Have you heard of aging backwards?
Biological age differs from chronological age because it reflects the accumulated molecular and cellular damage in a person’s body over time. A person’s biological age can be influenced by their genes, lifestyle, and environment. Anti-aging efforts focus on repairing or slowing the degradation caused by these key biological mechanisms.
Key biological hallmarks of aging and related health interventions include:
- Cellular senescence: Over time, cells can lose their ability to divide and remain in a permanent, non-dividing state. These “senescent cells” secrete inflammatory chemicals that can damage neighboring cells and disrupt normal tissue function.
- Mitochondrial dysfunction: Mitochondria produce cellular energy but also generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage the cell. As we age, mitochondria become less efficient, leading to reduced energy and increased cellular damage.
- Telomere attrition: Telomeres are protective DNA caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division. When telomeres become too short, the cell stops dividing. Exercise has been shown to slow this shortening process.
- Stem cell exhaustion: The body’s ability to repair and replace damaged tissue is dependent on healthy stem cells, whose numbers and function decline with age. Factors such as inflammation and DNA damage contribute to this decline.
- Decreased metabolic rate: Your basal metabolic rate (BMR)—the energy your body uses at rest—tends to slow down with age. This is linked to the natural loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) that begins in middle age. A slower metabolism can lead to weight gain, even if diet and exercise habits don’t change.
- Reduced insulin sensitivity: Aging is associated with insulin resistance, where cells fail to respond effectively to the hormone insulin. This can lead to elevated blood sugar levels, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic issues. Central obesity, particularly visceral fat, is a major contributor to insulin resistance.
- Inflammaging: This is a state of chronic, low-grade inflammation that increases with age and is linked to numerous age-related diseases. Metabolic dysfunction, including accumulated visceral fat and oxidative stress, is a key driver of this inflammatory state.
- Hormonal shifts: The levels of hormones like growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, decrease with age. These changes can alter body composition, decrease muscle mass, and lead to metabolic dysregulation.
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