NF

I'm a fan of well-researched, well-written, science-based books on topics dealing with the human body, so I knew Gifford's text would be right up my alley. Still, I hadn't expected to enjoy it quite so much! Gifford is observant, funny, and down-to-earth. Filtering the science through his accessible journalistic expression humanizes the findings in a way that makes them both profoundly fascinating and, at times, downright mindboggling. I also appreciated Gifford's common-sense conclusions (like "use it or lose it") precisely for their lack of sensationalism.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who'd like to learn more about the difference between what science REALLY says about aging versus what the snake oil salesmen are trying to sell you. ( )

Fantastic and a very accessible read on longevity and the scientific progress in this domain. Busts many myths about the practices like caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, exposure to extreme cold showers and in general about High-Intensity-Interval-Training. Thoroughly enjoyed it. ( )

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

I've been on a kick recently of self-help books that have to do with aging, health and what steps we can take in our daily lives in order to increase the quality of both these subjects; and Bill Gifford's Spring Chicken is the latest of these, notable not just for having a snarky sense of humor but for also just as much covering what you can't do in order to help yourself out as what you can. In fact, this is one of the central premises of the entire book, is just how "natural" versus "controllable" the subject of aging is in the first place; is the process of our cells growing older and less efficient something inherent to human existence on this earth, or are there things we could be doing to slow this process down, perhaps even to live forever barring any catastrophic events like getting hit by a bus? Gifford's funny, cynical answer is essentially, "Uh, no," but he definitely takes the long way to get there, looking at both the legitimate things going on in the real medical world when it comes to these kinds of questions, as well as such quackery as Suzanne Sommers injecting her vagina with human growth hormones and all kinds of other nightmarish mental images. Not really a "how-to" book in the way that so many of these others are, this is nonetheless a highly entertaining survey of all the latest scientific knowledge in the 2010s on the subject of aging, one that despite the skeptical tone is punctuated here and there with actual real (albeit small and self-evident) things you can be doing in your life to help the process along. It comes recommended to those specifically seeking books on the subject.

Out of 10: 8.5, or 9.0 for those specifically seeking knowledge on aging ( )

What we don’t know could fill a book

Ever since Man developed awareness, he has been obsessed with longevity. It was responsible for the rise of religions all over the world, which promised to answer the universal complaint “Is that all there is?” Today, we have a growing number of theories, processes and products that claim to extend health if not life. Bill Gifford has taken on the quest of collecting them and putting them under the microscope.

What he finds is nothing definitive. For every patent medicine, anti-aging theory, superfood or supplement, there is a glaring lack of proof, reproducibility, or scientific basis. The current obsession with antioxidants is typical. In laboratory tests, antioxidants actually shorten the lives of animals. Free radicals may be destructive, but they are absolutely necessary to a healthy body. Oxidative stress actually spurs the body to respond and keep it vibrant. Eliminating all oxidative stress and filling up on antioxidants is a recipe for early death. Human growth factor injections are also demonstrably life shorteners. Testosterone injections, dog and bull testosterone are not the key to a longer, healthier life. They are instead the patent medicines of the 21st century, shilled by purveyors who claim to be living proof of their efficacy, just like the carnival barkers who preceded them. Unfortunately, no one and nothing else responds to them as advertised. The current rage is young blood. The thinking is that injecting blood from the young rejuvenates old brains and old muscles. Isolating and manufacturing whatever molecule is responsible is the new holy grail.

At bottom, we don’t know how the various components of our systems interact or even what their roles are. We extrapolate and assume, and it amounts to nothing, or worse. Gifford travelled far and wide to track down the patent medicine sellers, the scientists and the practitioners making the claims. And since there are so many public proponents touting their wares, he never ran up against the usual corporate wall of silence. Everyone was delighted to talk. What he did run up against was lack of replicable results.

Repeatedly through Spring Chicken, increased healthspan appears as a way to delay the early onset of terminal diseases like diabetes and cancer. A lot of exercise and a vegetarian diet show up in many of the visits Gifford made to the purveyors and the scientists. They are about the only commonalities he finds.

With all the products and processes Gifford describes, just three make any real, measurable difference. Strenuous exercise makes the body respond with beneficial hormones and proteins. (Gifford repeats the mantra “use it or lose it” throughout.) Fasting does the same. It makes the body shift to panic mode, conserving instead of building, protecting instead of growing. Counterintuitively, fasting can help kill cancers, because they suck up all the nutrients we consume, making us gaunt and sickly while they thrive. Starve them, and processes like chemotherapy have a better shot at succeeding. The body, already in panic mode, suffers less. Finally, a (natural) chemical compound called Metformin, normally prescribed for diabetes, has real potential for reduced cardiovascular and cancer risk. Unfortunately, the supplement industry is unregulated, and recently New York State discovered that four out of five (80%!) contained little or even no active ingredients, even from reputable vitamin chain stores and pharmacies. So while you can buy Metformin, there’s no way to know if you’re getting any.

David Wineberg ( )