Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
The word “Longevity” is having its 15 minutes of fame these days. It shows up in serious journals. It also shows up in pitches for unproven treatments designed to beat back the ravages of time.
Let’s talk about what’s real and what’s hokum.
What’s very real is the fact that populations around the world are getting older. Thanks to medical breakthroughs and more attention to healthy lifestyles, people are living longer than they once did. In 1935, when Social Security was established, life expectancy for males was 58 years. That number has risen to 76 years today. And those statistics include people who die young. If you live to age 60 today, you have a good chance to live well into your 90s.
That, combined with the population bulge fondly known as the “Baby Boom,” to which I and many readers claim membership, has changed the traditional balance of old and young. For the first time, there are as many people 60 and older as there are people under age 20. Instead of the typical age pyramid, with a large number of young people at its base and fewer older folks at the peak, populations of many nations look more like squares, with roughly equal numbers across all ages.
So this is the longevity social scientists talk about, and it is a real thing.
Another real aspect of longevity is the serious scientific research taking place in universities and private industry, supported by an influx of capital from tech billionaires Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, Sam Altman, and others. The billionaires seem to be obsessed with cheating death and enjoying eternal life with their inexhaustible resources. Even Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping were caught on a hot mic speculating about ways to reverse Aging and perhaps avert death altogether. Another happy thought – autocrats ruling in perpetuity.
Meanwhile, back on Planet Earth, we non-billionaires are bombarded with “dramatic breakthroughs,” “miracle treatments,” and “scientific answers” for beating back the forces of aging. We have high-tech gadgets to monitor our steps and our blood sugar, supplements to correct dietary deficiencies, special creams to erase wrinkles, Exercise equipment to build strength and melt away fat, radical diets, cold plunges, and pills that promise 70-year-olds they’ll feel like 40 again. This aspect of longevity, needless to say, is highly suspect. It’s a direct descendant of the Wild West medicine show, patent medicines, and similar all-American quackery.
It’s also big business. Feeding on the current enthusiasm for wellness and fear of Dying, the longevity industry raked in $192 billion in 2024. Much of its momentum is fueled by social media influencers and podcasters who are handsomely paid to promote wellness products.
Beware of this manifestation of longevity. And remember: Not everything you see on social media is a lie, distortion, half-truth, or exaggeration. Only 90% of it.
No matter how science-based these longevity products sound, none of them – so far at least – has been proven to deliver the results they promise. Most “bio-hackers” grab onto studies that suggest possible benefits, but don’t wait for proof of effectiveness.
Personal disclaimer: For the record, I take nine supplements daily, all recommended by a wellness practice and based on detailed testing of my blood chemistry. None of them is a proven cure for anything, but some functions have improved. I’m not saying avoid all supplements, but do be skeptical of miraculous cures. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
While science has yet to find the Fountain of Youth, there is broad scientific consensus on measures that do tend to increase longevity. They are boring, but proven effective:
Regular exercise
A nutritious Diet
Adequate Sleep
Abstinence from tobacco
Limited alcohol
Nurturing meaningful Relationships
Just because you’ve heard it all before doesn’t make it any less true. If you’re serious about longevity, do the boring things, and ignore the clickbait.
And, as my favorite Vulcan used to say, live long and prosper.
