45 Facts About Aging:
1. Your muscle mass decreases on the average about 7 lbs per decade... this loss accelerates after age 45.
2. Fat increases as a percentage of your body weight. As we all know a higher percentage of fat in our bodies can lead to various health issues.
3. We start to slow down - strength, energy and speed of the body decreases.
4. Our base Metabolic Rate (metabolism) decreases.
5. Our aerobic capacity, the capacity to process oxygen, decreases. Red blood cells as a percentage of total blood volume (hematocrit) decreases until the average at age 90 is what is considered to be "anemia" at age 40.
6. Our body cells become resistant to insulin.
7. LDL Cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) and triglicerides increase, and HDL Cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) falls. This can lead to various problems including arterial sclerosis.
8. Blood pressure increases, putting an increased burden on vital organs.
9. Bone mineral density decreases, causing brital bones and slowing the healing process after injury.
10. The density of calcium in circulatory system increases.
11. Our kidney functions decrease.
12. The number of neurons in our brain decreases. This can lead to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Senile Dementia.
13. The vagus nerve, the longest nerve in our body starts to deteriorate... affecting the entire nervous system.
14. Our growth Hormone secretion drops. Which is a reason for growth hormone replacement treatments becoming more popular each day.
15. The levels testosterone in men, and estrogen and progesterone in women drop.
16. For many sexual desire and performance declines.
17. Thyroid function levels (a hormone which affects metabolism) drop.
18. Melatonine (a hormone which regulates the body clock) decreases, causing sleep problems.
19. DHEA levels (a hormone precursor to testosterone and estrogen) drop, which can lead to hair loss.
20. EPO, (erythropoyetin, a hormone which stimulates the production of new red blood cells) drop, which can cause fatigue and effects the healthy cycle of our organs.
21. The levels of Estradiol, a female hormone, may increase in men.
22. The levels of Cortisol, "the Death Hormone," levels may increase.
23. The good enzymes in our bodies (Super Oxidase Dimutase, etc.) begin to drop.
24. A bad enzyme, MAO-B can increase in the brain. MAO-B destroys neurons that produce dopamine, which is a neuro-transmitter. This may result in mood problems.
25. Aromatase enzyme, which is a bad enzyme, increases in our bodies. Aromatase converts testosterone to estrogen in men, which deprives them of libido.
26. As our skin becomes thinner we get more wrinkles.
27. The levels of Prolactin, a female hormone, increases in the body of a male, depriving some sexual libido.
28. The water proportion in the body and in the skin, drops. This results (among other things) in dryer skin, and more visible wrinkles.
29. The sense of hearing may drop.
30. The sense of taste declines. Many say "everything can taste the same".
31. Our sense of vision, especially the capacity to read small letters in low light, decreases.
32. Our Hair begins to fall and lose its color (we become grey haired).
33. Our thymus gland, the master of the immune system, shrinks and wastes away, thus weakening our immune system.
34. Our liver, brain, and other vital organs shrink in size, affecting their functions.
35. Lipofuscine ("liver spots") accumulates on our hands and our brains. This destroys out many neurons in our brain.
36. The circulatory system deteriorates in length and width. We are born with a perfectly clean and beautifully flexible circulatory system reaching everywhere. But by the time we are 50 years old, if you could see a cross-section of your veins and arteries, and depending upon how much you have abused your body with sugar, fat foods, cigarettes and alcohol etc, they look like a clogged up sewer. In addition to cholesterol, they are clogged up with calcium, and veins and arteries have lost flexibility. This can cause blood to circulate more slowly, and so less food, water, and oxygen get to all parts of the body, including the brain. This is a root cause of the loss of brain cells, and organ and gland deteriation.
37. The speed of blood flow decreases.
38. Tissue inflammation increases in our body.
39. "Deep sleep" becomes rarer and less profound. We wake up tired!
40. Digestion becomes slower and less complete. Causing abnormal bowl movements.
41. The retina becomes thinner, in many cases detaching. Leading to medical conditions such as retinopathy.
42. The macula of the eye loses some of its shape after 40, and causes distorted vision. Commonly known as macular degeneration.
43. Micro-vessels in the eye may burst and bleed, covering the retina, causing partial loss of vision, or even complete blindness.
44. The ability to see at night decreases.
45. Melanocytes continually release small amounts of the brown- black pigment called melanin into the skin. Exposure to sunlight signals the melanocytes to produce more melanin. Melanin determines our normal skin color and attempts to protect our skin from severe sun damage. As we age, our melanocytes begin to function less effectively. The density of active melanocytes in the skin is reduced by 10% to 20% every 10 years, starting in our late 30's and 40's. Melanocytes are also responsible for hair color, so their loss explains why 50% of people are gray by age 50.
Click here to see details of our adipose stem cell program.