Last September, a large-scale gathering of longevity industry leaders took place in Switzerland, where they presented their latest advances and technologies aimed at slowing down aging. However, Professor Charles Brenner, a renowned biochemist and diabetes and cancer researcher, criticized the industry, calling its promises “nonsense.” In his research and interviews, he refutes myths about the possibility of immortality and provides scientific arguments to support his skepticism.
Brenner, through his discoveries on the enzyme nicotinamide riboside (NR), has been widely recognized in the scientific community. He discovered that this enzyme increases the activity of muscle stem cells in elderly mice, extending their lives. However, over the past two years, he has changed his viewpoint and has become known as a “longevity skeptic.” In his speeches and publications, he analyzes the research being done on longevity and concludes that scientists are greatly exaggerating the potential for increased longevity.
Based on his experience and expertise, Brenner states that he sees no technological developments that can significantly increase maximum life expectancy or ensure eternal life. He also emphasizes that scientists promoting such innovations promise too much and do too little.
In his speeches, Brenner cites historical examples such as Herodotus, the Greek historian who over 2,500 years ago claimed to have discovered the source of youth but never revealed its location. He urges caution and suspicion of the promises of scientists who base their technology companies on unsubstantiated ideas of eternal youth.
Despite Brenner’s skepticism, however, longevity research continues and is published in prestigious scientific journals. This shows the importance and relevance of this topic for the scientific community. Perhaps in the future, new approaches and technologies will be found to slow down the aging process and increase life expectancy, but for now, these promises remain at the level of research and hypotheses.
