What substances help people live longer: scientists say In fact, similar drugs already exist.

There is increasing scientific evidence that certain medications can help prolong life. Some of them are prescribed for the treatment of diabetes and cancer. Animal experiments have already been carried out that have proven the effectiveness of these drugs, and clinical trials in humans are beginning.

In December 2021, experts from the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai found that one compound in grape seeds can extend the life of old mice by 9 percent (about five to six years in human terms) and improve their fitness. This compound is called C1 procyanidin . In general, there are drugs that detect and destroy aging cells in the body. Such drugs are known as senolytics . Moreover, they are known to be safe for humans: among them are quercetin (a substance found in many vegetables and fruits) and dasatinib (used to treat blood cancer).

Scientists are also turning to the study of the aging process in dogs. For example, studies are being conducted on the effect of rapamycin on their aging body. This drug is known to act on cells and various signs of aging. It is already known that in small doses such a medicine can prolong the life of worms, flies, mice, yeasts. If experts’ assumptions about extending the life of dogs are correct, the drug could allow humans to live up to four years longer.

Another possible life-prolonging drug is metformin . It is taken for type 2 diabetes, but in 2016, Dr. Nir Barzilai, director of the Albert Einstein Institute on Aging, suggested that it could also be used to slow down aging. Now Barzilai and colleagues are recruiting volunteers aged 65 to 80 without diabetes to conduct the study over a period of four years.

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