Will human lifespan stretch to 143 years?

A Scottish scientist has claimed that he has identified a pill that can extend human life by up to 30 years.

Professor John Speakman of Aberdeen University's zoology department claimed people will be able to live longer by taking the pill everyday.

Speakman has identified a hormone thyroxine, which, he claims, can increase the lifespan of a person. Over the next four years, Speakman and his team will examine the effects of the hormone on mice to see if it helps them live longer.

He claimed that by altering a crucial biological process it will be possible to reduce the damage linked to ageing of animal cells.

He will reveal details of his research conducted so far at the Edinburgh International Science Festival in April.

The biologist said key to prolonging life can be found in the body's metabolism and the efficiency with which it burns up energy. "If you increase the metabolic rate of a mouse then it increases its lifespan," he said.

The maximum possible human lifespan is believed to have remained the same for several centuries at around 113 years.

However, Speakman warned it could be at least 10 years before a drug finally reached the market. He admitted that he has no idea at what stage in their lives people will need to start taking the drug.

Courtesy: News.Scotman.com