INFLAMMAGING: ARE YOU ACCELERATING THE AGING PROCESS?

INFLAMMAGING: ARE YOU ACCELERATING THE AGING PROCESS?

FÁTIMA MAGALHÃES Longevity Ambassador

Growing older, many of us will develop low-grade chronic inflammations that cause disease and damage throughout our body. Because this low-level inflammation typically accompanies aging, scientists have nicknamed it ‘inflammaging’ – and it is thought to be the cause of age-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and dementia. Let me take you through how chronic inflammaging accelerates the effects of aging and shortens lives. Inflammation is a natural and necessary response to any harmful stimuli and is, therefore, an important component of the immune system. It is what enables our body to respond to injury, infection or illness. The problem is that it’s a double-edged sword, when the immune system fails to turn off the inflammation response, it leads to the low-level chronic inflammation now known as inflammaging.

In many cases, I believe this is due to the world we live in today, with various stresses to the body and mind triggering the chronic and systemic inflammation that provokes various age-related diseases.This does mean there is some good news in that because many chronic diseases share a common inflammatory basis, their risk can be prevented - and even reversed.

The low grade, persistent inflammation that leads to tissue damage and degeneration is often caused by poor lifestyle choices. Processed foods contain additives, sugars, conservatives and chemicals, and when consumed regularly, the body becomes chronically inflamed, developing the risk of disease and accelerating the aging process. Other factors can include stress, environmental chemicals, sleep deprivation, and lack of exercise – all of which contribute to increased inflammation and a compromised immune system.

THE LOW GRADE, PERSISTENT INFLAMMATION THAT LEADS TO TISSUE DAMAGE AND DEGENERATION IS OFTEN CAUSED BY POOR LIFESTYLE CHOICES. “

Above. Longevity ambassador Fátima Magalhães

While it is often difficult to pinpoint the sole reason for chronic inflammation, we can identify several contributory factors. One source of inflammaging points to damaged cells filling up with misfolded and damaged proteins due to a decline in our bodies housekeeping systems. Another factor has been linked to harmful products produced by oral or intestinal bacteria, which then leak into surrounding tissues and circulation. There is also the cellular response to damage and stress, known as senescence to consider. Finally, age-related changes to the immune system (known as immunosenescence) potentially contribute as our innate immunity becomes less adaptive with age.

Regardless of its underlying mechanisms, it is important to remember that inflammaging can severely accelerate the aging process as it wreaks havoc throughout the body. It is linked to heart disease, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, age-related macular degeneration, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and insulin resistance, cancer among other diseases. With the switch jammed in the on position, chronic lowgrade inflammation can quickly lead to disease, significantly impacting health, quality of life and longevity.

While we cannot turn off the inflammation response, due to its crucial protective role, I feel it is vital that we ensure that the very processes our body uses to protect us when we are young, do not compromise our health and vitality as we grow older – which is why I trust in Longevity.