Satchel Paige, the great black pitcher, has been quoted as saying, “avoid running at all times.” Most people seem to exercise less as they grow older. Until recently, most older persons were expected to “act their age.”

Now everyone is encouraged to exercise. The reason given for exercising is that it will increase longevity. This is only true in a limited way because it modifies disease processes, notably that of cardiovascular disease.

There is simply no evidence that exercise is capable of influencing the fundamental aging processes or to increase lifespan.

If you exercise because it makes you feel good or because you believe that it might prevent, slow, or reverse the effects of a disease, then by all means continue. However, if you expect to reverse aging by exercising, you should understand that there is no data to suggest you will succeed.

Scientists have discovered no more-effective way to slow the rate of aging than undernutrition without malnutrition. Nor do we know of a more effective means of postponing or eliminating so many kinds of cancers and other diseases.

Despite overwhelming evidence that undernutrition will postpone disease and prolong life, few people have been motivated to opt for such a Spartan regimen. For most people, the quality of their lives is more important than the quantity.

Furthermore, we do not know what the long-term effects of caloric restriction might be on cognition. Many gerontologists worry that some mental processes might be impaired. The present human lifespan, which developed over several million years, probably did so under conditions of under-, rather than over-nutrition.

“If Mother Nature doesn’t get you, Father Time will.” Time seems to pass more rapidly as we grow older. No one has ever shown that any medical intervention, nutritional factor, or other lifestyle change will stop or reverse the aging process.

Even so, there are frequent claims that an anti-aging substance has been found. Testing the efficiency of an anti-aging compound is difficult. We simply do not know what the fundamental causes of aging are or what exactly determines longevity.

Because immortality and the complete elimination of aging are both undesirable, some believe that just slowing the aging process might be the best compromise. We still do not know how to slow the aging process in humans, but we do know how to increase our life expectancy by eliminating or reducing the causes of death.

This approach has been remarkably successful throughout most of this century. Nevertheless, the “success” has come at a great cost.

Increased life expectancy and birth rates have resulted in an explosive increase in the world’s population. Unless the number of humans populating this planet is soon reduced, there will be little purpose in considering the question of slowing the aging process or increasing the human lifespan. The planet will not be a place on which it is worth spending more time.

There is only one objective that is both practical and desirable. That is to strive for the maximum human life expectation by eliminating the present leading causes of death. There is no value to society or to the individual in seeking to slow or stop the aging process or to achieve immortality.

The scenario that provokes the least concern is the one in which all humans reach the maximum lifespan, still in possession of full mental and physical abilities, with death occurring quickly as we approach our 115th birthday.

If we are successful, our life expectation will be increased, but we will eventually die from the basic aging processes that lead to failure in some vital system.

 

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