SCIENTISTS believe man is on the brink of having an average lifespan of 120 years after major medical breakthroughs.
By regulating peptides experts believe the lifespan of a human can increase by around 30 years.
Peptides consist of amino acids and regulate the activity of certain molecules. One example of them is small proteins which influence how our bodies react to diet and physical exercise.
Peptides are found in the food we eat, but the dosage we consume can also be upped through medicinal drugs.
By altering the peptides, Professor Vladimir Khavinson, President of the European region of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, has proven that the average lifespan can be increased by slowing down the ageing process by upping the function of our organs.
Prof Khavinson told Express.co.uk: “Every peptide regulates approximately 10-15 genes.”
He added: “Every animal and human has their limit and the limit of humans is 110 to 120 years old.”
Following a 30 year investigation, the Russian scientist found experiments on animals, mainly rats, flies and mice involving peptide regulation “increased the lifespan of 30-40 per cent”.
Prof Khavinson added: “We investigated 17 kinds of life, including lamb, flies, mice, monkeys and humans and we see absolutely the same mechanism of regulation – we see increased function of any organ.”
The 70-year old scientist’s investigation began when he held a medical military position in Leningrad in the Soviet Union.
He said: “At the time I was a military scientist and the goal was to create new drugs to stimulate resource of organ use for military people.”
From there, Prof Khavinson has spent a large part of his career fine-tuning peptide regulation.
On May 28, he will be hosting an International Symposium on Longevity in Geneva where some of the leading experts in the field will meet to discuss how a longer lifespan for humans will come to fruition.
While he believes increasing the lifespan of humans by up to 40 per cent within “40, 50 years”, in the future is possible, this could potentially be even longer.
He said: “For today, for modern science, the maximum limit is 120. What it will be in 100 years, I don’t know. Maybe it will be more. But for today, it is impossible [to achieve more].”