Aging - Anti-Aging
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InfoMedSearch: Aging and Anti-Aging
PREVENT:
FALLS,
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES,
DEHYDRATION, HEAT STROKE
PROMOTE:
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Falls
NIH - Falls “A fall can change your life. If you're elderly, it can lead to disability and a loss of independence. If your bones are fragile from osteoporosis, you could break a bone, often a hip. But aging alone doesn't make people fall. Diabetes and heart disease affect balance. So do problems with circulation, thyroid or nervous systems. Some medicines make people dizzy. Eye problems or alcohol can be factors. Any of these things can make a fall more likely. … Falls and accidents seldom "just happen." Taking care of your health by exercising and getting regular eye exams and physicals may help reduce your chance of falling. Getting rid of tripping hazards in your home and wearing nonskid shoes may also help. To reduce the chances of breaking a bone if you do fall, make sure that you get enough calcium and vitamin D. “
NIH - Falls and Older Adults “More than one in three people age 65 years or older falls each year. The risk of falling -- and fall-related problems -- rises with age.”
Highlighted Articles
The functional effects of physical exercise training in frail older people : a systematic review. (Sports Med. 2008) “This systematic review suggests that older adults with different levels of abilities can improve their functional performance by regular exercise training.”
Astronaut Technology Could Prevent Elderly Falls “The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates 300,000 people annually suffer hip fractures, which are often caused by falls. An average of 24 percent of hip fracture patients age 50 and over die within a year of the fracture. Many fall victims who don't die within a year end up being disabled the rest of their lives. "It's a huge issue," said Elinor Ginzler of the AARP. "It significantly impairs your ability to stay independent, which is what people want." “
Brain injuries from falls a deadly risk for seniors “Arias said that as the numerous baby boom generation hits retirement age, more people will fall and either die or require expensive hospital care. "CDC has developed tips and suggestions for older adults, their caregivers, health care providers, and communities to help prevent falls," Arias said. These include reducing floor clutter and providing better lighting as well as regular exercise to maintain strength and balance. More information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/preventingfalls/.“
A typology of oral hydration problems exhibited by frail nursing home residents. (J Gerontol Nurs. 2006) "Dehydration remains a substantial problem for nursing home residents, often with poor health outcomes. … Dehydration events occurred in 31% (11 of 35) of residents during the 6-month period."
Strategies for ensuring good hydration in the elderly. (Nutr Rev. 2005) "Dehydration is a frequent etiology of morbidity and mortality in elderly people. It causes the hospitalization of many patients and its outcome may be fatal. Indeed, dehydration is often linked to infection, and if it is overlooked, mortality may be over 50%. Older individuals have been shown to have a higher risk of developing dehydration than younger adults. Modifications in water metabolism with aging and fluid imbalance in the frail elderly are the main factors to consider in the prevention of dehydration. Particularly, a decrease in the fat free mass, which is hydrated and contains 73% water, is observed in the elderly due to losses in muscular mass, total body water, and bone mass. Since water intake is mainly stimulated by thirst, and since the thirst sensation decreases with aging, risk factors for dehydration are those that lead to a loss of autonomy or a loss of cognitive function that limit the access to beverages."
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Aging and Anti-Aging
Anti-Aging
NEWS:
Adding Walnuts To Good Diet May Help Older People Improve Motor And Behavioral Skills “Adding a moderate, but not high, amount of walnuts to an otherwise healthy diet may help older individuals improve performance on tasks that require motor and behavioral skills, according to an animal model study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded scientists. Walnuts contain polyphenols and other antioxidants and essential fatty acids.”
Aerobic exercise no big stretch for older adults but helps elasticity of arteries
Calorie Intake Linked to Cell Lifespan, Cancer Development “Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have discovered that restricting consumption of glucose, the most common dietary sugar, can extend the life of healthy human-lung cells and speed the death of precancerous human-lung cells, reducing cancer's spread and growth rate.”
Dance Your Way To Successful Aging
Dietary Antioxidants Could Help Preserve Muscle Strength in Older Adults “In a study in older adults, dietary intake of vitamins C and E was linked with muscle strength, leading the researchers to suggest at a meeting in Atlanta this past weekend that a diet high in antioxidants could play an important role in preserving muscle function in older adults "Muscle strength is really a marker of aging," one of the investigators, Dr. Anne Newman of the University of Pittsburgh, told Reuters Health. "Muscle strength starts declining when people are in their 40s, but it decreases dramatically after age 60." This decline is "a major risk factor for...frailty and disability in older persons," she said, but certain strategies may slow down the loss.”
Dieting Monkeys Offer Hope for Living Longer
Exercise Plus Healthy Diet May Help Preserve Muscle Mass in Frail, Obese Elderly Patients (2008)
High-Dose Vitamin D Supplement May Reduce Risk of Falling Among Older People “"In several trials of older individuals at risk for vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation improved strength, function, and balance in a dose-related pattern," write H.A. Bischoff-Ferrari, MD, MPH, from the University of Zurich in Zurich, Switzerland, and colleagues. "Most importantly, these benefits translated into a reduction in falls. Overall, however, results have been mixed for fall prevention with vitamin D; for example, several trials of vitamin D have had non-significant results."”
Importance of Exercise and Physical Activity in Older Adults Reviewed “The 3 sections of the position stand review the structural and functional changes accompanying normal human aging, the degree to which exercise and physical activity can affect the aging process, and the benefits of both long-term exercise and physical activity and shorter-duration exercise programs on health and functional capacity. The reviewers conclude that no amount of physical activity can stop biological aging but that evidence to date affirms that by limiting the development and progression of chronic disease and disabling conditions, regular exercise can reduce the physiologic harms of an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and improve active life expectancy. Older adults who engage in regular exercise may also experience significant psychological and cognitive benefits. The position stand recommends that all older adults participate in regular physical activity and avoid an inactive lifestyle and that exercise prescription for older adults include aerobic, muscle strengthening, and flexibility exercises. “
Keeping Your Balance Is Valuable, Especially as You Grow Older
Lifelong Exercise Keeps Seniors Young at Heart “For example, those who exercised four to five times a week during their lives had about 54 percent of the benefit seen in "Master" athletes, while those who exercised two to three times a week had 42 percent of the benefit. Master athletes are seniors who've exercised six to seven times a week for 15 to 25 years and retained 100 percent of their heart's youthful characteristics and have hearts similar to those of 30-year-olds. “
Long-Term Exercise Curbs LV Function Decline “Middle-aged men with a long history of regular physical exercise show less of a reduction in left ventricular (LV) function over time than their contemporaries without such a history, Italian researchers report in the April issue of Heart.”
Middle age 'key for exercising' “"Being active at any age helps control your weight, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and will provide long term benefits for your heart health and general health." “
Multivitamins Might Prolong Life “Multivitamins may help women live longer by preventing parts of their DNA from shortening, a new study has found. Telomeres, or the end portion of chromosomes, protect chromosomes from damage. Because telomeres shorten slightly when cells divide, researchers speculated that preventing this shortening could protect new cells and thus reduce the effects of aging. "This study provides the first epidemiological evidence that multivitamin use is associated with longer leukocyte telomeres among women," said lead researcher Dr. Honglei Chen, head of the Aging & Neuroepidemiology Group at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. "It is not yet clear if this association is causal." “
Older Women Who Are More Physically Fit Have Better Cognitive Function “"Being sedentary is now considered a risk factor for stroke and dementia," says Poulin, a scientist in the Faculties of Medicine and Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. "This study proves for the first time that people who are fit have better blood flow to their brain. Our findings also show that better blood flow translates into improved cognition."”
Outgoing Nature Could Get You to 100 “They found that the offspring of centenarians were more extraverted than the published norms. That means "they are quite social, establish important friendships and view these friendships as 'safety nets,' " important sources of help when needed, Perls said. The offspring of centenarians scored lower than the norms on neuroticism, the study found. Perls said that translates into an ability to manage stress very well. Women in the study also scored high in agreeableness, a trait that might pave the way for friendships, Perls said. The men in the study were no higher in agreeableness than normal, and men and women scored average levels for openness and conscientiousness. As for the exact relationship between personality and longevity, "we are relying on scientific literature to understand exactly what it means," Perls said. For instance, he said, it makes sense that scoring lower in neuroticism -- and handling stress well -- would contribute to a longer life, because stress has been shown in scientific studies to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Other research has found social ties to be important to an older person's health. "We really found that the offspring of centenarians, in their 70s and early 80s, are very much following in the footsteps of their parents," Perls said. "They have 60 percent reduced rates of heart disease, stroke and diabetes." “
Physical Activity Linked to Maintenance of Kidney Function in Older Adults “Higher levels of physical activity are associated with a lower risk for rapid decline in renal function among older adults, according to the results of a cohort study reported in the December 14/28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Habitual physical activity (PA) has both physiologic and metabolic effects that may moderate the risk of kidney function decline," write Cassianne Robinson-Cohen, MS, from the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues. "We tested the hypothesis that higher levels of PA are associated with a lower risk of kidney function decline using longitudinal data from a large cohort of older adults." “
Physical Activity Should Be Encouraged Into Advanced Old Age “Physical activity should be encouraged into advanced old age, according to the results of a prospective cohort study reported in the September 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Recommendations encouraging physical activity set no upper age limit, yet evidence supporting the benefits of PA [physical activity] among the very old is sparse," write Jochanan Stessman, MD, from Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel, and colleagues. "We examined the effects of continuing, increasing, or decreasing PA levels on survival, function, and health status among the very old." “
Strength Training Is Good for Seniors “A new review, which compiles data from more than 100 clinical trials, concludes that progressive resistance training can help older people in daily activities, such as climbing stairs and fixing dinner. … The review concluded that PRT produced a large improvement in muscle strength, a moderate to large improvement in doing simple activities such as getting up from a chair or climbing stairs, and a small but statistically significant improvement in doing complex daily activities, such as bathing or preparing a meal. After PRT, people had less pain from osteoarthritis.”
Strength, aerobic best exercise combo for elderly “Older, obese adults who do a combination of strength and resistance exercises have less insulin resistance -- a warning sign of type 2 diabetes -- and are better able to do simple tasks, researchers said on Monday. The findings might be useful to help motivate elderly people, who often fear that exercise is bad for them, another expert said.”
Why Andorrans live longer than everyone else
Women's Weight Tied to Healthy Aging
ARTICLES:
8 Great "Whys" Seniors Should Exercise “ 1. Improve mood and relieve depression 2. Help prevent or delay many diseases and disabilities, including some types of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes 3. Improve health in the frail or those with diseases that accompany aging 4. Increase strength—carry groceries, climb stairs 5. Improve balance—prevent falls 6. Restore flexibility—speed recovery from injury 7. Build endurance—walk farther, dance longer 8. Improve quality of life “
NIH - Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging “Regular exercise and physical activity are important to the physical and mental health of almost everyone, including older adults. Being physically active can help you continue to do the things you enjoy and stay independent as you age. Regular physical activity over long periods of time can produce long-term health benefits. That’s why health experts say that older adults should be active every day to maintain their health. In addition, regular exercise and physical activity can reduce the risk of developing some diseases and disabilities that develop as people grow older. In some cases, exercise is an effective treatment for many chronic conditions. For example, studies show that people with arthritis, heart disease, or diabetes benefit from regular exercise. Exercise also helps people with high blood pressure, balance problems, or difficulty walking. “
JOURNAL ARTICLES:
A Diet Enriched in Polyphenols and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, LMN Diet, Induces Neurogenesis in the Subventricular Zone and Hippocampus of Adult Mouse Brain. (J Alzheimers Dis. 2009)
Acute Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Function in Older Adults. (J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2009) “These findings suggest that light and moderate exercises improve cognitive function across the adult lifespan, although the mechanisms underlying the effects of observed acute aerobic exercise on cognitive function may be age dependent.”
Aerobic fitness is associated with hippocampal volume in elderly humans. (Hippocampus. 2009) “Our results clearly indicate that higher levels of aerobic fitness are associated with increased hippocampal volume in older humans, which translates to better memory function.”
Antiaging, longevity and calorie restriction. (Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2009) “SUMMARY: Dietary restriction in rodents has not been shown to be effective when started in older rodents. Weight loss in humans over 60 years of age is associated with increased mortality, hip fracture and increased institutionalization. Calorie restriction in older persons should be considered experimental and potentially dangerous. Exercise at present appears to be a preferable treatment for older persons.”
Chinese tea consumption is associated with longer telomere length in elderly Chinese men. (Br J Nutr. 2009)
Chronic endurance exercise training prevents aging-related cognitive decline in healthy older adults: a randomized controlled trial. (Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2009) “CONCLUSIONS: A 12-month EET intervention may reduce the progression of age-related cognitive decline in healthy older adults.”
Combined Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Not Smoking, and Normal Waist Girth on Morbidity and Mortality in Men (Arch Intern Med. 2009) “Conclusion Being physically fit, not smoking, and maintaining a normal waist girth is associated with lower risk of CHD events, and CVD and all-cause mortality in men.”
[Effects of an exercise program on frontal lobe cognitive function in elders.] (J Korean Acad Nurs. 2009)
Exercise Decreases the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Elderly Females. (Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009)
Exercise moderates age-related atrophy of the medial temporal lobe. (Neurobiol Aging. 2009) “Higher levels of exercise engagement were related to larger superior frontal volumes. Most critically, exercise engagement selectively moderated age-related medial temporal lobe atrophy. Specifically, significant age-related atrophy was observed for older adults who engaged in low levels of exercise, but not for those who engaged in high levels of exercise. This novel finding extends support for the efficacy of exercise to the potential maintenance of medial temporal lobe integrity in older adults.”
Fruit, vegetable, and fish consumption and heart rate variability: the VA Normative Aging Study. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2009)
Habitual Exercise and Vascular Aging. (J Physiol. 2009) “Habitual aerobic exercise is an effective strategy to combat arterial aging.”
High Fruit and Vegetable Intake is Positively Correlated with Antioxidant Status and Cognitive Performance in Healthy Subjects. (J Alzheimers Dis. 2009) “Healthy subjects of any age with a high daily intake of fruits and vegetables have higher antioxidant levels, lower levels of biomarkers of oxidative stress, and better cognitive performance than healthy subjects of any age consuming low amounts of fruits and vegetables. Modification of nutritional habits aimed at increasing intake of fruits and vegetables should be encouraged to lower prevalence of cognitive impairment in later life.”
Long-term exercise training attenuates age-related diastolic dysfunction: association of myocardial collagen cross-linking. (J Korean Med Sci. 2009)
Multivitamin use and telomere length in women. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2009) “CONCLUSION: This study provides the first epidemiologic evidence that multivitamin use is associated with longer telomere length among women.”
Physical Activity and Rapid Decline in Kidney Function Among Older Adults (Arch Intern Med. 2009) “Conclusion Higher levels of PA are associated with a lower risk of RDKF among older adults.“
Prevention of Nonvertebral Fractures With Oral Vitamin D and Dose Dependency (Arch Intern Med. 2009) “Conclusion Nonvertebral fracture prevention with vitamin D is dose dependent, and a higher dose should reduce fractures by at least 20% for individuals aged 65 years or older.“
Progressive resistance strength training for improving physical function in older adults. (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009)
Sarcopenia and functional decline: pathophysiology, prevention and therapy. (Acta Clin Belg. 2009) “From all interventions studied, intensive resistance training seems the most efficient to counter sarcopenia, even in the very old geriatric patients. Significant ameliorations (up to >50% strength gain) can be expected after six weeks of training at a rhythm of 2-3 sessions per week. From a preventive viewpoint, all elderly patients should be advised to start such an exercise program and continue it as long as possible. To date, most pharmacological interventions to counter sarcopenia include drugs with anabolic effects. Unfortunately, their effect is questionable and no clear guidelines exist for the prescription of these products in the context of sarcopenia.”
Vitamin C consumption is associated with less progression in carotid intima media thickness in elderly men: A 3-year intervention study (Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases 2009) “Vitamin C containing foods may protect against the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in elderly men.”
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