TIME: A Geneticist Reveals The Secret To A Long Life

• 20.08.2026, 17:40

A cure for aging is just around the corner.

A drug capable of slowing down aging and extending healthy life expectancy may already exist. Geneticist Nir Barzilai has spent decades studying people who remain in good health past the age of 95, and is now trying to turn that knowledge into new treatments, according to TIME.

According to the scientist, the maximum human lifespan today is about 115 years, but it is possible to significantly extend, above all, the period of life free of severe age-related diseases. “We should gain a few more decades of life and good health,” says Barzilay.

The researcher is studying centenarians and their relatives to determine which genetic traits help them avoid illness for longer. The “SuperAgers Initiative,” which he leads, plans to enroll 10,000 people over the age of 95 and their family members in the study.

Barzilay is paying particular attention to existing medications. In particular, he has designed a large-scale study of metformin, which may prove useful not only for diabetes but also for preventing several age-related diseases at once. The project itself has not yet begun, but its methodology could be used to study other drugs, including GLP-1 agonists, which are used to treat diabetes and obesity and are also being investigated for their potential impact on age-related diseases.

The scientist is also searching for biomarkers that will make it possible to determine with certainty whether drugs slow down aging.

At the same time, Barzilay urges people to distinguish scientific research from the numerous dubious promises. “Longevity is the result. Geroscience is the mechanism,” he emphasizes.