Instead of worrying about the quality of life we are given (or self created) we are eager to extent our longevity. Evolutionary biologists, who theorize about why some organisms naturally live longer than others, ask if there is any reason to believe that maximum human life span, already at the upper end of longevity among mammals, could be increased at all even as researchers on aging, spurred by new experimental breakthroughs, increasingly ask, Why not. At present, the mean life expectancy in developed countries is about 70 to 80 years while the documented record for longevity is 122years. Separately, geneticists studying long-lived people appear to be narrowing in on a gene common to centenarians that promotes longevity.

Aging

Aging is inevitable and is something that all humans will have to eventually face. Aging is a summary term for a set of processes, which contribute to health deterioration and ultimately to death with the passage of time (calendar age). In other words any process, which contributes to age-related decline in performance, productivity and health is a component of the aging process that deserves our attention and intervention.

Radicals

Radicals can damage cells by reacting with cellular components; this type of damage is called oxidation and can result in serious injury to cells. The traditional theory that longevity and rate of aging are determined by metabolic rate and the rate of production of free radicals has had broad appeal as an explanation for why some animals live longer than others. Animals that live fast, so the theory goes, will die young, because high metabolism produces free radicals at a high rate. According to this model, which is known as the metabolic rate/oxidative stress theory, long-lived animals should have high concentrations of antioxidant enzymes in their tissues and low concentrations of free radicals. Antioxidants can cancel out the cell-damaging effects of free radicals.

Antioxidants

While free radicals attack our cells and pollute our bodies, antioxidants allow us to fight back. Antioxidants are compounds in fruits and vegetables that may be helpful in avoiding chronic disease. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A, and other substances. They act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Antioxidants also help reduce inflammation, keep arteries flexible, and preserve the genetic material every cell contains to prevent mutation. It is interesting to note that, in the normal concentrations found in the body, vitamin C and beta-carotene are antioxidants; but at higher concentrations they are pro-oxidants and, thus, harmful.

Prevention

In the medical and more reputable business community, anti-aging medicine means early detection, prevention, and reversal of age-related diseases. By using advances in antiaging medicine for disease prevention we can avoid certain conditions which would kill us early, however, this does not actually extend the maximum lifespan barrier. The role of antioxidants is a particularly popular nutrition topic in the media these days; in particular, their role in cancer prevention, anti-aging, and heart health.

Supplements

Supplements are not a substitute for a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are also widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements in the hope of maintaining health and preventing diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease. The anti-aging industry is offering a dizzying array of hormones and supplements. It is best to obtain these antioxidants from foods instead of supplements. If you are interested in taking antioxidant supplements, talk to your doctor about what is right for you.