). It is worth noting that the people who try strategies like hormone supplementation usually take very good care of their health in other ways as well. They may look healthy and young, but it is hard say why.

Okinawans Losing Their Longevity (July 03 2003)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/T276748.htm
From Reuters AlertNet, news that lifestyle changes in Okinawa are eroding the famous Okinawan longevity. This longevity is attributed to the local diet and customs that encourage a form of mild calorie restriction and moderate exercise. Changes to a more "Western" diet and lifestyle are shortening the healthy lifespan of Okinawans. We can look at this process and learn a lot about the way in which we should be living in order to live healthily, for longer. It is worth remembering that these current, more "natural" ways of extending your healthy lifespan will still leave you old and dead in the end. We must look to the future of medicine and stand up to support medical research if we want to live in good health and spirits for far, far longer.

More on the Genetic Roots of Longevity (July 03 2003)
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-03ze.html
From SpaceDaily, a longer, better article on the recent research into the set of genes that promote longevity in roundworms. This really is an impressive set of work that opens a whole set of doors for further investigation into genetic and biochemical ways of lengthening healthy lifespan. The impressive speed of this study is due to equally impressive advances in biomedical technology. It has not been long at all since the original target longevity gene in this research was discovered.

Depressed People Die Younger (July 02 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-02-2
From Betterhumans, news that severe depression is linked with a shorter life. This is probably not news to anyone who has experienced depression or cared for someone who suffered the condition. Depressed people do not take care of themselves. If you don't take care of your body (take supplements, exercise, eat well, have a good relationship with your physician, and so forth), then your health will not stick around. It's just like taking care of a car; proper maintenance makes all the difference to healthy lifespan.

Notes From Transvision 2003 (July 02 2003)
http://www.reason.com/rb/rb070203.shtml
Ronald Bailey (writing for Reason Online) was at Transvision 2003, and has an interesting report ready. Much of the focus of this conference was on the fight between those who want to prevent all progress -- in healthy life extension and other fields -- and those who want to see the human condition improved through technology. Quote: "...if a cure for cancer that would otherwise have been available in 2020 is delayed to 2030...that means tens of millions of people who would otherwise have been alive would be dead."

How Stress Shortens Your Life (July 01 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-06-30-6
An article at Betterhumans talks about stress and the biochemical way in which it damages your health. Researchers (and everyone else, for that matter) have long known that stress is bad for your health. Bad health means a shorter, less happy life. Here now, is the mechanism that explains how stress leads to a faster rate of age-related damage to your body. Perhaps this will provoke some of us into taking steps to reduce the level of stress we subject ourselves to.

Another Ethical Source of Stem Cells? (June 30 2003)
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993886
The New Scientist comments on recent work that raises the possibility of obtaining stem cells from amniotic fluid. There are still many questions to be answered about stem cells from non-embryonic sources, such as whether all these different types of stem cells are the same, and whether they can be used in therapies or regenerative medicine. Still, it is heartening to see so much progress in this field of medicine despite attempts to ban and criminalize it. This is where the life-extending and heath-ensuring medicine of the future will come from.

Unusual Regeneration Via Stem Cells (June 30 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-06-30-4
In another example of stem cells leading to neural regeneration in unusual ways, researchers have found that these cells release molecules that aid neuron survival and improve motor ability. (Article from Betterhumans). This was something of a suprise. There was impressive regeneration and recovery in the studies carried out on paralyzed rats, but it was not occurring for the expected reasons. Still, the researchers are excited: this is yet more proof that stem cell therapies can cure a wide range of degenerative conditions of aging.

______________________________

Do you have comments for us, or want to discuss the newsletter?

We humans have a tendency to assume that things are easy if they are proceeding well. So it is with medical research. Research has been progressing very rapidly of late, but this is due to the hard work of tens of thousands of scientists. This article from the Memphis Business Journal shows us a small piece of the overall picture: the hard work required to solve one small part of the aging process. This is how aging will be beaten; one small step at a time, with the hard work of researchers like Malinda Fitzgerald and the support of people like you and I.

Link: http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2003/07/07/story7.html

An article from AME Info notes that the American Association of Anti-Aging Medicine is gearing up to launch a new conference event in the Middle East. A4M already runs a number of large, influential events around the world. Unfortunately, they have been overrun in past years by the bad side of the "anti-aging" marketplace: quacks, miracle pills and potions. I understand that the scientific, honest side of the industry as a whole (and A4M specifically) are trying hard to clean up their act in this respect. Something certainly has to be done within the next few years before the shysters wreck the legitimate scientific industry that feeds them beyond any chance of repair.

Link: http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/26123.html

Current legislative efforts to ban research into regenerative medicine, stem cell therapies and other healthy life extension medical technology are part of a larger battle. Those who oppose progress and change (such as bioconservatives) face off against those who desire a better world for all of us (such as transhumanists). Nick Bostrom has penned a great article on the arguments currently taking place. Our corner of the wider battle will determine future longevity and access to cheap, advanced medical technologies. It is a fight we must win.

Link: http://www.nickbostrom.com/ethics/dignity.html

An article at the New York Times discusses the book "Merchants of Immortality." A catchy title for a book about recent and near future medical advances that will enable us to live longer, healthier lives. This is placed in the context of "political idiocy" (as the review puts it) surrounding this medical research. Regular readers will be quite aware of all of this; bad, anti-research legislation is a common topic of discussion here.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/13/books/review/13GAWANDT.html?ex=1058673600&en=e01b97d333416beb&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

MSNBC is running an article on the link between being overweight and an increased risk of cancer. This falls into the common sense and general health category: there are already so many health reasons to keep yourself at a sensible weight. Research has shown that being overweight -- even just a little overweight -- will cut years or decades from your healthy lifespan. All the more reason to investigate calorie restriction!

Link: http://www.msnbc.com/news/936778.asp?0dm=C14OH

While we are on the subject of stem cell therapies, here is an article from Betterhumans on the subject. Research shows that stem cells cultivated from a patient could be used to treat regenerate muscle lost to degenerative conditions. Unlike similar work that regenerates damaged heart tissue (and was recently blocked by the FDA), this muscle regeneration is in the very early stages. Still, it shows that there should be a wide range of regenerative therapies resulting from stem cell work that should be available before the end of the decade. This is very promising indeed, and could have very beneficial effects on our future longevity. This is why we must stand up to support and defend medical research; it is in our own best interests to age in a world with stem cell medicine rather than one without.

Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-10-3

As reported in Cordis (found via Transhumanity), the EU is leaning towards allowing funding for embryonic stem cell research. This is something of a big fuss and bother over what is really a non-event. EU member countries can (and will) ignore EU guidelines. Both France and Germany already either ban or strongly restrict this promising research, while the UK would be funding it in any case.

Link: http://dbs.cordis.lu/cgi-bin/srchidadb?CALLER=NHP_EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=EN_RCN_ID:20554

An excellent article from Dr. Mercola's site asks this question. A quote: "Your answer to this question can increase or decrease the quality and length of your life, so consider carefully: Who is responsible for your health?" This is very, very true. We are individually responsible for our health and longevity. We cannot sit back and hope to be healthy, just as we cannot sit back and hope that the future of medical science turns out to be rosy. We must work for a positive outcome both in our personal health and in the future of medicine.

Link: http://www.mercola.com/2003/jul/9/health_responsibility.htm

One of the grails of regenerative medicine is the ability to grow organs for transplant from the cells of the recipients. There would be no need for donors and far fewer medical complications during a transplant. As this article from the New Scientist makes clear, researchers are getting closer to this goal. A cheap, unlimited source of replacement organs for everyone will be a very important step in the road to extending our healthy lifespans.

Link: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993916

An easy-reading article by Chris Mooney at SAGE Crossroads discusses twin studies and what they can tell us about genetics and aging. Ongoing studies of twins and centenarians illuminate the way in which some genetic combinations can help us to live longer lives. As the article points out, however, good genes are usually no substitute for good medical care and a healthy lifestyle! It will take more research and advances in medicine before we can have our cake, eat it, and still live to be 100.

Link: http://www.sagecrossroads.com/news_063003.cfm

Betterhumans is hosting a bioethics debate in late August in Toronto. Amongst the topics is radical life extension, but most other advanced medical technologies (nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and so forth) will have a strong bearing on our health and longevity as well. It looks to be an interesting event given the distance between the positions argued by the two sides. It should be very similar to the recent Stock vrs McKibben debate (which is well worth reading). Publicity materials are available in PDF form for those who want to help out with spreading the word.

Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/Events/Debating_the_Future/

You may have thought that the dispute over Ted William's cryonic suspension was over and done with, but apparently not. This article from the St. Petersburg Times brings us up to date on recent happenings. From where I stand, it looks like the man made a rational choice to be suspended. The heirs who disagree should respect that choice rather than continue to try and have him cremated to satisfy their own selfish desires. The article also notes naive and uninformed efforts by someone unrelated to Ted Williams to have Alcor investigated for fraud! This will hopefully come to nothing.

Link: http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/05/Tampabay/Dispute_over_slugger_.shtml

From the Boston Globe, a good article on the way in which cancer has been tamed over the past decade. Incremental but significant advances in medicine have brought us to this point. I bring cancer up often, as the past 30 years of fighting cancer is the model for the next 30 years spent fighting aging. What we see now - cancer almost a mere chronic condition and nearly cured - is the fruit of success in activism, funding and hard scientific work. This can happen for aging as well: we merely have to work for it.

Link: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/187/metro/Advances_begin_to_tame_cancer+.shtml

The Arizona Republic discusses the move towards business realities by many medical research centers, including those working on aging and age-related diseases. This is a very good thing to see; this short of shift happens as a field becomes more legitimate and profitable therapies are seen as being closer to hand. It opens up reserves of funding that would otherwise go elsewhere. It encourages faster development and commercialization of new medicines and therapies. All in all, it should make us all very happy to see more articles like this in print!

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0707research07.html

InfoAging is reprinting a couple of items on the recent government study on the effectiveness of vitamins. The mainstream press didn't emphasise that this was a narrow, short single study. In short, the results aren't all that useful or meaningful unless repeated in a lot more studies. It's always best to take a wait and see approach to recent research. The results in this study related to smoking are odd: if you want to lower your cancer risk, quit smoking, not taking vitamins!

Link: http://www.infoaging.org/news_article.html?SMContentIndex=1&SMContentSet=0

You may recall recent news of Chinese advances in bone regeneration. It is are working well and has been successfully used dozens of patients. This article from Small Times notes that commercialization is only a few years away. Commentators seem optimistic that it will get through FDA approval rapidly; we can hope. A normal outcome is for a new medical technology to be blocked by the FDA for anything up to a decade. The pioneer of this technology is currently looking at regeneration of other body parts using similar techniques.

Link: http://www.smalltimes.com/document_display.cfm?section_id=45&document_id=6300

An article from Boulder News offers a look at the practice of taking hormone supplements in an attempt to retard aging. There are some interesting quotes; I think that the important lesson to take away is that the science is very uncertain. There are unknown risks associated with the long-term use of hormone supplements. This is one of the reasons I advise people to stick to proven healthy life extension strategies. (Like calorie restriction). It is worth noting that the people who try strategies like hormone supplementation usually take very good care of their health in other ways as well. They may look healthy and young, but it is hard say why.

Link: http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/health_and_fitness/article/0,1713,BDC_2431_2073847,00.html

From Reuters AlertNet, news that lifestyle changes in Okinawa are eroding the famous Okinawan longevity. This longevity is attributed to the local diet and customs that encourage a form of mild calorie restriction and moderate exercise. Changes to a more "Western" diet and lifestyle are shortening the healthy lifespan of Okinawans. We can look at this process and learn a lot about the way in which we should be living in order to live healthily, for longer. It is worth remembering that these current, more "natural" ways of extending your healthy lifespan will still leave you old and dead in the end. We must look to the future of medicine and stand up to support medical research if we want to live in good health and spirits for far, far longer.

Link: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/T276748.htm

From SpaceDaily, a longer, better article on the recent research into the set of genes that promote longevity in roundworms. This really is an impressive set of work that opens a whole set of doors for further investigation into genetic and biochemical ways of lengthening healthy lifespan. The impressive speed of this study is due to equally impressive advances in biomedical technology. It has not been long at all since the original target longevity gene in this research was discovered.

Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-03ze.html

From Betterhumans, news that severe depression is linked with a shorter life. This is probably not news to anyone who has experienced depression or cared for someone who suffered the condition. Depressed people do not take care of themselves. If you don't take care of your body (take supplements, exercise, eat well, have a good relationship with your physician, and so forth), then your health will not stick around. It's just like taking care of a car; proper maintenance makes all the difference to healthy lifespan.

Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-07-02-2

Ronald Bailey (writing for Reason Online) was at Transvision 2003, and has an interesting report ready. Much of the focus of this conference was on the fight between those who want to prevent all progress -- in healthy life extension and other fields -- and those who want to see the human condition improved through technology. Quote: "...if a cure for cancer that would otherwise have been available in 2020 is delayed to 2030...that means tens of millions of people who would otherwise have been alive would be dead."

Link: http://www.reason.com/rb/rb070203.shtml

An article at Betterhumans talks about stress and the biochemical way in which it damages your health. Researchers (and everyone else, for that matter) have long known that stress is bad for your health. Bad health means a shorter, less happy life. Here now, is the mechanism that explains how stress leads to a faster rate of age-related damage to your body. Perhaps this will provoke some of us into taking steps to reduce the level of stress we subject ourselves to.

Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-06-30-6