Delaying Fragility: Understanding the Impact of Aging on Our Health and Vitality

2024-01-04 05:15:00

“Our vital functions are at their maximum between the ages of 20 and 25. The decline then begins from the age of 30. Then 50 and 75 years mark the gradual entry into greater vulnerability,” describes Professor Éric Boulanger, specialist in medicine and the biology of aging at Lille University Hospital, and member of the French Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SFGG).

At what age do we become fragile?

Professor Boulanger believes that “we can enter a situation of pre-fragility from the age of 45. Not so long ago this age was set at 60.” But chronic diseases (obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc.) occur earlier today. “By setting the age of entry into pre-fragility at 45, we are correct. »

Not that we are officially old at 45. But from this age, our risk factors can begin to express themselves, whether they are genetic (20% of risk factors being linked to genetics) or more linked to our lifestyle.

What is the impact of age on our body?

For our specialist, “following quarantine, epigenetics, that is to say the involvement of the environment [perturbateurs endocriniens, alimentation industrielle, tabagisme, excès d’alcool…, ndlr] will be able to influence our state of health. This is why it is advisable to take care of yourself as early as possible, and why the program for the first 1,000 days concerning the health of the infant and the adult he will become is very relevant. »

In itself, “aging is not an illness”, Professor Boulanger wishes to emphasize. It would “only” be the consequence of past years. But all the same, what happens in the body when we visibly age? “It turns out that our cells regenerate less quickly, so our tissues no longer renew as quickly. Aging cells, called senescent cells, accumulate and tend to alter the functioning of surrounding healthy cells. »

“There is no age to age well”

Fortunately, prevention has its say! As Professor Boulanger reminds us, “there is no age for aging well”. To provide a concrete response to this adage, “we have developed the Tempoforme®* program”, continues the specialist.

Objective: avoid points of vulnerability by encouraging people to take care of themselves, and by identifying reversible weaknesses early. Ultimately, as people get older, they have a lower risk of one day suffering from “sarcopenia (muscle wasting, [ndlr]falls, vision problems, hearing problems, memory deficits or even cardiovascular incidents.

*Program set up by the Lille University Hospital, the Amiens-Picardie University Hospital, the Institut des Rencontres de la Forme (IRFO) and the Kelindi company as part of the call for projects initiated by Carsat Hauts-de- France dedicated to the issue of aging well

1704346338
#Health #White #hair #osteoarthritis #hypertension #aging #disease