Fight Aging!

Ethics of boosting brainpower debated by researchers With this history of paying to improve our bodies and minds, why not extend that liberty to memory-improving drugs or brain-enhancing implants? These and other questions being raised by modern neuroscience were the topic of a meeting of neuroscientists, ethicists and psychologists funded by the National Science Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences. The group's goals were to outline both the ethical issues raised by modern neuroscience and the steps scientists should take, if any.

Calorie restriction drastically reduces risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes People who severely restrict their caloric intake drastically reduce their risk of developing diabetes or clogged arteries, the precursor to a heart attack or stroke. In fact, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, some risk factors were so low they were comparable to those of people decades younger.

Longevity gene may also predict better outcome for breast cancer patients A gene known to promote longevity in animals has now been discovered to encode a tumor suppressor - a protein that helps prevent cancer, according to a study by a team of scientists from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The new gene, which was inactivated in two-thirds of patients studied, presents a potent new target for breast cancer therapy, the researchers say.

New study looks for ways to delay disability in older adults People over age 70 represent the fastest growing segment of the United States population. Learning how to prevent or delay age-related disability in this age group is the focus of a National Institute on Aging study being led by Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

The Fable of the Dragon-Tyrant Transhumanist philosopher Nick Bostrom writes a tale for the Journal of Medical Ethics, where aging is the ultimate enemy

Swimming may have anti-aging benefit U.S. researchers said they have found a possible link between swimming and staving off the effects of aging.Researchers at Indiana University said they will test their theory on competitors at the United States Masters Swimming Short Course National Championship in Indianapolis later this month, to see if swimmers' biological ages are different from their chronological ages.

Most Adults Won’t Give Up Sex for Staying Young, Senior Citizens Won’t Give Up Coffee Americans are coming out from
under the covers and unveiling their attitudes about aging. A trip to the "Fountain of Youth" may be a much desired destination on one's life itinerary, but what are Americans willing to give up for a drink of the infamous elixir? Not sex, said half of men and a third of women ages 18 to 64 in a February 2004 survey of 1,000 adults by Body Confident(TM). Those in the 64-and-over
age group named coffee (18 percent) as the item they are not willing to exchange.

Can a shot a day (safely) keep aging away? More and more Americans are turning to human growth hormones in an attempt to defy the effect of aging. But are they safe? As baby boomers mature, their desire to defy and deny the effects of aging has led them to try some very expensive and cutting-edge measures.

Fungus May Boost the Old, Out-Of-Shape Supplements made from a Chinese fungus may help older and out-of-shape people feel a bit more energized, corporate researchers said on Monday.They said people who took the supplements increased their ability to use oxygen as they exercised -- one way doctors measure fitness -- and were able to walk a mile slightly more quickly than those who took a placebo.

Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Lester M. Crawford Outlines Science-Based Plan for Dietary Supplement Enforcement Dr. Crawford said the agency would soon provide further details about its plan to ensure that the consumer protection provisions of the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) are used effectively and appropriately. Through DSHEA, which sets up a distinct regulatory framework for dietary supplement products, Congress attempted to strike a balance between providing consumers access to dietary supplements and giving FDA regulatory authority to act against supplements or supplement ingredients that present safety problems, are marketed with false or misleading claims, or are otherwise adulterated or misbranded.

Bioethics Council Chairman Speaks With FRC About Troubling Report Family Research Council (FRC) is publishing on its website a short "Q&A" with Dr. Leon Kass, who chairs the President's Council on Bioethics. On April 1st, the Council released a report, "Reproduction and Responsibility," which touched on several issues, from embryonic stem cell research to human cloning and animal/human hybrid creations. Many pro-lifers were concerned that the report might be interpreted to call for a ban on embryonic research after 14 days, rather than from the moment life begins.

States dive into stem cell debates An annual Senate debate has hit the road, moving to 33 state legislatures considering 100 bills that alternately condemn, condone or fund embryonic stem cell research. The legislative battles culminate in a California voter initiative in November that would, if approved, pump nearly $3 billion over 10 years into such research.

The Kass Council's Ex-Friends We're used to criticism of the President's Council on Bioethics - aka the Kass council after its Chairman Leon Kass -- from liberals and libertarians. Its most recent proposals regarding embryonic stem-cell research and human cloning have it taking fire again. This time, however, it's the council's usual allies, social conservatives, who are upset.

Kerry on the Record: Stem Cell Research The bottom line is that Kerry has pledged to increase stem cell research if elected president.Charging that the Bush administration has an “anti-science attitude,” Kerry, a practicing Roman Catholic, has steered clear of berating George Bush’s own strong faith that has made the president less than comfortable with stem cell research that involves using human embryos.

New theory on use of hormone therapy Despite recent controversy over treatments, experts now look at whether estrogen given at the onset of menopause will curb heart disease. Just weeks after the National Institutes of Health halted a massive study, finding estrogen's risks outweigh benefits for post-menopausal women, a privately funded trial will look at whether hormone therapy prevents hardening of the arteries in younger women, age 40-55.