U.S. life expectancy at all time high (again)
Despite the prevalence of such mortality risk factors as obesity and HIV, a report entitled "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2003" released on February 28 2005 by the U.S. Center for Disease Control's National Center for Health Statistics estimated a 0.3 year increase in life expectancy compared to that of the previous year, bringing the average years one can expect to live from birth to a record high of 77.6 years. Although the increase from 2002's life expectancy may seem small, it confirms a trend that appears to show no signs of stopping. Age-adjusted death rates in 2003 were at the lowest point ever, with 831.2 deaths per 100,000 people reported.

Death rates for eight of the 15 leading causes of mortality: heart disease, cancer, stroke, suicide, influenza and pneumonia, liver disease and cirrhosis, accidents and injuries, and pneumonitis, declined between 2002 and 2003. The percentage of deaths caused by homicides continued a downward trend that began in 1991, and no longer appears in the top 15 causes of death. Alcohol and drug-related deaths also fell, as well as deaths from HIV. Deaths from Alzheimer's disease, kidney disease, hypertension, Parkinson's disease all increased, reflecting an aging population. Heart disease and cancer remained the top killers, despite the decline in deaths related to these diseases.

While the life expectancy of men in the United States has lagged behind that of women over the past few decades, men appear to be slowly catching up. Caucasian men can now expect to live 75.4 years and Caucasian women 80.5 years, in contrast with a gap of 7.8 years in 1979. Life expectancy for African-Americans continued to trail that of Caucasians, with men expected to live 69.2 years and women 76.1 years, however, the death rate for this group decreased to a greater extent between 2002 and 2003 than that of Caucasians.

In the May 10 2002 issue of Science magazine, researchers from the Max Planck Institute plotted a precise linear trend in life expectancy that increased a quarter of a year per year, and noted that the pronouncements of life expectancy limits that have been made over the past century have continually been exceeded. The current report confirms this trend, since 0.3 year exceeds a quarter of a year. It is to be hoped that the coming years’ reports will find a steeper increase, with less disparity between gender and race.

Influenza
Although the word "flu" is often applied to almost anything that makes us feel unwell, influenza should not be mistaken for the common cold or other airborne viruses. The flu differs significantly from the common cold in both the rapid onset of the illness and in the potentially life-threatening complications that can develop, especially in the elderly. Although most people recover within a week, serious problems can occur in newborn babies, people with certain chronic illnesses, and the elderly.

Aging people are often deficient in vital micronutrients needed to maintain healthy immune functioning and defend against invading pathogens. A high-potency vitamin formula, such as Life Extension Mix, should be taken daily to provide adequate levels of nutrients that may be deficient due to poor absorption or inadequate diet. A study in The Lancet (Chandra 1992) found that seniors taking modest doses of a multivitamin/multimineral supplement containing zinc and selenium showed a general reduction in infection and required antibiotics for significantly fewer days. In another randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, it was shown that seniors taking zinc and selenium had significantly fewer infections over a 2-year period, but that vitamin supplementation alone did not have a major effect (Girodon et al. 1997). Those who received the zinc and selenium supplement experienced a reduction in the number of infections by nearly two-thirds compared to placebo. Still another study demonstrated that seniors supplementing with zinc and selenium show improved antibody response to the flu vaccine (Girodon et al. 1999).

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a white, crystalline, water-soluble substance found in citrus fruits and green vegetables. Vitamin C may help to improve immune function and relieve cold and flu symptoms. Researchers found that high doses of vitamin C decreased cold and flu symptoms by 85% compared to those who only took pain relievers and decongestants.

https://www.lifeextension.com/protocols/infections/influenza

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Life Extension Magazine

March 2005 issue now online

If you have questions or comments concerning this issue or past issues of Life Extension Update, send them to ddye@lifeextension.com or call 954 766 8433 extension 7716.

For longer life,

Dayna Dye
Editor, Life Extension Update
ddye@lifeextension.com
LifeExtension.com
1100 West Commercial Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale FL 33309
954 766 8433 extension 7716

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