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Credit: https://vator.tv/news/2017-03-22-let-s-tackle-our-healthcare-crisis-now

Solving America’s healthcare crisis could be as simple as cracking biological aging

January 6, 2021

As America’s population grows older, the financial burden of health care cannot be ignored by the upcoming administration
Where other proactive measures have failed, aging treatment might just be the key to solve one of the country’s biggest crises
It could provide the perfect link between reducing healthcare costs and promoting a healthier America across all fronts

For years, the financial burden of healthcare has frustrated America’s general population and its political classes. Indeed, the major issue of healthcare in the United States is that it is expensive; and not even the passage of progressive bills such as Obamacare in 2010 has managed to solve the issue. The spotlight is now on the president-elect, Joe Biden, as he prepares to tackle the nation’s most incessant challenge. For him to excel where his predecessors failed, he must focus on a solution that works as a double-edged sword; slashing the cost of healthcare while at the same time improving the nation’s health outcomes. And perhaps the answer lies in treating biological aging. As it stands, in 2018—the latest year for which data is available—the national health expenditure stood at $3.6 trillion; a staggering 17.7% of the national GDP. There’s no debating that such an inflated value needs to be slashed considerably. Nevertheless, not all measures put in place to minimize costs are economically, or morally, viable. Take for example rationing; a method that’s been used a number of times in the past by the political elite to reduce health costs. While rationing does generate lower costs by reducing the supply of healthcare, it almost certainly results in a poorer health outcome. Therefore, a feasible solution needs to be put in place that will not only reduce the number of doctor-patient visits, but also ensure that the population is healthy enough that they require very minimal healthcare. The most logical way of doing this is by studying the biology of aging. As we speak, America’s population is getting older. In fact, it’s predicted that there will be more Americans over the age of 65 than under the age of 18 by the mid-2030s. Age poses the biggest risk factor for a number of neurodegeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, treatments that slow down or reverse certain facets of biological aging should be of utmost concern. The availability of such treatments will enable Americans to live a more productive and healthier lifestyle. This, in turn, will induce chronic morbidity on a massive scale; a phenomenon whereby the onset of chronic diseases is delayed. And if chronic morbidity is present, fewer elderly persons will seek treatment, inevitably lowering medical bills. In fact, one of the most promising scientific research studies carried out on aging was recently published by the Conboy Laboratory at UC Berkeley. The study shows that molecules circulating in the blood plasma of elderly humans and mice are responsible for making our cells display signs of aging. By using a solution of albumin and saline, the researchers were able to eliminate this portion of circulating plasma. In turn, the tissues in the brain, liver, and muscles behaved as if they were younger. Despite it not being considered an anti-aging treatment, the simple procedure is already FDA approved and is currently being used to treat a number of health conditions. Another viable anti-aging option lies with the thymus. The thymus plays a vital role in ensuring our immune system is fully functional, as this is where T cells — the ones that kill cancer cells and viruses — are produced. As we grow older, the thymus gradually transforms into a lump of fat, and no longer produces new T cells. This, in turn, causes our immune system to falter. However, in 2019, scientists were able to successfully rejuvenate the thymus in a cohort consisting of elderly men between the ages of 51 and 65. The scientists administered a cocktail of zinc, human-growth hormone, and a few cheap off-patent drugs and supplements to the men. The results showed that the thymus was revived, and upon analysis of the DNA methylation, they had gained about two years in their life expectancy. Furthermore, a research paper published earlier last year proposes a new breakthrough in aging. As we age, protein gradually builds up on the scaffolding site that sits on our cells, making it stiffer. As it becomes less flexible, it causes the cell to change behavior and display signs of aging. By manufacturing new drugs that eliminate the buildup of these protein crosslinks, we will be able to make our tissues young again. Indeed, these avenues of anti-aging are exciting; but there is still far too little being invested in research that would help us understand and treat aging better. In fact, out of the $40 billion annual budget allocated to the National Institutes of Health, less than 1% of it is directed to the National Institute on Aging’s Division of Aging Biology. This is quite a meager amount in an area that could potentially change the entire healthcare system as we know it. Therefore, if the new administration prioritizes the study of aging, it could make headway in managing the nation’s healthcare spending, while offering the best levels of healthcare for all citizens…and generally, for a healthier America.

References: https://fortune.com/2020/12/30/anti-aging-research-health-care-spending-biden/

Solving America’s healthcare crisis could be as simple as cracking biological aging

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