Longevity & AgingWhy Aging May Be Programmed Not Broken — The Hyperfunction Theory Explained
Most aging theories blame damage — DNA errors, oxidative stress, cellular wear. But the hyperfunction theory flips this: aging may be caused by developmental programs that keep running past their useful point, becoming destructive in later life. Think of it as the body's growth engine stuck in overdrive. Reviewed by João Pedro Magalhães of the University of Birmingham, this paper traces the intellectual history of programmatic aging theories, from early caloric restriction research to the contributions of Mikhail Blagosklonny. A key piece of evidence is that rapamycin — a drug that dials down the mTOR growth-signaling pathway — extends lifespan in animal models. Single-gene manipulations that slow or accelerate aging further support the idea that aging is regulated, not random. If true, this framework suggests aging could be meaningfully targeted with drugs that modulate developmental signaling pathways.
