Want to live to 120? Exercise more, eat healthily and take statins

Scientists haven't quite figured how we can live forever - but they now say they have worked out how we could make it to 120.

Experts suggest that exercising more, eating healthily and taking statins is the key to slowing the ageing process.

Although a 'wonder-pill' is not in sight, making lifestyle changes such as cutting down on sugar, salt and fat and taking drugs that already exist might work, says the Longevity Science Panel.

The group, which independently monitors evidence that explain changes in life expectancy and advises policymakers, found doing so took the average lifespan from 80 to 84.

The 'What is ageing? And how do we delay it?' report states that at present few people live to around 110 - but by making these adjustments they predict that the healthiest individuals could live to 120.

It explains that ageing happens because of problems in cell division - an essential function which leads to growth, organ development and the replacement of damaged cells.

But it is errors that occur in this natural process that impacts on ageing, according to experts, along with lifestyle factors like smoking and drinking.

Over-eating is said to cause a rise in cell mutation because it speeds up cell division.

When cells divide they also shorten the protective caps called telomeres and consequently once they reach a certain size they stop dividing entirely. 

This process is known as senescence, which when it is built up in an organ it prevents the ability to repair damage and causes wrinkles and age spots.

But the panel found this process can be slowed down by eating well, exercising and taking drugs which impact on pathways in the body. 

Dame Karen Dunnell, Chair of the Longevity Science Panel, said: 'From this research we have been able to build up a picture of the latest developments in this area. 

'The experts tended to agree on which possible factors are important in understanding the biology of ageing. 

'However, they did not necessarily agree on which are the most important components of the ageing process, or on which interventions might have the greatest potential for extending lifespan.' 

Tests revealed that a Mediterranean diet and possible calorie restriction lowered the incidence of age-related disease.

Drugs such as statins, which have an anti-inflammatory effect in addition to lowering cholesterol, were also found to delay the ageing process.

While the drug rapamycin, which has been shown to regulate cell division, increased the lifespan of mice by up to 26 per cent.

And resveratrol, which comes from red wine and is sold in dietary supplements, extended the life in simple animals such as yeast, nematodes and killifish, but results have been inconsistent in other animals including mice and flies.

Richard Faragher, professor of Biogerontology at the University of Brighton, told The Sunday Telegraph that living healthier for longer was more important than increasing lifespan.

'Ageing occurs because the mechanisms which keep us in good health fail over time. 

'After a variable number of divisions, cells will stop dividing and start to do bad stuff. 

'So, in effect, all age related diseases are being driven by a few mechanisms which if you could control them, could be the difference between somebody hobbling down the street, or jogging past you.' 

According to the Office for National Statistics, life-expectancy at birth in England increased between 1981 and 2010 from 71 to 78 in men and 77 to 82 in women.

The panel concluded that longevity will continue to increase in the next 10 years but the rate is likely to slow down.