Inflammation and the Aging Process

In the scientific community, it is becoming more and more clear that inflammation and aging go together. Low grade, chronic and unresolved inflammation, even at the molecular level, it appears, can contribute significantly to aging. Though the process of aging has been viewed as an inevitable part of living a long life, apparently, scientists are finding, this isn't always the case. Not everyone goes through the same aging process as they grow older. Scientists have been trying to determine why this is true and by what mechanism some individuals are able to maintain youthfulness even into their 90's. It seems that the role of inflammation in the body is providing an important piece in this puzzle. For years, doctors have used high blood pressure and cholesterol to try to determine who was at risk for a heart attack and who wasn't. Today, scientists have uncovered a new, much more reliable way to measure heart attack risk. An inflammatory substance known as C-reactive protein has been used to predict heart attack risk with amazingly accurate results. In heart disease, inflammation plays an important role, which is why aspirin has been effectively used for years to prevent heart attacks in the United States. It was once believed that aspirin's blood-thinning abilities were primarily the reason why it was useful in preventing heart attacks, but it seems that its anti-inflammatory capabilities are important as well. A variety of other diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and even depression are correlated with the presence of inflammatory proteins in the parts of the body effected by the disease. In diabetes, increasing the body's cellular sensitivity to insulin and reducing inflammation appear to work together to promote healing. In Alzheimer's scientists have found that in diseased plaques found in the brain, inflammatory cytokines are also present. Depression appears to be linked to amped up levels of inflammatory substances in the body as well. Scientists are considering the possibility that by diminishing the inflammatory response in the body all of these different diseases could be effectively cured. The role of inflammation in causing the aging process to progress more quickly is mounting. Scientists have been researching the use of bioidentical hormones in the treatment of inflammation. Hormones can help to balance the body's inflammatory response, allowing there to be enough inflammation for the body to effectively protect itself from invading organisms, but not so much inflammation or inflammation that is too prolonged for the body to experience negative effects. The fact that inflammation can be widespread and have an insidious effect on various organ systems makes hormones an excellent choice for treating inflammation because hormones also have a widespread effect on the body. Another method that has been used to diminish the inflammatory response associated with aging is caloric restriction. Caloric restriction is still being researched by scientists who are trying to understand the mechanism by which eating fewer calories diminishes the inflammatory response in humans and other animals. As the effects of inflammation on the body become better understood, doctors are taking note. A number of chronic diseases that a number of individuals suffer from in our Western culture may be the result of this one physiological process. Discovering the reasons why inflammation happens and how to eliminate or reduce inflammation in the body will provide valuable insights into age management medicine in the future.