How to Die Young at an Old Age.

A most inspiring TEDx talk of Dr. Nir Barzilai, (video posted below) co-founder of CohBar, Inc., a biotech company developing mitochondria based therapeutics to treat diseases associated with aging, as well director of the Longevity Genes Project, a genetics study of over 600 families of centenarians and their children.

The accomplished geneticist wants people to know that theres a way to extend their healthspan without breaking the bank.

For Dr. Barzilai, who is also a NY practicing Endocrinologist, anti-aging has been a lifetime pursuit. Growing up in Israel he saw first hand how his grandfather despite his old age, and unlike many other old people, was able to live a very productive life.

This inspired Dr. Barzilai to seek ways to delay aging, specifically to extend ones healthspan.

Theres a big difference between extending a persons lifespan to extending ones healthspan. Life can be prolonged, but shadowed by weakness and disease.

Extending ones healthspan means that a person enjoys a longer period of youth and strength with longer period of immunity to the many illnesses of aging. Alzheimers for instance, is one of the most feared diseases among aging people. It can even afflict the young. According to the Alzheimers Disease International, the problem is very serious with one person getting demented every 3 seconds.

Dr. Barzilai, who also serves as Director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, thinks theres a cheap but effective drug that can help mankind to attain extended healthspan.

And that drug is Metformin. A five-cent pill thats commonly prescribed for patients with type 2 diabetes.

What drew Dr. Barzilais interest and enthusiasm to this drug?

Metformin comes from a plant called,Galega officinalis, which is also known as French lilac and goats rue. Its been used as an herbal remedy for centuries.

According to the writings of 17th century renowned English herbalist John Parkinson, the plants effective for the bitings or stings of any venomous creature, the plague, measells, small pocks, and wormes in children, and other health problems.

In our modern times, Metformin has shown the following remarkable efficacy:

Following Metformins proven benefits, Dr. Barzilai and his colleagues decided that it was time to come up with a clinical trial that would focus on a specific anti-aging drug. After a scientific discussion held in Spain, they decided on a project called Targeting Aging with Metformin(TAME). Its a trial that would test whether Metformin could really extend a persons healthspan while delaying the onset of diseases like cardiovascular ones, cancer, and cognitive impairment.

If TAME succeeds, and chances are it most probably will given that studies have shown that Metformin can delay aging in animals, pointing to the likelihood that the drug may have the ability to influence fundamental aging factors in humans, it will open the door to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of aging as an indicator.., according to the American Federation for Aging Research.

More importantly, though, a possible FDA approval will pave the way for the agency to finally consider aging a modifiable condition and an official indication for which treatments can be developed and approved.

See more here:
A Potential Anti-Aging Pill Promises to Extend Life For 5 Cents a Pop - Wall Street Pit