THE AGING and ANTI-AGING MEDICINE: FACTS and MYTHS

For centuries, people have struggled to overcome aging and death. The life expectancy and quality for every person are rather conditional: the maximum life expectancy is unknown, and the health and quality of life of the people over 60 are significantly varies. There are two types of age determination:



Type 1 - the cellular or biologic age

Type 2 - the chronological or passport age.



As a rule, the biological age does not correspond to the passport age of an individual, and the degree of this non-correspondence testifies the intensity of the aging processes in the body. An extremely adverse forecasting sign is the advancing of biological aging against chronological one, in which case we can confidently conclude the state of premature aging. Methodological difficulties of complex evaluation of aging processes are in the display of complexity of differentiation of aging symptoms and pathological processes. Apparently, a separate flow of these processes is unrealistic. The phenomenon of aging touches all structures of body and their functions. The general indication is the replacement of parenkhimatosic cells of connecting tissue, delay and decrease of bodily reaction to external irritants, and significant decrease in the level of metabolism.



The goal of the anti-aging therapy is to provide preventive maintenance and to decrease aging at cell level. The choice of therapy methods, according this concept, is the true rejuvenation.



A little-known fact is that the process of aging begins at age of 20. Exactly at this age, begins the gradual, albeit imperceptible to a naked eye, decrease in sharpness of hearing, sight, touch, and sense of smell and taste. At 30, according the physicians, the level of estrogen and testosterone falls, bones density decreases, ability to handle stress decreases, and muscular fibers weaken. By 35, most of people experience the so called dermopause - the consecutive loss of skin elasticity caused by reduction of collagen production.



On average, the great bulk of 40-year-old population experiences a deterioration of activity of cardio vascular system, an increase in acidity of gastric juice, an initial formation of gallstones, and a worsening of the filtration of toxins. At the onset of these developments, person's attention gradually weakens and memory worsens. The age of 45 is the age when the speed of brain waves falls, the susceptibility to infections increases, and the bladder tonus decreases.



By the 50th anniversary the sexual drive decreases, and during the same age, specialists claim the decrease in elasticity and function of the lungs. As a rule, beginning at age of 60, mood swings become more frequent, causing unsubstantiated anxieties. By the age of 70, one illness changes another and then comes the end. Should life really be played out in accordance with such a sad screenplay? Anti-aging specialists are convinces that the answer is "no."



Beginning in the sixties, an average life expectancy began to increase due to general increase in quality of medicine and development of techniques in treatments of chronic diseases. Doctor of Medicine, leading specialist and researcher in the area of anti-aging in the Andrus Gerontology Center of South Carolina, Mr. Caleb Finch, is convinced that nothing in the structure of a human being predetermine his death at the age of 60-80 years. Conducting observations of a U.S. citizen, Janna Clement, who died at the age of 122 years and 4 months being the eldest person in the U.S., as well as performing analysis of the factors that affect life expectancy, allows scientists to conclude that further development of the medicine during the next 30 years can lead to prolongation of human life upto 130 years. Further, those individuals with good genetics could feel the first signs of aging only at the age of 165.



According to research, 90% of adult illnesses are age-related. Generally, these illnesses include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer's disease, glaucoma and other. The anti-aging medicine is one of the most modern clinical specializations, reflecting a principally new approach to human health. The main principals of anti-aging field of medicine are based on exposure of the aging illnesses at the early stages, their prevention and complex treatment. Anti-aging medicine is based on advanced achievements in genetics, oncology and other adjacent disciplines. Anti-aging medicine uses hormone replacement therapy according the blood analysis, the detox and vitamin measures, methods of changing the way of life of the patient from diet to physical training and psychological practices.



The first step to Anti-aging development as separate field of medicine was taken in 1993 when a group of scientists, specializing on affects of aging, gathered in Chicago for a conference discussing the prospects of formation of an organization, the members of which shared the belief that aging is a disease that needs regular supervision and treatment. Following the results of this conference, the American Anti-Aging Academy of Medicine (A4M) was formed. In 1994, the first symposium on anti-aging problems took place. Participants of the symposium were 40 anti-aging specialists. In 1997 the quantity of members increases to 7000 and the first anti-aging specialists attestation was done. Following the results of this attestation the leading physicians, taking up the issue of aging got the official status of Anti-aging specialists.



In the nineties, the anti-aging medicine formed a separate specialization of physicians and its achievements became accessible to mass consumer. In 2005, more than 90 million Americans use the anti-aging devises and the sales volume of anti-aging services achieved 30 million dollars. According the expert estimation the annual gain of anti-aging market is 9%. Thus, in 2006, this branch of economy will continue to grow: Americans will spend about 41 billion dollars on rejuvenation and its maintenance.



Today, the American Anti-aging Academy of Medicine unites thousands of specialists who are convinced that the aging process can be slowed and even stopped. Their belief is based on extensive research and laboratory experiments. During the latest experiment, the scientists managed to increase life expectancy of mice and rats twice. Further, the scientists discovered a gene, responsible for life expectancy of earthworm, and increased its life expectancy by 5 times! The methods of hormone replaceable therapy can now turn the biological clock backwards: million of patients, using the anti-aging products, feel and look 10-30 years younger than their coevals, who don't use the Anti-aging preparations.



Alexander Martirosov (information based on Anti-Aging conferences: International Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine/2005-2006 Sessions)