Searching for the Fountain of Youth – McGill Tribune
Posted: October 17, 2019 at 12:44 pm
Montreal community members crowded into the Redpath Museum Auditorium on Sept. 27 for a Freaky Friday lecture. In the talk, Professor Joe Schwarcz, Director of the McGill Office for Science and Society, discussed humanitys historical attempts to delay aging.
Nobody looks forward to getting old, Schwarcz said. Historically, there has been this search for the Fountain of Youth, and, over the years, many anti-aging regimens have been developed.
One such regimen consisted of bathing in sour donkey milk and was practiced by Queen Cleopatra in the first century BC. Modern science suggests that, since sour milk contains lactic acid, the remedy could have had a slight rejuvenating effect. Lactic acid belongs to a class of compounds called alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that speed up the turnover of skin cells and are now marketed in cosmetic face creams.
In the 19th century, physiologist Charles Brown-Squard observed that eunuchs suffered from medical problems and hypothesized that a substance present in the testes was the key to health and longevity. He injected himself with extracts from dog testes, inspiring other researchers to further investigate gland transplants.
This tradition continued into the early 20th century when John Brinkley, a charlatan without medical credentials, made a fortune by transplanting the testicles of goats into the scrota of aging men.
He had very few complications because he never connected the goat testicles to anything, but he had plenty of men saying how happy they were, [] undoubtedly due to the placebo effect, Schwarcz said. Although we look back on these ventures as being virtually comical, [] this really was the beginning of hormonal therapy.
Attempts to exploit the gullibility of the public persisted, even as legitimate science advanced. Human growth hormone (HGH), the production of which declines as a person ages, became a widely promoted remedy after a 1990 study observed that HGH treatments increased lean mass and bone density in elderly men.
HGH, at the time, was very difficult to come by, Schwarcz said. But there were clinics that popped up [] that were offering HGH injections for much less than [the expected price], so no one knows what they were actually injecting.
When public awareness caught up, companies instead began marketing an HGH secretagogue, a substance that supposedly stimulates the secretion of raw materials to form HGH proteins inside the body. However, HGH levels decline because of the reduced activity of enzymes that assemble raw materials into proteins, not because of a shortage of raw materials.
Supplying these secretagogues is like supplying bricks and windows and doors and hoping that they will assemble themselves into a building, which will not happen because the builder is missing, Schwarcz said.
Schwarcz also noted that the manipulative tactics of advertisers are present in many modern anti-aging products.
Marketing very often uses clever words such as It may help [] and, as soon as you do that, you are protected legally, Schwarcz said.
Some companies push this principle above and beyond. Based in Arizona, the Alcor Life Extension Foundation specializes in cryonics, a pseudoscience that insists on freezing human corpses in the hope of resurrecting them in the future.
It [costs] at least $100,000, Schwarcz said. This is of course nonsense. When you are cold and dead, you are dead.
While some make expensive bets on futuristic technologies, Schwarczs recommendations for prolonging life are a lot less flashy. Okinawa Island in Japan is home to more centenarians than any other place in the world. The lifestyle of this population is characterized by a high consumption of fish, vegetables, and fruit, a low consumption of red meat and processed food, and high levels of activity.
Eating a proper balanced diet, [] exercise, and [genetics] are a few keys, but these are not highly marketable, Schwarcz said. There constantly are these miracle solutions, but there are no miracles.
Continued here:
Searching for the Fountain of Youth - McGill Tribune
- Intelliconnect (Europe) Ltd. - Cryogenics and connecting the cold bits - Design Products & Applications - January 9th, 2021
- Cryonics In 2020 Guide: Will It Replace Burial and Cremation? - December 7th, 2020
- Brit pensioner plans to freeze his own corpse in hopes of being revived centuries later - Daily Star - November 28th, 2020
- Global Russia Cryonics Technology Market 2020: Classification, Application And Specifications, Industry Overview, Analysis Of The Main Key Regions And... - November 24th, 2020
- Europe Cryonics Technology Market 2020 Top Trend, Size and Growth, Key Insights, Segmentation, Key Regions And Future Forecast Till 2022 - The Daily... - November 24th, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market Key Trends, Drivers, Challenges and Standardization To 2020-2026 - PRnews Leader - October 16th, 2020
- White Whale Vinyl: Metallica Go Green With 'Ride the Lightning' - Revolver Magazine - October 10th, 2020
- Global Cryonics Technology Market share, size 2020| emerging rapidly with latest trends, growth, revenue, demand and forecast to 2026 - The Daily... - September 30th, 2020
- Is resurrection possible? Researchers catalogue ways science may achieve it - Big Think - September 22nd, 2020
- How Is Cryonics Performed? - How Cryonics Works ... - September 19th, 2020
- Netflix's Hope Frozen: A Quest To Live Twice Review: A Hope To Be Resurrected | TechQuila - TechQuila - September 19th, 2020
- 'Hope Frozen': The cryonics industry offers strength to grieving families but does the technology actually wor - MEAWW - September 18th, 2020
- These are the best films and TV shows to watch on Netflix in September - Peterborough Telegraph - September 3rd, 2020
- 'Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice': Release date, plot, trailer and all you need to know about the Netflix d - MEAWW - September 1st, 2020
- Global Cryonics Technology Market 2020 with Covid-19 Impact Analysis and Forecast by 2025 - Galus Australis - September 1st, 2020
- Why Warren Buffett matters more than ever on his 90th birthday - Yahoo Money - September 1st, 2020
- Cryonics, brain preservation and the weird science of cheating death - CNET - July 7th, 2020
- How "Unsolved Mysteries" Raised a Generation of Conspiracy Theorists - InsideHook - July 1st, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market Latest Trends and Business Outlook 2020 to 2026 - Cole of Duty - June 27th, 2020
- Global Cryonics Technology Market Projected to Reach USD XX.XX billion by 2025- Praxair, Cellulis, Cryologics, Cryotherm, KrioRus, VWR, etc. - Cole of... - June 18th, 2020
- Trending News: Covid-19 Impact On Cryonics Technology Market Trends, Growth, Regions, Types And Key Developments, Applications By 2025 | Praxair,... - June 18th, 2020
- Global Cryonics Technology Market Size |Incredible Possibilities and Growth Analysis and Forecast To 2026 | Praxair, Cellulis, Cryologics, Cryotherm,... - June 18th, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market 2020 | Know the Latest COVID19 Impact Analysis And Strategies of Key Players: Praxair, Cellulis, Cryologics, Cryotherm,... - May 21st, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market Growth, Analysis and Advancement Outlook 2020 to 2026 - Cole of Duty - May 15th, 2020
- Here's How Far Cryonic Preservation Has Come in the 50 ... - May 12th, 2020
- Latest Update 2020: Cryonics Technology Market by COVID19 Impact Analysis And Top Manufacturers: Praxair, Cellulis, Cryologics, Cryotherm, KrioRus,... - May 12th, 2020
- Why Was Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams Decapitated? - Sportscasting - May 12th, 2020
- Technology and ethics in the coronavirus economy - TechCrunch - May 6th, 2020
- Global trade impact of the Coronavirus Cryonics Technology Market Applications and Company's Active in the Industry Aminet Market Reports -... - April 28th, 2020
- Global trade impact of the Coronavirus Cryonics Technology Market Applications and Company's Active in the Industry - amitnetserver - April 26th, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market | Business Revenue Forecast and Geography Analysis Based on Growth Factors, Demand and Trends by 2029 - TechnoVally - April 16th, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market 2020: Qualitative Analysis of the Leading Players and Competitive Industry Scenario - Germany English News - April 14th, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market on the basis of Usability, Technology, Procedure, Application, and Region by (2020-2026) - Science In Me - April 6th, 2020
- The Strange and Often Radical Pursuit of Immortality in Russia - The Nation - March 30th, 2020
- The False Science of Cryonics - MIT Technology Review - March 29th, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market Application Analysis(Animal husbandry, Fishery science) and Forecast 2020-2029 - TheLoop21 - March 29th, 2020
- Huge Demand of Cryonics Technology Market 2020 Predictable to Witness Sustainable Evolution Over 2024 Including Leading Vendors- Praxair, Cellulis,... - March 16th, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market Comprehensive Study With Key Trends, Major Drivers And Challenges 2020-2026 - News Times - March 16th, 2020
- Global Cryonics Technology Market 2020 SWOT Analysis, Drivers, Restraints, Growing Opportunities, Latest Trends, Applications and Forecast To 2025 -... - March 16th, 2020
- Zoltan Istvan: The Transhumanist Candidate - Roads and Kingdoms - March 16th, 2020
- How Cryonics Works | HowStuffWorks - March 15th, 2020
- Playing God: Did Futurist FM-2030 Crack the Code to Immortality? - LIVING LIFE FEARLESS - March 15th, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market 2020: Qualitative Analysis of the Leading Players and Competitive Industry Scenario - 3rd Watch News - March 15th, 2020
- What Is Cryonics? - How Cryonics Works | HowStuffWorks - March 8th, 2020
- Cryonics, Dakota the Dog, and the Hope of Forever - Gizmodo - March 8th, 2020
- Chris Pratt Shares the 'Crazy' Story of a Couple Found Completely Preserved in Ice - Pajiba - February 22nd, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market Growth Rate, Demands, Status And Application Forecast To 2025 - Expedition 99 - January 31st, 2020
- Cryonics Technology Market Emerging Trends and Prospects 2027 With Leading Players Praxair - VOICE of Wisconsin Rapids - January 27th, 2020
- MTV (Finland): the Russian firm will freeze your body or brain for resurrection in the future - International Law Lawyer News - January 26th, 2020
- Brain freeze: New path to immortality - Times of India - January 15th, 2020
- Russian company will freeze your brain in the hopes of reviving you in the future with better tech - Firstpost - January 15th, 2020
- Mummification or being launched into space? Burial options for your client - Investment Executive - January 15th, 2020
- The best paperbacks coming out in January | Saturday Review - The Times - January 4th, 2020
- The best paperbacks coming out in January - The Times - January 3rd, 2020
- All The K-Drama Actors And Idols Who Are Coming To Manila In 2020 - Cosmopolitan Philippines - December 31st, 2019
- Dangling in Falsehoods and Deceptions: A Response to President Weah! - Front Page Africa - December 29th, 2019
- Global Cryonics Technology Market 2019 by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 - Industry News Releases - December 12th, 2019
- Global Cryonics Technology Market Comprehensive Insights and Growth Potential In The Future - Northwest Arkansas Politics - December 5th, 2019
- Frozen Dead Guy Days Is the Weirdest Winter Festival in the US - msnNOW - December 1st, 2019
- Cryonics Technology Market Competitive Research and Precise Outlook 2019 to 2025 (Praxair, Cellulis, Cryologics, Cryotherm and many more..) -... - December 1st, 2019
- Body donation company that used cadavers as crash dummies ordered to pay $58M to families - USA TODAY - November 21st, 2019
- Bizarre 'Frozen' Theory Is Nearly 50 Years In The Making - HuffPost - November 21st, 2019
- What it means to be a cyborg in 2019 - Quartz - November 21st, 2019
- Cryonics Technology Market to be valued at USD Millions by 2024: Praxair, Cellulis, Cryologics, Cryotherm, KrioRus, VWR, Thermo Fisher Scientific,... - November 15th, 2019
- Cryonics Technology Industry Global Market Research and Analysis 2019-2137 - 99Newsindustry - November 15th, 2019
- Justin Bieber Wants To Be Frozen With Hailey Baldwin So They Can Live Together Forever? - Gossip Cop - November 15th, 2019
- Golf equipment truths: Iron faces are nearly as fast as a drivers. Here's why - Golf Digest - November 9th, 2019
- Cryonics Technology Market Insights and Technology Growth 2019, Forecasts to 2025 - The Market Publicist - November 7th, 2019
- Greatest Demand of Cryonics Technology Market 2019 Predictable to Witness Sustainable Evolution Over 2024 Including Leading Vendors- Praxair,... - November 5th, 2019
- Briefly Noted Book Reviews - The New Yorker - October 28th, 2019
- Latest Research report on Cryonics Technology Market Size predicts favorable growth and forecast - TheLoop21 - October 25th, 2019
- Trends in Cryonics Technology Market Reviewed with 2027 Opportunities in New Research Report - TheLoop21 - October 23rd, 2019
- Cryonics Technology Market Present Scenario and the Growth Prospects with Forecast 2025 - Midnight Stocks - October 19th, 2019
- Cryonics Technology Market with Future Prospects, Key Player SWOT Analysis and Forecast To 2024 - Exponent Online - October 19th, 2019
- Huge Demand of Cryonics Technology Market 2019 Predictable to Witness Sustainable Evolution Over 2024 Including Leading Vendors- Praxair, Cellulis,... - October 17th, 2019
- A third of the Arctic is frozen penguin wee and other science facts for kids - The Irish Times - October 6th, 2019
- First Impressions: Melting Me Softly Has Warmth, Mystery, And Ji Chang Wook - soompi - October 2nd, 2019
- Russia Cryonics Technology Market Insights Report 2019 2025 : Alcor Life Extension Foundation, Biocision, Cellulis - ScoopJunction - September 24th, 2019
- Success in Cryonics - osiriscryonics.com - May 22nd, 2019
- What is cryonics? - Cryogenics Human & Pet Freezing for ... - May 13th, 2019