Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars | 936 ratings

Price: 15.75

Last update: 12-08-2024


About this item

"A fascinating look at how scientists are working to help doctors treat the aging process itself, helping us all to lead longer, healthier lives.” (Sanjay Gupta, MD)

Aging - not cancer, not heart disease - is the underlying cause of most human death and suffering. The same cascade of biological changes that renders us wrinkled and gray also opens the door to dementia and disease. We work furiously to conquer each individual disease, but we never think to ask: Is aging itself necessary? Nature tells us it is not: There are tortoises and salamanders who are spry into old age and whose risk of dying is the same no matter how old they are, a phenomenon known as “biological immortality.” In Ageless, Andrew Steelecharts the astounding progress science has made in recent years to secure the same for humans: to help us become old without getting frail, to live longer without ill health or disease.


Top reviews from the United States

Jason
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Overview of the Biology of Aging and Research to Slow or Reverse It
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2022
Worldwide average life expectancy is 73 years, making age-related health decline a global medical problem. Dr. Andrew Steele received his PhD in physics from Oxford University but began a career in biology after seeing a graph of the exponential increase in age-related ill health (dementia, cardiovascular disease, cancer, frailty, etc.) as we age. The book is an excellent primer on the biology of aging and medical therapies under development to slow or reverse age-related health decline. I highly recommend this book.
stephan
5.0 out of 5 stars Recommend this book.
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2021
The content of this book is interesting. The book is well written.
algo41
4.0 out of 5 stars especially good on the biological causes of aging
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2021
Steele is a practicing researcher in biogerontology who happens to write popular science very well. The reader does not require a very good background in biology to appreciate the best part of this book, the causes of aging. Potential treatments for aging, as it applies to humans, is discussed, but I suspect this part of the book would be a much better read in say 5 years. There is currently an ongoing trial, being conducted in a rigorous manner, as to whether metformin is one such treatment. What funding there is for trials of treatments for human aging are typically justified in the hopes the treatment will improve a specific health problem. Steele points out that there are some indicators of a person’s expected future lifespan – telomere length, certain epigenetic changes, mitochondrial DNA density - but there is no mention that these are used as end points in any kind of treatment trials.

“We can routinely improve the aging process in mice via dozens of different treatments.”, and there is evidence that lengthening lifespan will lengthen the number of years in good health. Admittedly, there was ONE study with earthworms wherein the extended life shown in laboratory conditions did not apply when the treated worms were mixed with untreated worms in more representative conditions. In general, animals subject to shorter lives because of predation, starvation, etc. age faster: there is less evolutionary selection for genetic changes which promote longer lifespans, even if the changes are otherwise neutral, and sometimes the changes can have deleterious effects on the immune system, vigor, reproductive abilities.

There are a number of specific causes of human aging. There is the accumulation of senescent cells which no longer divide, are less functional, and tend to stimulate inflammation. Reasons for senescence include cellular mutations which we constantly experience, and telomere length – most cell telomere lengths shorten after each cell division, eventually causing a problem. The body becomes less capable of dealing with problem proteins, e.g. amyloids as in Alzheime’s, as well as dealing with problem senescent cells. One cause of this is a general weakening of the immune system as the thymus becomes less active. Interestingly, specialized stem cells may increasingly divide into two daughter stem cells, instead of one daughter on the way to becoming a needed special purpose cell.

We all know that cutting back on sugar can reduce the build-up of insulin resistance and harmful blood sugar levels, but it also contributes to good health “in part because it will reduce the quantity of glycated proteins in your body” and “fructose reacts more readily with proteins in a test tube”, a reason fructose may be especially harmful.
Elina Nemtsov
5.0 out of 5 stars inspiring and well written
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2022
Not only did I tremendously enjoyed reading the book it also opened my eyes on many aspects of aging I wasn’t familiar with. I really recommend it to anyone interested in aging and latest biological research!
Jen
3.0 out of 5 stars Well Researched and Interesting but Cannot Recommend
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2023
I'm a PhD scientist practitioner and this isn't an easy read. My biggest concern is in life is getting dementia. IF you are fascinated by the science involved in aging and want to learn details - read this book. If you are looking for practical info to help slow your aging process, like I was, this was very disappointing. The very short chapter with specific advice was somewhat helpful as I learned a couple of things, however, I already knew at least 90% of it. Look at the blue zone info and follow what you may or may not know: Get physical exercise, eat a diet low in inflammation (low processed foods and sugars, low meat, high fruits, veggies, and whole grains), challenge your mind to learn new things (e.g. learn an instrument or language), do a VARIETY of brain games (not JUST crossword puzzles or Sudoko) get the APPS that have over 30 different games. Intermittent fasting is also promising. Let me know if you are aware of books with more practical applications. Finally, if you have insomnia and are concerned about Alzheimer's - check out the studies on Belsomra.
Creative anomaly
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book with lots of insight
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2022
As title
Thomas Chin
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive book on aging
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021
Well written easy to read highly recommend
Jeff L.
4.0 out of 5 stars INTELLIGENT ASPECT ON AGING
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022
This book was recommended to me by a friend, so I purchased it. FIRST - it is NOT a diet book or a book on what to do to prevent aging (which I appreciated). The author wants to educate the reader on the aging process, different theories and hypothesis' on aging and how it affects different species. I found it excellent reading. I warn you again, it is an educational book, not a longevity FIX IT book.

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