Americans reveal what they would give up to stop ageing

What would YOU do to stop ageing? Americans would give up true love, eat 100 cockroaches and even chop off a finger

Researchers surveyed 2,000 people in the US for the ‘Pursuit of Youth’ study

Millennials were most likely to choose lifelong youth of all the age groups

People said they'd jump out of a plane, eat roaches, or chop off a finger for youth

Published: 12:58 EST, 9 December 2016 | Updated: 13:22 EST, 9 December 2016

Many people would be willing to do just about anything if it meant they’d stay young for life – like jump out of a plane, eat 100 cockroaches, and even chop off a finger.

This is according to a new study, which investigated youthful desires and the sacrifices we’re willing to make to achieve them.

Millennials were most likely to choose lifelong youth of all the age groups, and they’d go to great lengths in order to get it.

Many people would be willing to do just about anything if it meant they’d stay young for life – like jump out of a plane, eat 100 cockroaches, and even chop off a finger, according to a new study. A stock image is pictured

The team at BodyLogicMD surveyed 2,000 people in the United States for the ‘Pursuit of Youth’ study.

Participants were asked not only about youth, but lifelong fitness and sexual potency.

Across the board, ‘favourite food’ would be the first thing to go, with 59.2 percent indicating they’d give this up for a lifetime of physical fitness, 52.5 percent willing to give it up for youth, and 40.2 percent sacrificing it for sexual potency.

The team at BodyLogicMD surveyed 2,000 people in the United States for the ‘Pursuit of Youth’ study. Participants were asked not only about youth, but lifelong fitness and sexual potency

Many participants were also willing to give up their phones, pets, and even the internet to fulfil these desires – though at 15.2%, they were far less likely to leave the internet behind when lifelong sexual potency was the goal compared to physical fitness and youth.

Unsurprisingly, no one who hoped to achieve sexual potency for life was willing to give up sex.

But, some would do so to gain lifelong youth (13.5%) and physical fitness (12.4%).

The researchers also asked the respondents what extreme actions they’d be willing to perform to be young for life.

The majority (34.7%) said they’d jump out of a plane (though there was no indication of whether there would be a parachute involved or not). And, the researchers note, ‘lifelong youth may have its advantages, but it doesn’t include immortality’

The researchers also asked the respondents what extreme actions they’d be willing to perform to be young for life. And, the responses varied based on gender

The majority (34.7%) said they’d jump out of a plane (though there was no indication of whether there would be a parachute involved or not).

And, the researchers note, ‘lifelong youth may have its advantages, but it doesn’t include immortality.’

A group almost as large (32.5%) said they’d be willing to eat 100 cockroaches, and another (31.2) would give up their ability to taste.

Many people would choose other paths over lifelong youth, including landing a dream job, finding true love, leading a ‘normal life with very good looks,’ and having their family

A number of participants were also willing to swim with sharks (26.7%), chop off a finger (18.4%), give up all technology (13.5%) and become celibate (13.4%).

Few people said they would ‘never take another shower’ (6.3%), give up the ability to hear (2.2%), give up the ability to walk (1.6%), and give up the ability to see (1%).

And, the responses varied based on gender.

While far more men were willing to each 100 cockroaches, women were more likely to say they’d become celibate.

The researchers also studied the differences based on relationship status, and found that across all areas – divorced or separated, in a relationship, married, or single – the majority of people said they’d give up true love to be young for life

People 18-29 years old were most interested in staying young forever, and the desire declined almost steadily with age. ‘Noticeably, respondents became generally less interested in lifelong youth as they aged,’ the researchers note

Still, many people would choose other paths over lifelong youth, including landing a dream job, finding true love, leading a ‘normal life with very good looks,’ and having their family.

In the ‘would you rather’ experiment, youth only won over winning the lottery.

Most, however, would not give up their family.

Millennials were most likely to choose lifelong youth of all the age groups, and they’d go to great lengths in order to get it

IS TEENAGE BLOOD THE KEY TO ETERNAL YOUTH?

In a series of new trials, researchers have found that injecting the blood plasma of 18-year-old humans into old mice rejuvenates both the body and brain, improving cognition and allowing them to frolic about like their younger counterparts.

According to Alkahest, the company behind the experiments, blood plasma may hold the secrets to youth, and a similar technique could one day be used in procedures for humans.

The findings were presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego, California, New Scientist reports.

The firm, whose mission ‘is to enrich the health and vitality of humankind through transformative therapies that counterbalance the aging process,’ injected 12-month-old mice with blood samples from 18-year-old humans twice a week for three weeks.

After three weeks, the researchers noted improvements in the mice’s performance on a range of tests,

Following the injections, the older mice were better at remembering their way around a maze – and, they ran around an open space like the younger group.

People 18-29 years old were most interested in staying young forever, and the desire declined almost steadily with age.

‘Noticeably, respondents became generally less interested in lifelong youth as they aged,’ the researchers note.

‘Less than 64 percent of respondents aged 70 or older were interested in turning back the clock.

‘Maybe they’ve realized something about the benefits of growing old that the rest of our respondents haven’t had the time to figure out yet.’