Sat Jan 25 15:09:42 UTC 2025: ## Nobel Laureate Questions Anti-Aging Hype at Kerala Literature Festival
**Kozhikode, Kerala, January 26, 2025** – Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan cautioned against the hype surrounding anti-aging drugs at the Kerala Literature Festival on Saturday. Speaking in conversation with physician and author Abraham Verghese, Mr. Ramakrishnan emphasized the importance of a healthy lifestyle – including moderate food intake, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep – over currently available anti-aging treatments.
While acknowledging the increased research into life extension, Mr. Ramakrishnan expressed concern over dubious practices stemming from the growing interest. He highlighted the examples of Rapamycin and Metformin, drugs repurposed for anti-aging purposes, emphasizing the need for rigorous clinical trials and safety testing before widespread use. He also noted the promise of GLP-1, a blood sugar regulating hormone, but stressed the need for further research into its long-term effects.
Mr. Ramakrishnan supported the benefits of caloric restriction for maintaining youthfulness, but questioned the feasibility of significantly extending human lifespan while maintaining human characteristics, referencing animals with exceptionally long lifespans. He dismissed current explorations into cryonics and brain data copying as science fiction. In essence, Mr. Ramakrishnan’s message was a call for a balanced approach, prioritizing a healthy lifestyle over unproven anti-aging interventions.
First Piper 