Although aging is the common cause of all age-related diseases, aging in itself cannot be considered a disease.
Aging Is a Natural Process
The way someone ages depends on heredity, physical health, nutrition, mental health, and other unknown factors. Some scientists feel that human beings have a built-in “biological clock” which would run for 130 years if no diseases or illnesses affected the body.
Aging is not a disease, but rather a normal and natural process. Older people do tend to get ill more often and to develop serious diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Thus, although aging itself is not a disease, it is associated with an increased burden of disease.
It is estimated that about 25 percent of the variation in human life span is determined by genetics, but which genes, and how they contribute to longevity, are not well understood.
They found that genes have a lot to do with looking young. There are thousands of genes in everyone's DNA that focus on cell energy, skin formation, and antioxidant production, but "ageless" people express them differently, and often for longer while others peter out as they age.
Oxidative damage. One major theory sees our metabolism as the cause of our aging. According to this theory, aging is a by-product of normal metabolism; no mutations are required. About 2–3% of the oxygen atoms taken up by the mitochondria are reduced insufficiently to reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Overview. Progeria (pro-JEER-e-uh), also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, is an extremely rare, progressive genetic disorder. It causes children to age rapidly, starting in their first two years of life.
– Recent lab studies have shown that aging is a reversible process, an advancement that has prompted scientists to seek ways to stop the functional decline of cells and tissues, as well as restore their regenerative capacity.
Researchers suggest that Werner syndrome is due to complete loss of function of the helicase protein encoded by the WRN gene. The specific function of the helicase protein in preventing premature aging remains unclear.
Examples of aging-associated diseases are atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis, cataracts, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and Alzheimer's disease. The incidence of all of these diseases increases exponentially with age.
According to a new study, when you look significantly younger than your chronological age, it's not just an optical illusion, your skin is actually aging a slower rate than normal.
Experts suggest that skin aging normally begins around the age of 25 years old when the body progressively reduces manufacturing collagen, causing the skin to lose elasticity. These early signs reflect well as you reach 30 years old.
The researchers found that longer genes are linked to longer lifespans, and shorter genes are linked to shorter lifespans. They also found that aging genes change their activity according to length.
The fact is, science has yet to discover a single ingredient that can permanently reverse the aging process. And yes, aging is a gradual, irreversible and inevitable process.
For most people, the answer to “At what age does your face change the most?” is sometime in their 50s or 60s. This is around the time that the effects of gravity and fat loss become extremely noticeable.
When they appear earlier in life, the cause is usually from environmental or lifestyle factors. Exposure to light is a top cause of premature aging: Sun exposure causes many skin problems. Ultraviolet (UV) light and exposure to sunlight age your skin more quickly than it would age naturally.
For example, the team suggests that the biological aging process isn't steady and appears to accelerate periodically — with the greatest bursts coming, on average, around ages 34, 60, and 78.
Genetics play a significant role in how fast you age, so if your parents aged really well, that may be the case for you too. Your skin's thickness, color, and vascularity can determine how quickly damage or signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles appear.
'Normal' Signs of Aging vs.
Natural changes happen in the body as we age, such as skin damage from sun exposure, loss of muscle and physical strength, loss of some sight and hearing, as well as changes to our sleep patterns, energy levels and appetite.
After the age of 13 years, the facial growth slowed down, and after 16 years of age it practically ceased. Bulygina et al. [51] also reported a significant decline in the rate of growth at approximately 13 years of age and a cessation of growth at about 15 years of age.