The Youth Pill
Scientists at the Brink of an Anti-Aging Revolution
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
In a world where the quest for eternal youth seems unattainable, David Stipp offers a captivating exploration into the scientific battle against aging.
Even before the first person set off to find the Fountain of Youth, we were searching for a way to live longer. But promises of life extension have long reeked of snake oil, and despite our wishful thinking—not to mention the number of vitamins we pop—few of us believe we’ll live to see one hundred, much less set a longevity record.
But now scientists are closing in on true breakthroughs in anti-aging. Compounds that dramatically extend the health spans of animals, including mammals, have recently been demonstrated in the lab, and gerontologists now generally agree that drugs that slow human aging and greatly boost health in later life are no longer a distant dream.
David Stipp, a veteran science journalist, tells the story of these momentous developments and the scientists behind them, providing a definitive, engaging account of some of the most exciting (and sometimes controversial) advances that promise to change the way we live forever.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The possibility of even a decade more of healthy longevity still makes for an engaging study of recent breakthroughs in gerontology. Former Wall Street Journal science reporter Stipp surveys contending theories of aging such as antioxidants and their pitfalls before focusing on promising research into the so-called CR mimetics, drugs that mimic the possibly life-extending benefits of calorie restriction without the unpleasant semistarvation. (Lab mice, rejoice: the CR mimetic resveratrol may even prevent cancer and keep your coat glossy.) The book morphs into a business potboiler, with researchers forming biotech startups and selling IPOs adding hype but little light to the story. But if this is a more conventional and prosaic account than Jonathan Weiner s in Long for This World, Stipp s lucid and spry exposition of the science is tantalizing enough on its own.
