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Journalism of Courage
A recent claim by a group of Harvard scientists has left people in the science community scratching their heads. The team claims to have discovered a “fountain of youth” pill, which can reverse the process of ageing in the body.
They’ve made a chemical cocktail, which was seen to reverse the ageing process in human and mice skin cells “by several years.”
Harvard researcher Dr David Sinclair shared the findings, which were published in the July issue of the medical journal Aging, in a series of tweets this week. Sinclair, a molecular biologist at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the study, hailed the finding as a “breakthrough”.
“We’ve previously shown age reversal is possible using gene therapy to turn on embryonic genes,” he began in his 17-tweet thread explaining the findings, which has racked up 1 million views. “Now we show it’s possible with chemical cocktails, a step towards affordable whole-body rejuvenation.”
He shared on Twitter that human trials could begin within the next year, which caught the attention of Twitter owner Elon Musk.
Dr Rinky Kapoor, Consultant Dermatologist, Cosmetic Dermatologist & Dermato-Surgeon, The Esthetic Clinics said that ageing is inevitable. Moreover, everyone ages differently. “Ageing is the law of nature. One can push back, delay, or treat the signs of ageing, however, it is inevitable. These are due to changes in the structure of cells with time. Alterations in human DNA may cause surprises but this may be a dangerous path to tread as there might be a risk of unwanted and unknown side effects,” she said.
Dr Kapoor is not the only one with reservations. Other scientists, including a Harvard professor, have criticised the report, calling it “mostly hype and preliminary.”
According to Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, you have to take this discovery with a pinch of salt. “As per conventional wisdom and scientific knowledge, there is no known scientifically proven method to reverse the ageing process entirely,” he said.
The science behind anti-ageing products is based on addressing various biological processes that contribute to ageing and skin damage. Ageing is a complex phenomenon influenced by both intrinsic factors (genetics and internal processes) and extrinsic factors (environmental exposures like UV radiation and pollution).
Each chemical cocktail in the pill contains five to seven substances, many of which have been used to treat different physical and mental illnesses. Valproic acid, Tranylcypromine, and Pramipexole, for example, are prescription-only drugs that have been used successfully to treat seizures, depression, and Parkinson’s disease, respectively.
Sinclair, a genetics professor and author of Lifespan, went on to say that he and his colleagues at Harvard Medical School spent over three years looking for compounds that may be combined to reverse cellular ageing and regenerate human cells.
“Studies on the optic nerve, brain tissue, kidney, and muscle have shown promising results, with improved vision and extended lifespan in mice and, recently, in April of this year, improved vision in monkeys,” he said.
Bajaj explained that it is essential to approach claims about anti-ageing breakthroughs with a critical mindset and scepticism until rigorous scientific research and clinical trials can verify such claims.
“The scientific community typically requires substantial evidence from well-conducted studies before accepting any new treatment or product as a legitimate anti-ageing solution,” he added.
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