Why Generation X May Be the First Group to Live Much Longer

Financial planners will tell you retirement requires enough money to live without working for 30 years. What if that's on the low end?

Jun 24, 2025

I intend to live forever. So far, so good. ~ Steven Wright

Back in 1935, when Social Security was passed, life expectancy was less than 61 years, which meant only a limited number of people collected benefits, and for only a limited amount of time.

In 2025, the average American life expectancy is over 79 years, but that number doesn’t tell the full story.

There’s a serious health divide in the United States. It’s a clear example where a single statistic fails to capture the true picture of American longevity.

On one end, we have people suffering from obesity, diabetes, and chronic heart disease, not to mention gun violence, opioid overdoses, and suicide.

At the other end of the spectrum, we have those living much longer, healthier lives. These people can expect to live into their late 80s and mid-90s, or higher.

The primary correlation is not income. It’s education. If you know better, you can choose to eat and behave differently than those who are ignorant of healthy aging practices, whether willfully or not.

These days, more Americans are reaching the age of 100 than ever before. That’s why the same financial planner who tells you it’s not too late to “catch up” on your retirement savings in your 50s will then proceed to say that you need enough money to live without working for 30 years.

That means if you retire at 67, you should plan to live to 97. Maybe you will or maybe you won’t, but it’s hard to imagine betting against yourself, right? No wonder everyone’s greatest retirement-related fear is outliving their money.

Now imagine if 30 years is on the low end.

I say that because typical financial planning doesn’t take into account the billions of dollars being invested in the development of medical treatments that slow and even reverse the aging process. It sounds like science fiction, but credible advances are being made at an incredible rate.

That means Gen Xers who adopt healthy aging practices can live long enough and well enough to benefit from the research and resulting treatments that defeat the ailments that come with aging. Even by current standards, we’ve got 20 to 30 years before we’re considered old.

Based on the money and effort aimed at the problem of our early demise, there’s a better-than-average chance we’ll have one or more effective anti-aging treatments in plenty of time.

Even better, scientists are pursuing several distinct strategies to slow aging and extend healthy human lifespan. And while there’s no need to become an expert in longevity science, it’s a good idea to understand what’s going on, because it has an obvious impact on the decisions you make today.

So here’s a primer on that vital education that can boost your longevity potential. What follows are the four most promising approaches.

A Simple Guide to Human Lifespan Extension

1. Cellular Reprogramming: Turning Back the Clock

What it is: Think of your cells like they are computers that have been running for decades, accumulating digital "clutter" that makes them sluggish. Cellular reprogramming is like doing a factory reset, wiping away the accumulated aging signals and restoring cells to a more youthful state.

How it works: Scientists use special genetic switches (called Yamanaka factors) to essentially trick old cells into thinking they're young again. The cells regain their vitality, function better, and can even repair damage they couldn't fix before.

The promise: In mice, this approach literally has reversed blindness, improved organ function, and extended lifespan. It's like finding a way to make a 70-year-old's cells behave like they're 25 again.

Where we are: The first human trials are just beginning. Companies like Life Biosciences plan to test this in people with eye diseases in the latter part of 2025, while other companies are preparing broader applications.

The challenge: Getting the "reset" just right. Too little and nothing happens, too much and cells might lose their identity or become cancerous.

2. Senolytics: Eliminating "Zombie Cells"

What it is: As we age, some of our cells become damaged but refuse to die. These "zombie cells" (scientifically called senescent cells) stick around, constantly releasing toxic substances that inflame surrounding tissues and accelerate aging.

How it works: Senolytic drugs are like specialized cleanup crews that identify and eliminate these zombie cells, allowing healthy cells to flourish without constant toxic interference.

The promise: Studies show that clearing zombie cells can improve everything from joint health to heart function. It's like removing the troublemakers from a neighborhood so the good residents can thrive.

Where we are: Unity Biotechnology has shown success in treating diabetic eye disease with a single injection that provided benefits lasting nearly a year. However, its arthritis trial failed, teaching researchers that different tissues may require different approaches.

The challenge: Finding the right drugs and delivery methods for different organs and diseases.

3. Metformin: The Diabetes Drug That May Fight Aging

What it is: Metformin is a cheap, widely used diabetes medication that seems to have unexpected anti-aging benefits. People with diabetes who take metformin often live longer than people without diabetes, which shouldn't happen, considering diabetes generally shortens life.

How it works: Metformin appears to optimize how cells use energy, reduce inflammation, and activate cellular cleanup processes. It's like tuning up your car's engine to run more efficiently and last longer.

The promise: Studies suggest metformin users have lower rates of cancer, heart disease, and cognitive decline. The TAME trial plans to test whether it can prevent multiple age-related diseases simultaneously.

Where we are: The landmark TAME trial aims to enroll 3,000 healthy older adults to see if metformin can delay aging itself, not just treat individual diseases. However, the $50-70 million study remains underfunded.

The challenge: Proving that a cheap, generic drug can alleviate aging when pharmaceutical companies have no financial incentive to fund large trials. The U.S. healthcare system strikes again.

4. Rapamycin: Slowing Down Cellular Growth

What it is: Rapamycin, discovered in soil bacteria from Easter Island, is currently used to prevent organ transplant rejection. But it's also the only drug proven to extend lifespan in every animal species tested.

How it works: Rapamycin blocks a cellular pathway called mTOR that controls growth and metabolism. When this pathway is overactive (as it becomes with age), it accelerates aging. Rapamycin essentially tells cells to "slow down and focus on maintenance instead of growth."

The promise: In animals, rapamycin extends lifespan by up to 60% and delays multiple age-related diseases. Some people taking it off-label report reduced inflammation, better energy, and even regrowth and re-pigmentation of gray hair.

Where we are: Several human trials are underway, including studies on gum disease (as a proxy for systemic aging) and delaying menopause. About 2,000 Americans currently take it off-label for longevity.

The challenge: Finding the right dose and schedule for healthy people. Current medical use requires higher doses that can suppress the immune system, and long-term rapamycin use can have deleterious muscle health and metabolic effects.

Healthspan vs. Lifespan: What's the Real Goal?

Researchers publicly emphasize extending "healthspan" (healthy years without debilitating illness) rather than total lifespan for three strategic reasons:

The FDA doesn't recognize aging as a disease;
It's easier to measure disease prevention than lifespan in human trials; and
It avoids controversial claims about dramatically extending human life.

But the distinction is somewhat artificial. All of these approaches work by targeting the fundamental biology of aging: the cellular processes that cause both disease and death. If you can genuinely slow cellular aging, you're likely to get both additional healthy years and more total years. The animal studies certainly show this to be true.

In other words, most longevity scientists privately believe that meaningfully extending healthspan will naturally extend lifespan too. They're just being strategic in how they frame their research for regulators, investors, and the public.

The Bottom Line

These approaches aren't mutually exclusive. Many scientists believe the future of longevity will involve combining multiple strategies.

Imagine using metformin for daily optimization, periodic senolytic treatments for cleanup, cycling rapamycin for deeper aging intervention, and eventually cellular reprogramming for major rejuvenation.

The field is moving from science fiction to clinical reality, with the first generation of true anti-aging treatments likely to become available in the next 5-10 years. The issue isn't whether we'll have anti-aging treatments, but rather which combination will work best for extending healthy human lifespan.

So, in light of this fantastical but valid information, I’ll ask you a question I’ve asked you before:

What do you want to do with the rest of your life?

Choose wisely.

Key Sources and Further Reading:

Human trials exploring anti-aging medicines - PubMed - Scientific review by Sinclair, Guarente, and Kroemer

Keep going-

Brian

P.S. It's time to get your financial house in order. Not to retire, but to live a long, healthy, and prosperous life. Join Further Premium to get the Becoming Financially Unbreakable series with 25-year financial planning veteran Denver Nowicz... plus a whole lot more.

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If you're like me and think early INXS is the best INXS, well... Don't Change. (YouTube)

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Mark Caley

"Imagine using metformin for daily optimization, periodic senolytic treatments for cleanup, cycling rapamycin for deeper aging intervention, and eventually cellular reprogramming for major rejuvenation." I get the concept but I can't imagine taking a four-drug cocktail (or something similar) isn't dangerous or better than making healthy lifestyle changes. But of course everybody just wants a pill.

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