Scientists say that the human body is built to last for 125 years
By sharone74
@sharone74 (4837)
United States
March 5, 2007 1:38pm CST
I personally find this difficult to believe for the simple reason that if this statement were true there would be a lot more people living beyond one hundred years of age when our maximum average life expectancy is 78 for women and 74 3/4 for men. There is about 50 years between where we know that we can survive to if we take good care of all of our origional equipment properly and also guard our health. which is something that not a lot of people do. I also don't believe that if they have to cut you open and add in replacement parts then that would mean that we are not 'built to last' we would then be 'being rebuilt and bioengineered to last"and I don't think that that is what they mean. However, I have seen it time after, time, after time all over the web on glyconutritional websites and health food sites, and phseaudo health product marketers all over the world are trumpeting this phrase. "The human body is built to last 125 years." They don't explain why they think that, and they don't provide any proof at all that the use of their products will help a person live even one day longer. In fact they add disclaimers saying that there is no proof that their products will do anything for you except cost you money.
What do you think? Is is just a come-on to grap peoples attention? Do they believe that it is true? Is there any evidence to support the theory? And lastly if we are built to last that long, how come we are falling 50 or more years short of that longevitivstic ideal?
3 people like this
31 responses
@beaniegdi (1964)
•
5 Mar 07
I think this statement could be true as we know in the world there are people who live to great ages. It is however very easy in life to reduce our life expectancy. It maybe that we have no control over this. One thing could be the diets our parents had when they conceived us, it could be the diet we were fed as children. We all eat food in our lives that is not h ealthy, sugar, salt, certain fats. Lot of us smoke and drink, we suffer stress from work and living etc we don't exercise or are as active as we are designed to be.
It is easier to reduce our life expectancy than it is to increase it - it is a bit like body weight, very easy to put on and very hard to lose.
1 person likes this
@SageMother (2277)
• United States
5 Mar 07
I think that 125 years is all hype.
If that was true then people would never need knee and hip replacements, there would be no arthritis, and prostate cancer would be nonexistent.
I remember a doctor once admonished me for my smoking habit even though my lungs are clear and there is no signe that I even smoke. I looked him straight on and told him that they keep trying to convince people to extend their lives by avoiding pleasures, but aren't thinking about the quality of the life extended. After that I asked him "what sort of job will I get at 75?"
I didn't know anyone could blush in such a deep red.
1 person likes this
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
11 Mar 07
many people share your opinion that it is what we put into our bodies that makes the difference.
@jchampany (1130)
• United States
6 Mar 07
I don't feel like my body would last that long for sure. I am tired all the time already.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
6 Mar 07
That is just a ridiculous number. Has anyone in documented history ever actually lived that long? I've heard of people living to 114 years old, but never 125. About 200 years ago the average life expectancy for men in Russia was 32 years. There are many things we can do to prolong our lives, but without medical technology I don't think any human would ever live to 125 years. I do believe that as medical technology improves we will continue to see life expectancy increase and one day perhaps, people will expect to live for 125 years. I just don't think it's part of the body's original design.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
11 Mar 07
I concur with your assessment, that is why I felt that the question begged to be asked.
@luping0513 (127)
• China
6 Mar 07
yeah,I'm sure.there are some people living for 100 years more.I believe if we take some sports every day,we can live much more.
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
5 Mar 07
pfft man I dunno who's bodies these scientists are driving but there is NO WAY IN HELL this model was meant to last no damn 125 yrs! Hell I was lucky this baby didnt spontaneously combust at 25 LMFAO.....
Seriously though, I dont think that is accurate if you really think about it..I mean ok if you live on a remote mountain somewhere with a goat, a chicken and one hell of a veggie garden then sure but realistically speaking with all the crap we put in our bodies even unknowingly, all the crap we breathe in just walkin out our doors and too our cars (particularly those who live in big cities)....all the stress we have to go through at our jobs thats caused by far too high demands and cutthroat bullshyt which in turn causes stress in our homes...etc etc etc I just cant see it....
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
9 Mar 07
well several of the factors that you name in your response ate reasons they site for the lack of longevity.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
6 Mar 07
I think that perhaps in an 'ideal' situation, with no outside variables, yes, the body itself could last that long. However, one must factor in poor diet, lack of exerciese, the stress of everyday life, breathing polluted air, drinking polluted water, eating foods with harmful additives and other things...all which take a toll on the body. There is no way that we can live in a bubble and not have any stress. Stress brings physiological changes inside the body as well as whatever each of us do to react to the stress (smoke, drink, eat, stay uptight etc). We can't always have a perfect diet that is free from chemicals and we can't always have water that is non-polluted,and we choose not to exercise. So there is no way the body will last that 125 years...not in a less than perfect environment!
@shomomo (850)
• Israel
6 Mar 07
I think that because it is unnatural for us to live so long our bodies start collapsing, we should find a way to strengthen them and make them last longer, whether it will be with a biotechnological solution, biological engineering solution or pure technological solution,
@juliemarie84 (642)
• United States
6 Mar 07
I think there is a definite chance to live that long. I think no matter how hard we try though, the way our societies work it would still be hard to reach that. So let's say you do what another member said... Don't smoke, don't drink, eat all your veggies, take vitamins, excercise, ect. That is just the physical part of everything. Now what about your mind and soul? I think becoming stressed out (especially from this competitive fast passed world) also is a huge factor to getting sick.
The Japanese have some of the longest life expectancies in the world. A lot of this could be because of some of the meditation that they do and also how much healthier they are.
As we speak I'm probably shortening my life expenctancy chugging on this bottle of Mountain Dew. There are potent things to our body EVERYWHERE. But I don't think that there is any kind of miracle pill to help you last longer. I think it's an overall big picture. Happiness a calm mind and a healthy body is probably the key to a longer life, but then again...who's to say you wouldn't die from some freak accident. :(
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
10 Mar 07
u r only here for as long as you are here and anything can happen to you but a common lament of people I know who are older is; "if I had known I was gonna live this long I would have taken better care of myself.
@drakan291 (817)
• Ireland
6 Mar 07
I think it's possible. Don't certain people in Russia live into their hundred and teens? I just don't think quality of life would be much after a certain point.
@aksingh (20)
• India
6 Mar 07
I have an anlytical bent of mind . I say exactly 125 yrs !! Well It has got
very less probablity .It can be 126 or 124 . But yes they are probably correct if they say average human life of a human can be more than 75 .
We also need to give them advantage of the fact that many also die due to accidents and disasters . And those deaths are also included in the average numbers .To add to there support I would say exercise like yoga really help.
And to go against them I dont think there silly products can help.
@DontxSurrender (79)
• United States
5 Mar 07
Maybe that was possible in the past, when so many junk foods and lazy activities were not created. If people led healthier lives and maintained their self-control, I believe people could reach 125. It would probably be more painful than comforting to live to that age, so I guess around 105 or something you kind of start to lose the will..I mean, you will be gone from your family and friends, but there is so much pain it is probably the better thing to do.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
9 Mar 07
yes growing that old would be challenging, but wouldn't it be interesting too?
@moneyhunter (11)
• Taiwan
6 Mar 07
I believe that. If we live in a correct way. For example,
Eating healthy, not to eat poison food. No drinking, no smoking, and take care our enviroment then it's possible.
@annettenasser (2992)
• Kuwait
6 Mar 07
really, but how maybe you cannot recognise yourself anymore and it is useless to last that long.
@chanfrado (1157)
• Portugal
6 Mar 07
I also don't think it can be possible. Probably in the future humans can last 125 years, but only with the help of medicine (pills, cirurgy..)
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
6 Mar 07
Actually... if you really think about this... it should not surprise you at all.
I would go further and say that it is build to last 150 years.
Everybody abuse their body in one way or another. Some more than some other.
Your body reacts to what's you put in it...
We live in busy cities and breath some shocking pollution without even noticing it. I have been living in the country for the past 12 months. I can now smell the exhaust fumes of a car starting its engine at 50 yards from me... and it makes me feel ill. But in the city... we breeze that stuff every minute of the day.
Most of the food we eat is processed... and we have actually no idea what we eat. We cover our food with spices in order not to taste the rubbish we eat.
The only drink our body wants is water... but we drink everything... but water.
Finally... we put our body through all sort of stressful situations for the sake of money. Our body was never designed for all this stress.
@5000ml (1923)
• Belgium
6 Mar 07
I have a hard time believing that, actually. The human body automatically starts to break down after a certain amount of years. Some people tend to do better than others, but it generally does start after say 60 years of living. Saying that the body should stay good for 125 years just doesn't make sense to me, especially when looking at the average life expectancy rate. Perhaps they mean in the future, with even better medical treatments? Even then it'll take quite a while for 125 years to be the norm for most people.
@miyounus (35)
• Pakistan
6 Mar 07
I think it can be true if we provide the ideal environment and atmosphere as per required for healthy life. I haven't seen it my self but read and heard from my elders that in old ages human use to live long e.g 100+
