Our body passes through the many stages of aging throughout our whole life. At the first step, the body rapidly grows and develops the physical size, organs, and body system. When it is mature, the body undergoes other changes until the apparent deterioration of organs. Organs deteriorate in some people than others, and this process depends on many factors. Let’s take a look closer at that field.
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Our body is unique. It has sets of personal characteristics hidden in the DNA. Some people develop diseases like cancer, while others stay healthy for their entire life. Still, our genetics is not the sole factor influencing the aging process. Aging can be caused by the lifestyle and environment that we live in.
When we grow up from toddlers, the body systems rapidly grow, and the brain forms many new interconnections. At adolescence, the body rapidly matures, starting from the height that increases and matures of the sex organs. The young adult body develops chest and shoulders broaden. Then, also the hair intensively grows over the whole body, especially in males.
During person's middle-age, the first signs of aging appear, especially the wrinkles develop and the fat deposits in the body increase. Also, a lot of disorders give a lot of symptoms. The old adult body is mainly manifested by the saggy and mottled skin and loss of hair. Additionally, the skin tone leads to an elderly appearance. All these signs are caused by the rising flexibility of organs and blood vessels, making the body less efficient.
All these processes appear sooner or later, while their appearance strictly depends on genetic, environmental, and lifestyle influences. Genes affect the growth and development of our bodies and can also shorten the lifespan. We dare say that longevity and good health into old age are also hidden in our genes. How does it work? The body keeps in DNA a predisposition to develop some diseases.
The DNA is twisted and bundled into the larger structures called chromosomes ended with telomere. Shortening the telomeres at the ends of chromosomes has been associated with aging and developing many diseases, including cancer. As they protect chromosomal genetic material, they can be treated as guards increasing longevity. Are there more biological factors that affect lifespan? The answer is yes. Those of us who metabolize cholesterol properly are more resistant to the risk of heart diseases.
The aging process affects the physiological functions of the body. It is caused by accumulating damage in molecules, cells, and tissues over a lifetime. Pigmentation of the skin also has an impact on our longevity. Dark skin is partially protected against the sun's UV radiation, lowering the risk of skin aging, skin growths, and cancers such as melanoma.
Genes are not the only factor affecting aging. Lifestyle has a tremendous impact on our health and also our longevity. Balanced diet, avoiding alcohol or drinking in moderation, regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, and healthy body weight are essential factors in a healthy, long life. Obesity does not help because the excessive weight has adverse effects on the heart, lungs, muscles, joints, liver, and other organs. It promotes atherosclerosis and prematurely worn joints. Within obesity, the liver is enlarged, lungs are compressed in the chest due to enlarged organs, bones, and joints are also compressed by the excessive tissues.
What about the environmental factors? There are many of them. Prolonged exposition on the sun means excessive exposure to UVA and UVB radiation, causing premature skin aging and increasing the development of melanoma. Pollution is a very harmful agent in premature aging.
Tiny particulates, chemical vapors released from the industry, and vehicles lodge in lungs contributing to asthma and lung cancer – they may penetrate biological tissues and deposit in them. People living in very polluted regions have these particulates in the blood, especially where coal is the primary energy source. Heavy metals pollution also causes severe health problems, including many systems in the body.
The main affected ones are the cardiovascular system and skeletal one, where the heavy metals incorporate into our bones. It also causes cancer. Pollution, heavy metals, smoking, combustion residues, UV radiation, and pesticides can also generate free radicals that are generally short-lived molecules rapidly reacting with other molecules. Once they interact with our tissues, they promote premature agiing of the body.
What about the stress? Relaxation helps to quite the body and mind and helps to create the space for our awareness. It helps calm the nervous system by reducing tension and anxiety and increasing neurotransmitters. That way, it is beneficial for the whole body, and proper relaxation may elongate the lifespan.
Summary
We are all aging. Some of us are lucky to have a unique combination of genes that, together with a healthy lifestyle, will make it possible to reach even 100 years old. Depending on many conditions, our organs deteriorate at a different rate. We cannot live forever, but we can slow down aging by caring about our health, keeping a balanced diet, maintaining physical activity, avoiding smoking, alcohol drinking, and pollution. Easier said than done, but every positive change helps us live longer.
Did you know that?
- Females usually live longer than males.
- Some people deal with a severe genetic disease called progeria in which the whole body is prematurely aging.
- Japanese women have the highest life expectancy in the developed world, about 85 years.
- The length of telomers can be changed. It elongates at astronauts' cells orbiting on the International Space Station; however, after returning to Earth, telomers started to return to their length before the cosmic flight.
This article is a joint work of Magdalena Osial (Institute of the Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw), Magdalena Warczak (Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences).
References
- Wheeler, H. E., Kim, S. K. (2011). Genetics and genomics of human ageing. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 366(1561), 43–50. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0259
- Blackburn E. H. (2000). Telomere states and cell fates. Nature, 408(6808), 53–56. https://doi.org/10.1038/35040500