More of Us May Soon Be Living to 100

March 23, 2009 — -- "It's a little-known fact, but Dr. Mehmet Oz is actually 180 years old," "Good Morning America" anchor Diane Sawyer said jokingly during a recent interview with the good-health guru.

Oz, co-author of the popular "YOU" series of books, says that someday soon that may be a reality, with many people living well into their 100s in relatively good health.

Scientists are studying different ways to slow the aging process, said Oz.

"Well, first of all, we know there's a chemical called sirtuin that tells the body to live longer," Oz said.

Sirtuins are proteins that in animal studies have been shown to help extend life.

Calorie restriction is also effective in extending the life span in animals, according to several studies.

"It turns out that if you take rodents and you cut down their caloric intake -- it's called calorie restriction -- by a third, they'll live a third longer," Oz said. "And humans who are doing calorie restriction, when they're studied, show rejuvenation of their arteries, of their hearts. They actually begin to behave like they're younger than they really are."

Oz said it's not feasible for most humans to cut their caloric intake by a third, but he said that cutting 15 percent of your daily calories can be almost as beneficial.

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, for example, a 15 percent reduction would mean taking in 1,700 calories.

Reservatol, a chemical found in red wine, has been touted for its health benefits, and Oz said that may be because reservatol turns on the sirtuins protein.

There has been conflicting information about the benefits of alcohol, with one recent study pointing to a link between even moderate drinking in women and a higher cancer risk.

"For women, I would not drink more than a glass of wine or any alcohol a day. And for men, you can get a little bit more than that," Oz said. "Pills of reservatrol make more sense. But again, I want to warn everybody, you know, we don't have a ton of information about this in humans. And we're not going to for another few decades."