Why We Age: Discover The Causes

While it is true that we do not all age at the same rate or in the same way, it is clear that aging is an inevitable physiological process that causes many changes in our bodies. Do you know why we age?

What is actually happening in our bodies to make it happen? We tell you why we age and everything you need to know about this process.

What is aging?

Aging is defined as changes that occur in the body, both morphological and functional, as a result of the passage of time. This process means that the body generally loses its abilities gradually. Eventually, a failure in the function of one or more organs leads to the death of the person.

Thanks to scientific advances, human life expectancy has increased significantly, especially in the first world. However, aging, in addition to being inevitable, is still a process that scares many people.

We all want to live longer and with a good quality of life. That is why we often wonder why we age. We will talk about what is really happening.

Why do we age?

Science has made increasing progress in deciphering what actually happens in the aging process. Experts have discovered various changes that take place at a molecular level and that would explain the changes we observe on a large scale in humans. Some of these changes are as follows:

Damage to the genome

The genome is genetic material made up of DNA, which is found in every cell in our body. It contains information on the formation and function of all parts of the human body. Over time, physical and chemical agents and even the individual’s own substances constantly damage the genome.

DNA itself has a mechanism for detecting and repairing damage. But over the years, the changes get bigger and bigger, and the mechanism starts to fail. As a result, they accumulate. Cells and organs can stop functioning as they should, and for example, cancer can begin to form.

Why do we age? Telomere instability

Our DNA is organized into chromosomes, which are a compressed form of genetic material. They are especially important in cell division. Telomeres are the ends of these chromosomes. They are responsible for giving the structure stability and helping cell division occur properly.

What happens is that with the successive divisions that the cell performs, these telomeres become shorter. As a result, there is a loss of stability in the genome, which will eventually result in further cell damage and mutations.

Loss of protein balance

Our genetic material contains the information necessary for the formation and structure of proteins. Proteins are very important molecules in our bodies. They perform various functions, such as transporting other substances, supporting certain structures or transmitting messages.

When DNA is damaged, the instructions for these molecules fail to form properly. This then causes proteins to be formed that cannot perform their function.

If this happens on a large scale and many diseases accumulate, the processes of the human body are affected. The more genetic damage there is, the more protein there is in a bad condition, and the more functions fail. Therefore , it all has to do with aging.

Why do we age? Other changes

In addition to those mentioned above, there are also a number of other changes in the cells. Some of them are as follows:

• Stem cell depletion: They lose their ability to divide and produce new cells.
• Cell communication problems, such as may be due to the dysfunctional proteins we have discussed.
• Accumulation of toxic substances in mitochondria due to respiratory processes.

Healthy aging

All these changes and processes that take place at a molecular level result in a deterioration of the functions of the body’s organs and systems. This loss of function is what we see as aging.

In addition to this, we must keep in mind that aging does not only depend on our genetic material. The lifestyle we have and the substances and conditions we are exposed to also have a significant impact.

For this reason, it is important to have a healthy lifestyle, which includes a healthy diet and exercise, and avoiding substances that can be harmful, such as tobacco or alcohol. Aging is inevitable, but everyone can try to do it in the best possible way.