Don't grow old.

Is there any way to reduce the ageing process? This documentary looks at various ways in which people think this can be achieved. Firstly we hear about the notion that those living on a calorie reduced diet live longer. David Sinclair has located a yeast gene which seems to be a longevity gene and might link to the theory of calorie restriction's prolongation of life. Arlan Richardson's experiments on antioxidants and the oxidative stress theory are shown on mice; likewise Rochelle Buffenstein's similar work on the naked mole rat is shown. These two studies disproved all the theories that antioxidants have a positive impact on ageing. Bill Andrews is determined to live to be 500 years old, he describes how he lives towards this. We meet Josiah, a young boy with the rare genetic aging condition, progeria. The cause for progeria has now been identified; it is a mutation in the gene Lamin A. The role of family genes is covered; Nil Barzilai has been studying the Ashkenazi Jewish population who have strong blood lines and who frequently live to be over 100 years of age remaining very healthy. Peculiarly, their lifestyle choices seem to have little effect on their longevity; heavy smokers live to be old and healthy too. Barzilai has isolated a longevity gene and thinks that it will be on the market within years. A fascinating experiment in which a group of 75 year old men were taken back in time to live how they did in the 1950s aimed to test whether or not mind over body would have an impact on ageing. At first the men struggled but by the second day they were behaving in a much more youthful manner. At the end of the week the men were more dextrous, flexible, had better posture, lower blood pressure, looked younger, gave up walking sticks, had increased IQ, vision and hearing.