Longevity in the 21st Century: From Life Extension to Health Expansion Introduction: A Paradigm Shift — Not Just More Years, But More Healthy Years Longevity in the 21st century has ceased to be a rare phenomenon and has become a global trend driven by the synthesis of achievements in medicine, biotechnology, and socio-economic changes. In the 20th century, the key task was overcoming child mortality and infectious diseases, which led to a sharp increase in life expectancy. However, the challenge of the current century is the fight against chronic age-related diseases and the compression of morbidity (squeezing the period of illness to the end of life). Modern gerontology, the science of aging, shifts the focus from treating individual diseases to influencing the fundamental mechanisms of aging as the root cause. Scientific Foundations: Nine Hallmarks of Aging and How to Influence Them In 2013, in a landmark article by Carlos López-Otín, nine molecular and cellular signs of aging were formulated. They have become a roadmap for research in the field of longevity: Genomic instability (accumulation of DNA damage). Shortening of telomeres (protective "caps" at the ends of chromosomes). Epi-genetic changes (disruption of "reading" genes without changing the DNA code). Loss of proteostasis (failure in the protein quality control system). Disruption of nutrient regulation (reduced sensitivity to insulin, etc.). Mitochondrial dysfunction (energy stations of the cell). Cellular senescence — accumulation of "zombie cells" that do not divide but secrete harmful substances. Exhaustion of the stem cell pool. Altered intercellular communication (chronic systemic inflammation — "inflammaging"). Modern strategies are aimed at correcting these signs. For example: Senolytics — a class of drugs that selectively destroy senescent "zombie cells." Quercetin (found in apples, onions) and dasatinib (a leukemia drug) in combination have shown rejuvenating effects in animal models. Metformin ... Read more