Health · Medical Research · 15 hrs ago
Endocrinologist says human lifespan still tops out at about 120
Endocrinologist Jesús Fernández-Tresguerres says the human lifespan still tops out at about 120 years.
In an interview, he said average life expectancy has risen, but the maximum age people reach has barely changed.
In wealthier countries, average life expectancy rose from 50 to more than 80 between 1945 and today, helped by clean water, sewage treatment and vaccines.
He says anti-ageing medicine aims to improve health and independence, not add years to life.
Hormone levels fall with age, and treatment can replace some hormones, but he does not describe this as a way to overcome the lifespan limit.
He estimates genes account for 30% of ageing, and lifestyle for 70%.
That means, in his view, people can influence how they age through their habits.
Endocrinologist Jesús Fernández-Tresguerres says the maximum human lifespan remains about 120 years, despite rising average life expectancy.
He says medicine should aim to improve people’s health and autonomy in the years they live, rather than make them live longer.
He attributes 30% of ageing to genetics and 70% to lifestyle.
He says average life expectancy in the developed world rose from 50 to more than 80 between 1945 and today, partly because of clean water and vaccines.
- Who
- Jesús Fernández-Tresguerres, an endocrinologist and member of Spain’s National Academy of Medicine.
- What
- He says the maximum human lifespan remains about 120 years, although average life expectancy has increased.
- When
- The interview was published on November 8, 2026.
- Where
- The interview was with La Voz de Galicia. The article does not state where it took place.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Fernández-Tresguerres completed his endocrinology specialty; he says hormone levels could not then be assessed with blood tests.
Average life expectancy in the developed world rose from 50 to more than 80, according to Fernández-Tresguerres.
Infobae published its report on the interview with Fernández-Tresguerres.
- Maximum lifespan
- About 120 years
- Genetics’ role in ageing
- 30%
- Lifestyle’s role in ageing
- 70%
- Average life expectancy in the developed world
- Rose from 50 to more than 80 between 1945 and today
- Factors cited for increased life expectancy
- Clean water and sewage treatment, and vaccines
1 source
What people are saying
What we try to do with anti-ageing medicine is not make patients live more years, but help them live the years they will have with the best quality of life.
The maximum age has hardly changed since the world began and is around 120 years.