Aging describes the physical changes that accumulate in the body over time. It commonly refers to age-related declines in health. Aging also causes psychological and social changes. However, this article focuses on physical aging. Since the time of the industrial revolution, human longevity has been increasing. The most common causes of death are no longer communicable diseases but are instead diseases from lifestyle and environmental sources. Maintaining a healthy body remains a key focus of anti-aging strategies. Anti-aging supplements and lifestyle changes may support this goal.
What Is Aging?
Physical Aging
Physical aging does not always match chronological age. People of the same age can age differently. Scientists call the physical aging of cells and the body senescence. Senescence describes the gradual loss of cellular stress response and metabolic balance. When enough stressors happen, the cell cannot respond well enough and will succumb and die. Our ability to resist these stressors and replace these dying cells is the key to staying young. Cell division supports health by renewing skin, blood, bone, and other essential cells.
Telomere Shortening
Researchers link cellular senescence in humans to shortened telomeres at chromosome ends. Telomeres protect DNA during replication, similar to plastic tips protecting shoelaces. Each cell division shortens telomeres slightly. Eventually, cells lose regenerative ability, contributing to aging. Scientists consider telomeres a molecular clock for cell lifespan. Telomere shortening isn't all-bad though, it acts as a protective failsafe against the formation of cancer. In fact, 85% of cancers contain a mutation that activates an enzyme (telomerase) that repairs the telomeres of the cell and prevents shortening.
What Are The Causes of Aging?
Free Radical Damage
The number one cause of damage to our cells is exposure to free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules with an unpaired electron that are extremely reactive, and damage surrounding cell membranes, fats, and fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients. We encounter free radicals through environmental exposures, such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, processed foods, and ultraviolet radiation from the sun (UV rays).
The damage caused by free radicals can cause cell death, alterations in genetic material and autoimmune reactions to damaged cells. Because of this, it is important to reduce your exposure to these damaging substances by using natural products and avoiding environmental exposures. To help neutralize the effects of those free radicals that you cannot avoid, ensure your diet is rich in as many antioxidants as possible.
Hormone Loss
Aging inevitably results in a decline in the production of our sex hormones over time. These hormones play essential roles in maintaining muscle mass and bone density, as well as many other health markers. Men experience andropauce when natural testosterone production declines.
Lifestyle Changes & Supplements For Anti-Aging
Dietary Changes
Research in mice has shown that when they are fed a diet that contains 30-50% less calories than an unrestricted diet, but still contains all the nutritional requirements, it can lead to an increase in lifespan of up to 50%. Calorie restriction may delay cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and unhealthy cell growth. The easiest way to do this is to focus your diet on fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and nutrients.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes can significantly improve quality of life and longevity. Gaining healthy habits such as regular exercise, good quality sleep, breathing exercises, and a clean diet, as well as dropping unhealthy activities such as smoking and chemical exposure, will increase vitality. Internally, as we age, we lose muscle mass (sarcopenia), so by doing weight-bearing exercise, you can delay muscle degradation. All exercise will aid in increasing telomerase activity, which helps enhance and elongate the life of our cells. You can support aging skin by moisturizing with creams containing natural oils like avocado, almond, and olive oil. To avoid damaging your skin, limit sun exposure, be sure to use sunscreen (which will minimize age spots) and avoid direct contact with harsh, cleansing chemicals.
Liver Support
Because our liver is the organ responsible for detoxifying our body and for eliminating most reactive substances like free radicals from the body, it is essential that we support its health and function. Some substances that do this are: N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), milk thistle, B complex vitamins, and D-glucarate.
In addition to support your liver, after a time of toxic buildup, such as holidays or celebrations, it is often a good idea to do a liver and kidney detox to help clear out any extra toxic build up you may have accumulated, and to ensure those elimination pathways are running smoothly.
Digestive Support
Much like the liver, your digestive tract is the key to your ability to eliminate a large amount of your toxic burden. It is the most direct way for waste to leave our body, and it is where the liver releases the toxins that it has processed. Because of this, healthy digestion is one of the keys to aging well.
Anti-Aging Supplement Varieties
Antioxidants
Most fruits and vegetables naturally contain a variety of antioxidants, especially berries such as: blueberries, acai, goji, noni, and other super fruits. Many vitamins also act as antioxidants in the body. These make for great anti-aging supplements; they include vitamin A, C, E, CoQ10, and carotenoids.
Resveratrol Supplements For Anti-Aging
This nutrient appears in many common foods:
- Red wine
- Berries
- Skins of other brightly coloured fruits
Studies examining resveratrol showed dramatic results for reducing the incidence of unhealthy cell growth by acting directly on these cells to cause their death. Resveratrol can also protect the heart and cardiovascular system by maintaining the integrity of artery walls and by reducing the thickness of the blood.
Astragalus
Research shows astragalus root compounds may increase telomerase activity. Some companies market these supplements for anti-aging support.
Carnosine
This small protein subunit may support mental function and provide antioxidant protection against cellular damage.
Coenzyme Q10 Supplements For Anti-Aging
One of the natural enzymes in the body, commonly known as CoQ10, is an extremely strong antioxidant that can help to prevent the physical signs of aging. This nutrient also helps create ATP, the body's primary energy molecule.
Carotenoids
Often, anti-aging skincare products contain a type of natural antioxidant compound extracted from yellow or red fruits and vegetables. Researchers call these compounds carotenoids.
