Resveratol: Prolonging Human Life

The article I researched was entitled "Hacking the Human Life Span." When you think about expanding human life a lot of things come to mind especially when this type of subject is being introduced to the majority. Well when I first saw the article title I thought it was very interesting to research because everyone has been trying to find a way to live forever. For instance, the "Fountain of Youth" is pretty popular and a historic site in Florida. It was used in movies in order to fulfill the interests and curiosities of human life. There is a Disney movie that had a young girl chose whether or not she wanted to stay young by drinking water from a fountain of youth. These types of things interest people, and of course in this article a man strives to preserve his youth in order for his twin daughters to share, and experience life with him. Stuart Craftman is the name of the man that became a father at the age of forty-five. He was the father of two twin girls, and worried about his age he decided to try and keep up with the girls so he started by changing his diet. His diet consisted of: tea, fish-oil supplements, and multivitamins.

He started this diet about four years ago, and after three years of researching he found a compound found in red wine called "resveratrol," which has been shown to extend life, reduces disease in lab animals, and so he began taking about 50 milligrams a day. "It seems it's more powerful than all the antioxidants put together," Craft says. Another man in the article who would like to remain anonymous says that it is also very healthy is to reduce calorie intake - which is another proven method that has extended radical extension of human life. In the article it also states that anyone that understands the system of youth can change it. "Resveratol" has been very reliable so far because it has protected lab animals from "heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease." Cracraft is very excited about the experiments because if he has don't everything correctly he could gain another ten more years to live. He is so psyched about the experiments that are being conducted that he says after he gets a few more years to live that scientist by that time would have discovered new technologies that will enable him to live to the age of two-hundred. I enjoyed reading this article because like everyone else I was interested in finding out more about this subject, and I learned a lot about the topic. I didn't know that eating some types of food can cause longevity. I believe that this was a great article to research, and I would recommend it to anyone to read if they were interested in staying healthy!

CHART

Youth PROS: longer life, knowledge, breaking boundaries

Youth CONS: population increase, other chances to live for others, what should I decide to die?

Sources:

• Keim, Brandon (Jan 23, 2007). Hacking the Human Life. Retrieved January 24, 2007, from WIRED NEWS Web site: http://wired.com/news/technology/medtech/0,72518-0.html?tw
• Kalbain, Alaine. "Stem Cells and the Catholic Church." Ruse, Michael, and Christopher A. Pynes. The Stem Cell Controversy. Amherst: Prometheus Books, 2003. 165.
• Kay, Kathy and Mark Henderson. "Paralyzed Mouse Walks Again as Scientists Fight Stem Cell Ban." Ruse, Michael, and Christopher A. Pynes. The Stem Cell Controversy. Amherst: Prometheus Books, 2003. 71.
• Reaves, Jessica. "TIME." The Great Debate Over Stem Cell Research. May. 07/11/2001 .
• Ruse, Michael, and Christopher A. Pynes. The Stem Cell Controversy. Amherst: Prometheus Books, 2003. 15-20.