The Mechanism of Programmed Aging: The Way to Create a Real Remedy for Senescence

BACKGROUND: Accumulation of various damages is considered the primary cause of aging throughout the history of gerontology. No progress has been made in extending animal lifespan under the guidance of this concept. This concept denies the existence of longevity genes, but it has been experimentally shown that manipulating genes that affect cell division rates can increase the maximum lifespan of animals. These methods of prolonging life are unsuitable for humans because of dangerous side effects, but they undoubtedly indicate the programmed nature of aging. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to understand the mechanism of programmed aging to determine how to solve the problem of longevity. METHODS: Fundamental research has already explored key details relating to the mechanism of programmed aging, but they are scattered across different fields of knowledge. The way was to recognize and combine them into a uniform mechanism. RESULTS: Only a decrease in bioenergetics is under direct genetic control. This causes many different harmful processes that serve as the execution mechanism of the aging program. The aging rate and, therefore, lifespan are determined by the rate of cell proliferation and the magnitude of the decrease in bioenergetics per cell division in critical tissues. CONCLUSION: The mechanism of programmed aging points the way to achieving an unlimited healthy life; it is necessary to develop a means for managing bioenergetics. It has already been substantially studied by molecular biologists and is now waiting for researchers from gerontology.