If you have parents or grandparents who live to a ripe old age, then you may have a genetic make-up that could produce similar longevity results. Scientific studies disagree on whether living longer is due to the right genetic factors or to lifestyle choices. Earlier research was thought to have identified a gene called sirtuin that prolonged life in worms and flies. This was the foundation for the creation of drugs that seek to fight aging by stimulating sirtuins in the body. It was thought that by tapping into the power of longevity genes, a person can remain as youthful at 70 or 80 or 90 years of age as he or she was at 50. More recently, the link between sirtuin and prolonging life span has come under fire.