'Inflammaging' Can Accelerate Age-Related Disease – Here's How To Limit It

Inflammation of the handsSometimes, inflammation – which happens when your body responds to illness, injury, and bacteria – is helpful. It can help us to heal and may even be key to muscle growth. But, like the “fight or flight” hormone cortisol, too much of a sometimes-useful thing can be harmful. Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis can occur when your body’s inflammation levels stay too high for too long (in this case, your body mistakenly attacks your own joints).However, not every instance can lead to a full-blown, identifiable illness, Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor, told HuffPost UK.“Inflammaging,” a portmanteau of “inflammation” and “ageing,” can lead to “contribute to conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and frailty,” hastening the appearance of age-related conditions, she shared. What is “inflammaging”?“Inflammaging” is a term used to describe the low-grade, chronic inflammation that develops as we age, even in the absence of obvious infection or illness,” Dr Wylie said. This change is “subtle and persistent,” and is “thought to occur due to a combination of factors such as the gradual build-up of cellular damage, changes in the immune system, the presence of senescent (or “ageing”) cells, and the effects of long-term exposure to environmental stressors.”Over time, this can leave you more liable to develop health issues linked to ageing.How can I tell if I have “inflammaging”?There are no clear-cut diagnostic tools for “inflammaging” as yet. “Research studies may measure certain inflammatory markers in the blood, such as [inflammation markers] C-reactive protein (CRP) or interleukin levels, but these are not specific or practical for routine screening,” Dr Wylie said.But that doesn’t mean “inflammaging” is symptomless or impossible to notice.“In real terms, we tend to ‘spot’ the effects of inflammaging indirectly, through the presence of age-related conditions and a decline in resilience to illness or stress,” the GP told us. How can I manage “inflammaging”?Though ageing is inevitable, the inflammation associated with it is modifiable.Lifestyle changes, Dr Wylie explained, can make a huge difference. “Smoking, a poor diet high in processed foods and sugar, physical inactivity, and poor sleep can all worsen inflammation,” she said, while “regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, and healthy fats (such as those found in fish and olive oil), adequate sleep, and good stress management can help to reduce inflammation and potentially slow down some of the processes associated with inflammaging.”It’s not completely preventable, but great choices can make the symptoms of “inflammaging” more manageable. “For now,” the doctor ended, “the focus remains on promoting healthy ageing by encouraging lifestyle changes known to reduce chronic inflammation and support long-term wellbeing”.Related...Going To Bed After This Time May Affect Healthy AgeingThis Is The Age When Ageing 'Accelerates', According To New ResearchIt’s Called A ‘Fart Walk’, And It May Be The Secret To Healthy Ageing, Doctor Says

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