Would You Choose to Live Forever?

Scientists have made a discovery that could lead to a revolutionary drug that actually reverses ageing. Age-reversing pill that Nasa wants to give to astronauts on Mars will begin human trials within six months. The drug could assist damaged DNA to miraculously repair and even by protecting astronauts from solar radiation. A scientist’s team developed the drug after discovering a key signaling process in DNA repair and cell ageing. Therefore, during trials on mice, the researcher team found that the drug directly repaired DNA damage caused by radiation exposure or old age. However, the cells of the old mice were indistinguishable from the young mice after just one week of treatment,' said lead author Professor David Sinclair and his colleague Dr Lindsay Wu were winners in NASA's iTech competition in December 2016.

Hence, it is expected that human trials of the pill will begin within six months. This is the closest we’re to a safe and effective anti-ageing drug that's possibly only 3 to 5 years away from being on the market if the trials gets successful,' said Professor Sinclair. Moreover, the work has drawn the attention of Nasa, which is bearing in mind the big challenge of keeping its astronauts healthy during a four-year mission to Mars. Even thus on short missions, astronauts experience faster ageing from cosmic radiation, suffering from muscle softness, memory loss and other symptoms when they return. Although on a massive challenge of Mars trip, the situation would be far worse: 5% of the astronauts' cells would die and their chances of cancer would approach 100 per cent.

The Anti-Ageing Drug Trials

A team of researchers of University of New South Wales, experiments in mice, recommended a treatment is possible for DNA damage from ageing and radiation. So, it is so hopeful it has attracted the attention of Nasa scientists in their mission to reach Mars. Whereas our cells can naturally repair DNA damage, such as damage caused by the sun and their ability deteriorations with age. Moreover, the experts recognized that the call signaling molecule NAD+, which is naturally present in every cell in the body, has a crucial role in protein interactions that control DNA repair. Hence, treating mice with an NAD+ 'booster' called NMN improved their cells' ability to repair DNA damage caused by radiation exposure or old age. So, it is expected that human trials of NMN therapy will start within 6 months.

Furthermore, Dr Wu Said, we came in with a solution for a biological problem and it won the competition out of 300 entries. Cosmic radiation is not only an issue for astronauts, and all exposed to it aboard aircraft, with a London-Singapore-Melbourne flight roughly equivalent in radiation to a chest x-ray. Nevertheless in theory, the anti-ageing pill could mitigate any effects of DNA damage for recurrent flyers. Further, the other group that could benefit from this work is survivors of childhood cancers. Because 96% of childhood cancer survivors suffer a chronic illness by age 45, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancers unrelated to the original cancer.  So, keeping in mind all of this adds up to the fact they have accelerated ageing, which is devastating, Dr Wu, said. So, it’d be great indeed to do something about that, and we have faith in we can with this molecule.  Source: Charismatic Planet