MANOUSH: Ageing is like a disease, I view
it as kind of a disease.
MANOUSH: I’m Manoush and I’m a film actress. Well my age, every part of me is a different
age but the majority of me is over 40.
MANOUSH: I think even as a teenager, I could never accept the concept of getting older
one day. I always had that in my head; I never wanted to get older.
COMM: Manoush has spent the majority of her
life doing all she can to fight against ageing.
MANOUSH: So, I had my breasts done, all in all six-times. I have my lips done quite obviously,
upper-eyelids done. I got my face filled, my cheeks filled, what else? You know what,
I even lost count of all the things that I have done to myself. All in all it’s like
40 plastic surgeries. I had another procedure that went wrong with my lower eyelid; you
see its taped-up now. That needs some reconstructive surgery. I will never stop doing plastic surgery.
All in all, on all operations and procedures 50,000. I mean in Pounds it would have been
like 44,000-45,000. In euro or in dollars it should be between 50,000 and 60,000.
COMM: Thousands spent on cosmetic surgeries
is one thing, but Manoush isn’t finished there. Willing to try anything, she has reached
out to a scientist who believes he may have found the secret to eternal youth.
MANOUSH: I’m really, really fascinated and
interested in all things anti-ageing. So, I read about Dr. Brouchkov in the media several
times. He is a doctor at the university in Moscow and he discovered three and a half
million years old immortal bacteria in the permafrost of Siberia.
COMM: The immortal Siberian bacteria in question
is called Bacillus F, and Anatoli Brouchkov believes it could be used to slow or even
halt the process of human ageing.
DR. ANATOLI BROUCHKOV: So, it looks like some of the micro-organisms, they have some amazing
mechanism of survival – which keeps them alive for millions and millions of years.
Just imagine what if they have that, and what if we can use it. You see, we can prolong
our life for thousands of years. You see the local people who live in the far north in
that area, they actually consume the bacteria with the water because permafrost melts and
then those microorganisms go into the water. Believe or not, but that area is famous for
people who live longer in Siberia.
MANOUSH: Dr. Brouchkov is taking this bacteria for years now. He has a fabulous skin like
a young man. So, finally I decided to contact him.
DR. ANATOLI BROUCHKOV: So, we have something
alive on earth which lives millions of years, in our own hands. We shouldn’t miss this
opportunity, that’s my strong belief.
MANOUSH: He is doing me a big favour; he is doing science a favour. I’m happy to be
able to be part of this.
MANOUSH: So, here we go. That’s what it is, that’s what he gave me.
IVAN HRUSKA: It is what it is. MANOUSH: That bacteria looks absolutely unspectacular.
MANOUSH: My family is absolutely against it.
They are going up and down the walls against it. My mother and my brothers didn’t even
agree to go on camera.
COMM: Receiving injections of a mysterious ancient bacteria brings unknown risks. Manoush’s
friends are supportive but concerned.
IVAN HRUSKA: Well, I know Manoush has done a lot of plastic surgery and a lot of different
things. This is like a totally new level because we really have absolutely no idea at all what
is going to happen. It’s like; it could be like even some alien virus or something
for all I know. I would never do something like that ever but I’m not, don’t want
to stop anyone from trying something like that out either.
SANDRINA BEIKE: I would definitely do it too.
INTERVIEWER: You would do it?
SANDRINA BEIKE: Yeah, I would do it. I will try it.
MANOUSH: So, what we are doing now is we go
into Dr. Patric John’s house. Patric is a friend of mine. He is a doctor and he will
be with me today when I start my experiment with a Russian bacteria. I’m feeling absolutely
fine. I’m absolutely excited. I feel like a child on Christmas morning.
MANOUSH: I’m going to inject, I think, two
millilitres in total and repeat it every month until it’s gone.
Look at that needle.
Oh boy!
DR. PATRIC JOHN: What could go wrong? So, first of all, every injection poses the risk
of infection; local infection or even general infection. Now, we are talking about bacteria.
Bacteria can always cause a reaction of the immune system of course. That could be an
allergic reaction, that could be even like the most extreme reaction would be a toxic
shock, which could pose a life-threatening condition. So, I’m concerned and I really
want to watch what’s happening here.
COMM: Anatoli Brouchkov has tested an extract of the bacteria on mice and taken it himself
– though he says as a food supplement. So, Manoush’s decision to inject is a new possibly
riskier stage of the experiment.
DR. ANATOLI BROUCHKOV: I didn’t recommend her any injections and I told her it was no
injection, it was just consuming the extract of that bacteria. Well, what I can say is
she is a very brave lady.
DR. PATRIC JOHN: If there is no risk-takers, there is no progress and on the other side
I know the risk that, I know what can happen but that’s life. It’s her decision. I
mean she is a big girl.
COMM: Patric will closely monitor Manoush’s progress, but legally he isn’t allowed to
administer the bacteria. So, Manoush will be giving herself the injections.
MANOUSH: it’s right, right? So here we go...
DR. PATRIC JOHN: Stop, stop, stop. Some disinfection first.
MANOUSH: Oh okay. DR. PATRIC JOHN: Easy, easy...
MANOUSH: Okay. DR. PATRIC JOHN: Easy. All the way in.
MANOUSH: All the way in? DR. PATRIC JOHN: Yup and slow. Slowly.
MANOUSH: Slowly? Good! I’m really, really excited. I’m really happy, I’m really
excited. We’ll see what’s going to happen.
MANOUSH: I will keep injecting: one to two millilitres, each month until the bottle is
empty which should be about 12-24 months.
MANOUSH: It’s much too soon, it’s much too early to say anything. What I can tell,
I’m really well, I’m physically well, I’m mentally well, I don’t regret a little
bit. I don’t regret even a bit that I did it. I would do it again and next month I will
do it again.
MANOUSH: First things first, I never had any adverse reactions, I never had any negative
reactions; no infections. I never reacted badly in any way to the bacteria. But I have
more stamina, I can work out longer, I sleep better, but you know what, we have to find
out if this is really an effect from the bacteria or if it’s a psychological effect. So, we
will wait and see and I’ll take a video next month. Thank you. Bye!