Aging principles and perspectives for intervention

Abstract

The evolutionary and the biological principles of aging are now well established, and these show that aging is not determined by any specific gerontogenes. Instead, it is the imperfect maintenance and repair systems that lead to a progressive failure of homeodynamics, aging and eventual death. Gene therapy, stem cell therapy, hormonal replenishment and nutritional supplementations, tested mostly in experimental model systems, have achieved limited success for humans. The complex trait of aging requires wholistic approaches for maintaining or improving health in old age. A promising approach for health maintenance and improvement is that of mild stress-induced physiological hormesis. Physical and mental exercise, various non-nutritional food components, such as polyphenols, flavonoids and terpenoids in spices, oils and other formulations are hormetins, which have health beneficial effects through physiological hormesis. The future scenarios for aging intervention include intelligent redesigning and trans-humanistic enhancements through robots and cyborgs combining both organic and biomechatronic body parts.