Humans realized that they would die, and since then, we have sought immortality through religion, great works, or various biotechnological modifications.
According to a United States (US) study conducted by Orbis Research, consumers spent USD 43 billion on anti-aging products in 2018, ranging from lactic acid-based anti-wrinkle creams to collagen peptide tablets and anti-oxidant co-enzyme Q10 pills.
Research from Pitchbook estimates that USD 559 million of venture capital was invested in US companies developing anti-aging in 2017.
"Everyone is looking for a magic pill that will 'cure' aging," says Richard Siow, head of research into the study of aging at King's College London.
"In fact, lifestyle and dietary changes are the most realistic way to extend your life. You can't just adopt these as you get older. You have to start young, because we age from the moment we are born," he continued.
Of course, diet and exercise alone will not allow humans to live forever. Here are some extreme technologies that a number of companies have developed to live longer, quoted from Wired.com.
Nerve cell protection supplement
A company developed a supplement that contains a chemical called nicotinamide riboside, a form of the B vitamin. This substance is converted into an enzyme called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD+, which plays a role in metabolism, cell aging, and protecting nerve cells.
NAD+ levels decrease significantly over time. Several studies have shown that the drug causes older mice to look and act younger, and may reduce age-related diseases. There are no conclusive human trials yet, but there are at least 21 ongoing trials.
Research on diet
Researcher Kenny Wilson observes fruit flies at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, the world's oldest independent anti-aging research laboratory, founded in 1999 in Novato, California. Experimenting with fruit flies, scientists at the institute identified the FOXO gene.
This gene helps young people adapt to changing diets, but in older people, the effect is to disrupt metabolism. This occurs in fruit flies and humans. Examining this gene could help explain why diet can prolong life in some species, including humans.
Cryogenic freezing
A Russian company called KrioRus, offers eternal life with cryogenic technology. KrioRus offers a body freeze service for £28,000.
Cryogenics is the science that studies preservation by freezing it using liquid nitrogen. Especially for the preservation of the human body, this is done so that it can be revived in the future.
KrioRus Director Valeriya Udalova said that it is possible that technology to revive people who died could be created, although there is currently no guarantee.
Understanding DNA
The Biobank, a DNA bank in the UK, is one of many bio-repositories around the world that store biological samples for use in research, especially genomics.
This DNA bank studied 500,000 volunteers aged 40 to 69 (when they enrolled in 2006) for at least 30 years. Their research project has identified a link between parental longevity and the risk of age-related diseases in children.
They identified microstructural changes in the aging brain, demonstrated that chromosomal structure impacts age, and identified genes that influence aging.
Artificial organs
With the rapid development of 3D printers, this technology made it possible to print artificial limbs. Italian biomedical engineering company Skorpion Medical, for example, makes hand organs using a 3D printer.
It is an example of advances in prototyping personalized artificial limbs for patients according to their needs, from treating arthritis to walking aids to hearing aids.
Skorpion Medical also manufactures orthopedic and orthodontic implants to support or replace damaged limbs or damaged teeth. They also make models of organs to help prepare surgeons before surgery.
Anti-aging saunas
Japan opened its first cryo-sauna in the late 1970s. Today, the Cryomed Clinic in Tokyo is one of hundreds of clinics around the world offering cryotherapy.
Cryo-saunas are inspired by the custom of using ice packs placed on swollen body parts to reduce inflammation, and cryo-surgery where extreme cold is applied to destroy tumors or diseased tissue.
Well, cryo-sauna is done by bathing for three minutes in liquid nitrogen which produces temperatures below -100°C. The goal is to speed up metabolism, strengthen the immune system, and slow down tissue aging.
Ultraviolet saunas
The Hocatt Ozone Sauna, was conceived by Guangzhou-based South African engineer André Smith. It offers hyperthermic ozone carbonic acid transdermal therapy by blasting carbon dioxide-rich steam into the shower to unclog pores.
The shower cubicle is then "flooded" with ultraviolet light and ozone, an allotrope of molecular oxygen. Ozone has a long history of being a trusted anti-inflammatory and immune system booster. Research shows, this kind of sauna has anti-aging potential by reducing free radicals in mitochondrial cells.
Maintains stem cells
The German center for anti-aging research, the Leibniz-Fritz Lipmann Institute, played an important role in the identification of common gene switches in mice and humans that can produce proteins that impair metabolism and aging.
Mice are quicker to switch genes, but can be controlled through a strict diet. The Leibniz-Fritz Lipmann Institute's research in mice and fish, focuses on aging stem cells, basic unspecialized cells present throughout the body that maintain organs and tissues but degrade over time.