Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach
Encyclopedia
Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach was a 1982 book (ISBN 0-446-51229-X) by Durk Pearson
and Sandy Shaw
that popularized the life extension
and smart drug movements.
The book discussed free radical
s and the idea that they cause aging, and how antioxidant
s were said to partially prevent the damage they do. The book suggests causes of aging and ways to slow them, with material on improving health and various aspects of the quality of life.
One notable feature of the book was several full-page pictures of its male and female authors, Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, striking bodybuilding poses and showing off some impressive muscles for "sedentary research scientists," which they claimed was due to the "growth hormone releasers" they took daily.
Never say die: The pursuit of eternal youth, Antony Thomas interviewed Pearson and Shaw, and criticised the anti-aging movement as misguided.
Durk Pearson
Durk Pearson, born in 1943 in Illinois, is best known for coauthoring a series of books on longevity, beginning with Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach.- Early life :...
and Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw is an American writer on health. She is an advocate of life extension.-Education:Shaw's father was an engineer and her mother a housewife. She received her degree in chemistry from U.C.L.A...
that popularized the life extension
Life extension
Life extension science, also known as anti-aging medicine, experimental gerontology, and biomedical gerontology, is the study of slowing down or reversing the processes of aging to extend both the maximum and average lifespan...
and smart drug movements.
The book discussed free radical
Radical (chemistry)
Radicals are atoms, molecules, or ions with unpaired electrons on an open shell configuration. Free radicals may have positive, negative, or zero charge...
s and the idea that they cause aging, and how antioxidant
Antioxidant
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
s were said to partially prevent the damage they do. The book suggests causes of aging and ways to slow them, with material on improving health and various aspects of the quality of life.
One notable feature of the book was several full-page pictures of its male and female authors, Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, striking bodybuilding poses and showing off some impressive muscles for "sedentary research scientists," which they claimed was due to the "growth hormone releasers" they took daily.
Criticism
In the 1992 documentaryDocumentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
Never say die: The pursuit of eternal youth, Antony Thomas interviewed Pearson and Shaw, and criticised the anti-aging movement as misguided.