Healthy After 100
We often associate growing older with growing ill, but it doesn't have to be that way. Research shows that living well throughout our lives can help us stay healthy well into our golden years. While genetics does play a role, how we live now can also affect how we live later.
An article published online on November 27, 2005 in the journal Nature Neuroscience reported that a protein found in mice and humans appears to help protect nerve cells from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease and can be reduced by antioxidants such as glutathione. Because the brain uses a large amount of oxygen and contains a relatively high amount of lipids, it is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress and the damage it can cause.
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Elevated homocysteine linked with macular degeneration risk In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Devers Eye Institute in Portland, Oregon discovered that having a high level of homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
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Obesity in middle age is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease Obesity during middle age in people who do not have high blood pressure or high cholesterol concentrations increases their risk in old age of hospitalisation or death from coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes.
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Recent developments in vitamin D deficiency and muscle weakness among elderly people Poor muscle strengthand weakness may be associated with vitamin D deficiency, which is common among elderly people because the capacity of the skin to synthesise the provitamin calcidiol (25-hydroxycholecalciferol) decreases with age.
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Dietary intake of antioxidants associated with reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration A diet with a high intake of beta carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc is associated with a substantially reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration in elderly persons, according to a study in the December 28 issue of JAMA.
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Total antioxidant capacity of diet inversely related to inflammatory marker In this study, red wine, fruits, fruit juices, coffee, cereals and vegetables were major sources of dietary antioxidants. The researchers found that the total antioxidant capacity of the diet was significantly higher in men and women who had low plasma C-reactive protein levels than in those whose CRP levels were considered high at 4.2 milligrams per liter and higher.
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Flavonoids protect cells from LDL oxidation Flavonoids continue to be at the heart of research into the protection of cells from apoptosis. This study shows flavonoids (including (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin, rutin and hesperetin, can reduce oxidative stress and help protect against inflammation and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
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Multinutrient supplement extends lifespan in mouse model of aging Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, report that a complex dietary supplement, including vitamins, minerals, essential oils, and phytonutrients, extended lifespan and prevented or delayed some of the signs of aging in mice bred to experience accelerated aging.
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Physical activity may reduce inflammation and extend life A study published in Gerontology shows significant benefit from light and medium activity levels, which reduced levels of inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein. Systemic Inflammation is now thought to be one of the most important factors in aging and degenerative disease.
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Obesity in middle age and future risk of dementia Being overweight or obese in middle age increases your risk of dementia in later years by as much as 74 percent, researchers find.
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Alzheimer's blamed on aging housekeepers We produce at least 50,000 different proteins, the activities of which are controlled by housekeeping proteins. When the housekeeping fails, disease states can arise.
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Telomerase and the Aging Cell: Implications for Human Health Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of each of our 23 pairs of chromosomes, much like the protective caps on the ends of shoelaces. As we age, these molecular "caps" shorten and, as they do, they activate certain degradative events that cause cellular aging. In fact, telomere length appears to be a reliable biomarker of cellular aging. Scientists believe that we may one day be able to extend our lifespan by rebuilding the lengths of these molecular caps.
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Association between telomere length in blood and mortality in people aged 60 years or older The Lancet reports that short telomeres in the blood could indicate the presence of degenerative disease, supporting the telomore theory of aging.
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Antioxidants for Alzheimer's A harmless dietary supplement containing, among other things, the putative antioxidant ingredient of red wine may arrest the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), report American researchers.
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Education and debate: Healthy aging In its 1997 aging issue, the British Medical Journal summarized the ways we can improve our quality of life as we age. This article looks at diet, lifestyle and environmental factors.
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