100 year life span: coming soon ???

100-yr life span to be common soon Deccan Chronicle 2011-01-27


Hyderabad, Jan. 26: Satapoorti, or celebration of a person’s 100th birthday will become common in the next three decades as the average life span of people increases by 20 years, says eminent geneticist and biotechnologist Dr Krishna Dronamraju.
“It is only a matter of time. In the next 30 years, the average life span will increase by at least 15 years, if not 20 years. Once this happens, Sashtipoorti (celebration of 60th birthday) will be passé. Satapoorti will be the in-thing, as many people will live beyond 100,” Dr Dronamraju said.

Sashtipoorti was celebrated because any one living beyond 50 years was considered a miracle and thus warranted a celebration. Now that most people live beyond the age of 70, Sashtipoorti has lost its flavour.
“We should now look forward to Satapoorti,” said the India-born scientist who now lives in the United States.
Dr Dronamraju, who is also an adviser to the US government on health and agriculture, says the average life span has increased by 20 years in the last 50 years, and with pioneering research in genetics, stem cells and nanotechnology, people may live beyond 100 years.
Advanced gene therapy will help in strengthening the heart muscles so that it can work longer.
Strengthening heart, lungs, blood vessels and kidneys through gene therapy will improve not only the quality of life, but also the overall life span.

At best, a human being can live up to 150 years. “There’s a lot of wear and tear in the body, but we can postpone death. An artificial heart is almost a reality. Considerable research has been done in lung transplant. Once artificial heart and lung transfer become practical, we can prolong human life.”

Many people living in the Caucasus Mountains are known to live beyond 100 years, Dr Dronamraju said. Research studies show that these people avoid fatty substances in their diet. “The body needs a lot of dietary fibre and the best source is through vegetables and fruits,” he said, providing the recipe for a long and healthy life