Factors of Ageing
Influences and Effectiveness
Key Influential Factors
The main factors that influence ageing include genes, nutrition, lifestyle and environment. Ageing can be positively influenced by changes to these factors and by enhancing natural mechanisms such as improving nutrition and also drugs which prevent ageing.
The Ageing Process
"Exercise, diet, stress and aspirin are thought to slow the ageing process of the human body."
Evolution of Ageing
"The evolution and genetics of ageing, biological age assessment, demographic and social aspects and the nutritional and physiological aspects of ageing and longevity generate interest across a wide range of biological and medical disciplines."
Anti-Ageing Drugs
"The compound in the drug, Resveratrol is thought to prevent anti ageing."
Inevitable Ageing
Aging may be inevitable, but the rate of aging is not. Why and how our bodies age is still largely a mystery, although we're learning more and more by the day. While genes partially determine who will develop chronic conditions that hasten the aging process, such as cancer, there are definite ways, such as keeping a healthy lifestyle, which will help to avoid such predisposed conditions.
A Study of Twins
Identical twins were studied to find differences in their physical appearances which could be labelled as attributes to ageing. The most notable exogenous factors influencing ageing were sun exposure and smoking. Other possible contributing factors could include alcohol consumption, stress, diet, exercise, disease and medication. In summary, the genetic influences on ageing may be highly overrated, with lifestyle choices exerting far more important effects on physical ageing.