3 min readUpdated: Aug 9, 2026 09:52 AM IST
Humans may never live indefinitely, even if medicine succeeds in eliminating many diseases and other causes of ageing. A new study suggests that naturally occurring genetic changes in our cells could eventually place a biological limit on survival.
The research, published in the journal NPJ Aging, estimates that a typical human lifespan could reach between 146 and 194 years in a hypothetical scenario where other reversible causes of ageing were removed. However, researchers also found that some individuals could theoretically live much longer under such conditions.
Conducted by researchers at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow, the study focused on a process known as somatic mutation—genetic changes that occur naturally in cells during a person’s lifetime.
Genetic changes could damage vital organs
Somatic mutations are not inherited. Instead, they develop as cells divide or become damaged. Each time a cell copies its DNA, there is a possibility that errors can occur. Most of these changes have little or no effect, but some can interfere with how cells function.
Over decades, these mutations accumulate. In certain cases, they contribute to diseases such as cancer or interfere with the ability of tissues and organs to function normally.
The researchers explored what might happen if other major causes of ageing could be controlled or eliminated, while this accumulation of genetic changes continued.
The human body has mechanisms to repair cellular damage and replace damaged cells. Organs like the liver and lungs are capable of substantial regeneration. Other tissues, particularly those involving the heart and brain, have limited regenerative capacity.
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According to researchers’ mathematical modelling, damage accumulating in these vital organs could eventually become severe enough to prevent them from functioning properly. This could create an upper limit on human survival.
Not a fixed prediction
The researchers stressed that the estimate should not be interpreted as a prediction that humans will routinely live to nearly 200 years. The model examines only one possible mechanism of ageing and does not account for the complex interactions between organs or other biological processes.
Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, professor of molecular biogerontology at the University of Birmingham, described the modelling as interesting but said it relies on several speculative assumptions.
He argued that estimates based solely on somatic mutations cannot provide a definitive maximum lifespan because ageing is likely influenced by multiple mechanisms. His own research has explored the possibility that ageing could involve changes in how cells regulate biological information rather than simply the accumulation of molecular damage.
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The study therefore provides one possible explanation for why human lifespan may eventually reach a limit, rather than establishing a fixed maximum age. Researchers say that incorporating other major ageing mechanisms into future models could help scientists develop a more comprehensive understanding of why humans age and potentially identify ways to extend healthy lifespan.
