The Latest and Greatest Longevity Pill

Recently, I have been reporting on “Longevity
Factors,” those lifestyle changes that have been proven to
extend our lifespan. They all require effort, which most of us in
our modern determined health-conscious ways are willing to expend.
(Really, how hard is it to remember to wear sunscreen every day —
even when it is cloudy — or have a daily bowel movement?)

These efforts — some more difficult than others — still leave
many of us pining for the assurance of ever-lasting vitality once
popularly made by the elixir Geritol. I remember
watching those
ads on our black-and-white television and thinking that when I
became “old” — like 40 — there was help to be had. But alas,
Geritrol, which promised to enrich “iron-poor, tired blood,” is
based on a theory that has been widely discredited.

There may be some hope on the horizon for Geritol nostalgics. It
is a nutritional plant supplement called “Resveratrol” and it
has been getting lots of press lately. The always-reliable
researchers at the National Institute on Aging and Harvard Medical
School broke this story last month in Nature and the
internet has been abuzz about it ever since.