The Rate of Aging is Not Fixed!
Aging may be the greatest leap in understanding between the old and new medical science paradigms. Under the old paradigm, human longevity was set—three score and ten. We just wear out like an old shoe. But the new understandings of genetics and epigenetics have turned all that on its head. The child above died of an old age related disease at age 17. She has progeria-accelerated aging.
Just consider the case of progeria. That disease is a massive anomaly under the old paradigm. Now we understand that a single mutation in a single gene causes these children to age four times as rapidly as normal kids. Their accelerated aging is not related to smoke or obesity. They die in their teens and they generally die of heart attacks and strokes. Their lives are compressed by a single mutation-one change in their DNA in a single gene. These children develop the diseases of old age including hearing loss, osteoporosis, and insulin resistance. The greatest risk factor for chronic illness is aging. The genetic changes and gene regulation responsible for aging also cause chronic diseases. These genetic and epigenetic (gene regulation) changes affect every cell and organ in the body. The most effective treatments protect all organs and cells.
In these children, a single mutation accelerates aging and chronic disease development. In adults, the master genetic switches (mTOR/AMPK) that are essential for coordinating food supply with fetal and childhood growth, become less active in healthy young adults. mTOR becomes more active when overeating, excess abdominal fat, and smoking cigarettes activate growth factor signaling. Switching mTOR on switches AMPK off. mTOR and AMPK signaling is abnormal in progeria. These signaling pathways are central to chronic disease and aging. Animals with less active mTOR signaling live longer, healthier lives. Several medications for cardiovascular risk factors directly or indirectly switch off mTOR and switch on AMPK. In high risk type 2 diabetes, a protocol containing these medications prolongs life by 8 years.
The simple example of progeria shows that a single gene mutation can dramatically influence longevity. Now we understand these processes well enough to manipulate them and prolong healthy life.