Via ScienceDaily, an interesting theory: “In spite of their genetic
similarity to humans, chimpanzees and great apes have maximum lifespans
that rarely exceed 50 years. The difference, explains USC Davis School of
Gerontology Professor Caleb Finch, is that as humans evolved genes that
enabled them to better adjust to levels of infection and inflammation and
to the high cholesterol levels of their meat rich diets. … these
evolutionary genetic advantages, caused by slight differences in DNA
sequencing and improvements in diet, make humans uniquely susceptible to
diseases of aging such as cancer, heart disease and dementia when compared
to other primates. … Over time, ingestion of red meat, particularly raw
meat infected with parasites in the era before cooking, stimulates chronic
inflammation that leads to some of the common diseases of aging. … ApoE3
is unique to humans and may be what Finch calls ‘a meat-adaptive gene’ that
has increased the human lifespan.
However, the minor allele, apoE4, when expressed in humans, can impair
neuronal development, as well as shorten human lifespan by about four years
and increase the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer disease by
several-fold. ApoE4 carriers have higher totals of blood cholesterol, more
oxidized blood lipids and early onset of coronary heart disease and
Alzheimer’s disease.”
