December 28, 2024
 
How Does Aging Work?

Jorge Liang Sanchez – Stemfinite.com

        Only three things can be guaranteed in life: life, death, and aging. That’s right, whether you like it or not, humans undergo a series of physical and changes in accordance with their age. Although scientists have studied this topic for years, there is no ‘cure’ or solution to aging meaning for now, we’ll all be stuck with its effects. However, if we ever want to have a chance at living forever, it is important to understand the science behind aging.

 

        Why do we age?

 

        Scientists have debated why we age for a very long time, but there is no clear answer. Some say that aging is the result of damage caused to the body by ultraviolet rays, likely from the sun. This is also why you may have heard or seen that people from countries that don’t receive sunlight often, age more slowly. Another theory, called the ‘endocrine theory’ suggests that aging is caused by the changes in the hormones that are released by the endocrine system. This would therefore cause changes in our body’s entire physical appearance. However, the most commonly accepted theory is the gene theory. According to this theory, the cells, tissue, and genetic material in our body get damaged over time from unknown causes. These damages are irreparable, meaning that they are permanent. This is why aging is also commonly associated with a reduction in basic functions.

 

        How does the aging process work?

 

        As humans, we begin to age shortly after finishing puberty. This is the age (18-25) where the majority of people report being more physically capable, although this depends on each person’s lifestyle. In essence, as was mentioned earlier, we begin to age when our cells lose their capability of regenerating. This phase is called senescence, and it happens among almost all living organisms on earth. Once we start to senesce, our bodies gradually undergo major physical changes such as the loss of strength in muscles, the wrinkling of the skin, and hair turning gray. It is important to note that different people will be affected at different speeds and in different ways by the senescence of the cells. Many elderly people, however, find that they obtain higher mental capabilities than when they were younger. This is because the brain is an organ that takes longer to be affected by the senescence process.

 

        Senescence

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        The actual senescence process starts with the shortening of the telomeres located in our chromosomes. These protective caps at the end of the chromosomes lose a small bit of their length after each cell division, making the cell enter the senescence stage where there is no way back. An example of this natural occurrence is hair loss, where the stem cells that regenerate our hair follicles become senescent.

 

 

 

        Is it possible to slow down aging?

 

        Although you may have seen internet gurus selling the next best anti-aging product, no, there is no definitive way to consistently slow down aging. However, scientists do say that living a generally healthy and balanced lifestyle can contribute. Lately, there have been some studies claiming that natural substances like Astralagus, found in red wine, may have the ability to lengthen telomeres in a process called telomerase.

 

       All in all, we still haven’t found any way or method to combat aging and live forever. It is always a possibility, though, considering the rapid advancements being made currently in technology and medicine. But for now, we just have to embrace the gray hair and wrinkles and focus on living a healthy life.

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guaranteed = garantizado

undergo = sufrir (una serie de cambios)

stuck = atascado

released = segregado

tissue = tejido

unknown = desconocido

senesce = senescencia

strength = fuerza

shortening = acortamiento

stage = etapa

occurrence = aparición

lengthen = alargar

embrace = aceptar

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       Citations

 

“Aging: What to Expect.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/aging/art-20046070.

How Do We Age? www.age.mpg.de/how-do-we-age.

“Overview of Cellular Senescence and Aging | Cell Signaling Technology.” Cell Signaling Technology, cellsignal.com/science-resources/overview-of-cellular-senescence#:~:text=With%20each%20round%20of%20DNA,damage%20response%20which%20triggers%20senescence.