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:
A Lifetime of Physical Activity Yields Measurable Benefits as We Age
'Brain Fitness' Program Improves Memory
Brisk Walking Linked to Better Memory for Seniors “A section of the brain involved in memory grew in size in older people who regularly took brisk walks for a year, researchers reported Monday. The new study reinforces previous findings that aerobic exercise seems to reduce brain atrophy in early-stage Alzheimer's patients, and that walking leads to slight improvement on mental tests among older people with memory problems. “
B-Vitamin Supplements May Slow Brain Atrophy in MCI “Results of a new randomized trial of high-dose B vitamins, including B12, B6, and folic acid, suggest the rate of brain atrophy may be slowed by treatment in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The effect of supplementation related to baseline homocysteine levels, said A. David Smith, professor emeritus of pharmacology and founding director of the Oxford Project to Investigation Memory and Aging (OPTIMA) at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, lead author of the study. Overall, B vitamins given at a dose high enough to reduce homocysteine by 31.7% in this trial had a "pretty dramatic effect" on the rate of brain atrophy also of about 30% compared with placebo, Dr. Smith told Medscape Medical News. The effect was greater among those in the highest quartile for homocysteine levels. "The treatment actually reduced the rate of shrinkage by 53%, which is a huge effect," he said. "We were absolutely delighted with this strong result."
CDC report finds people live longer if they practice one or more healthy lifestyle behaviors“People can live longer if they practice one or more healthy lifestyle behaviors – not smoking, eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, and limiting alcohol – according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the study period, people who engaged in all four healthy behaviors were 63 percent less likely to die early, compared to people who did not practice any of the behaviors. Not smoking provided the most protection from dying from all of the causes examined.”
Diet Patterns Linked With Brain Health “"The combination of the B vitamins, the antioxidants C and E, plus vitamin D was the most favorable combination of nutrients in the blood for healthy brain aging in our population," says study author Gene L. Bowman, ND, MPH, assistant professor of neurology at the Layton Aging & Alzheimer's Disease Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland. Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, were also good for brain health. Most unfavorable, he found, was a diet high in trans fats. Trans fats are more often found in packaged baked goods and fast foods, including cookies, crackers, and potato chips.”
Eating Healthier Means Living Longer “…the "results of this study suggest that older adults who follow a dietary pattern consistent with current guidelines to consume relatively high amounts of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry and fish, may have a lower risk of mortality.”
Endurance Exercise Thwarts Premature Aging in Mice
Exercise Has Numerous Beneficial Effects On Brain Health and Cognition, Review Suggests “The review suggests that aerobic exercise is important for getting a head start during childhood on cognitive abilities that are important throughout life. For example, physical inactivity is associated with poorer academic performance and results on standard neuropsychological tests, while exercise programs appear to improve memory, attention, and decision-making. These effects also extend to young and elderly adults, with solid evidence for aerobic training benefiting executive functions, including multi-tasking, planning, and inhibition, and increasing the volume of brain structures important for memory. Although few studies have evaluated the effects of strength training on brain health in children, studies in older adults suggest that high-intensity and high-load training can improve memory.”
Exercise Program Improves Gait Pattern in Older Women
Fit Beats Thin in Extending Life, Study Says
For Older Runners, the Message Is: Keep Those Legs Pumping
Glaucoma Experts Eye Benefits of Exercise
Greater Exercise Intensity May Add Years to Life “The intensity of exercise, not the duration, is what's important in terms of improving your chances of living a longer life, a new study suggests. Researchers who looked at cyclists in Denmark found that men with high levels of cycling intensity lived 5.3 years longer, and those with average intensity lived 2.9 years longer, than men with low intensity.”
Intrinsic Aerobic Exercise Capacity Linked to Longevity
Keys to Long Life? Not What You Might Expect
Long-Term Effects of Changes in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Body Mass Index on All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Men (Circulation 2011)
Mediterranean Diet Gives Longer Life, Swedish Study Suggests “The results show that those who eat a Mediterranean diet have a 20% higher chance of living longer.”
Moderate Exercise Dramatically Improves Brain Blood Flow in Elderly Women
Moderate Exercise Improves Memory in Older Adults
Older and Stronger: Progressive Resistance Training Can Build Muscle, Increase Strength as We Age “Through resistance training adults can improve their ability to stand up out of a chair walk across the floor, climb a flight of stairs -- anything that requires manipulating their own body mass through a full range of motions. Normally, adults who are sedentary beyond age 50 can expect muscle loss of up to 0.4 pounds a year. "That only worsens as people age. But even earlier in adulthood -- the 30s, 40s and 50s -- you can begin to see declines if you do not engage in any strengthening activities," Peterson says. "Our analyses of current research show that the most important factor in somebody's function is their strength capacity. No matter what age an individual is, they can experience significant strength improvement with progressive resistance exercise even into the eighth and ninth decades of life," he says.”
Older Adults Have to Exercise More to Maintain Muscle Size, Study Finds “"Our data are the first to suggest that older adults require greater weekly maintenance dosing than younger individuals to maintain resistance-training-induced increases in muscle mass," Bamman added. Bamman said all adults "should include progressive resistance exercise in their weekly regimen, but there will always be times, such as extended travel or a family illness, when exercise is difficult to sustain." In such cases, the study suggested, resistance exercises once a week are certainly better than none.”
Protein drinks after exercise help maintain aging muscles
Regular Exercise Boosts the Brain, Too
Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Add a Decade or More Healthy Years to the Average Lifespan, Canadian Study Shows “1. GET ACTIVE: Inactivity can shave almost four years off a person's expected lifespan. People who are physically inactive are twice as likely to be at risk for heart disease or stroke. 2. KNOW AND CONTROL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS: Almost 40 per cent of Canadian adults have high blood cholesterol, which can lead to the build up of fatty deposits in your arteries - increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke. 3. FOLLOW A HEALTHY DIET: Healthy eating is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health -- yet about half of Canadians don't meet the healthy eating recommendations. 4. KNOW AND CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE: High blood pressure - often called a 'silent killer' because it has no warning signs or symptoms - affects one in five Canadians. By knowing and controlling your blood pressure, you can cut your risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent and the risk of heart attack by up to 25 per cent. 5. ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT: Almost 60 per cent of Canadian adults are either overweight or obese - major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Being obese can reduce your life span by almost four years. 6. MANAGE DIABETES: By 2016 an estimated 2.4 million Canadians will live with diabetes.Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), coronary artery disease, and stroke, particularly if your blood sugar levels are poorly controlled. 7. BE TOBACCO FREE: More than 37,000 Canadians die prematurely each year due to tobacco use, and thousands of non-smokers die each year from exposure to second-hand smoke. As soon as you become smoke-free, your risk of heart disease and stroke begins to decrease. After 15 years ,your risk will be nearly that of a non-smoker.”
Strength Training for Grandma and Grandpa “People lose 30% of their muscle strength between the ages of 50 and 70 years. However, maintaining muscle strength in old age is enormously important in order to maintain mobility and to be able to lead an independent life and manage everyday tasks independently. In the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, Frank Mayer and colleagues from the University of Potsdam conclude that progressive strength (resistance) training counteracts muscular atrophy in old age.”
Strenuous Exercise May Protect Brain “Older people who regularly exercise at moderate to intense levels may have a 40% lower risk of developing brain damage linked to ischemic strokes, certain kinds of dementia and mobility problems.”
T'ai Chi May Prevent Falls, Improve Mental Health in Elderly
Thirteen-Year Prospective Study between Fish Consumption, Long-Chain n-3 Fatty Acids Intakes and Cognitive Function. (J Nutr Health Aging. 2011) “Cognitive complaints, which may be an early indicator of cognitive decline, are less frequent among the elderly who have a high long-chain n-3 acids intake, as assessed 13 years earlier.”
Will eating more broccoli help you live longer?
ARTICLES:
18 Secrets for a Longer Life (slides)
You're Never Too Old or Too Frail to Exercise
JOURNAL ARTICLES:
Aging, physical activity, and disease prevention. (J Aging Res. 2011)
Caloric restriction. (Mol Aspects Med. 2011)
Caloric Restriction - Powerful Protection for the Aging Heart and Vasculature. (Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2011)
Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011)
Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplements and Cognitive Decline: Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies. (J Nutr Health Aging. 2011) “Conclusion: Daily n-3 PUFA supplements consumption was independently associated with less cognitive decline in elderly Chinese.”
Physical Activity and Cognition in Women With Vascular Conditions (Arch Intern Med 2011) “Conclusion Regular physical activity, including walking, was associated with better preservation of cognitive function in older women with vascular disease or risk factors.”
Physical activity and erectile dysfunction in middle-aged men : a brief review (J Androl. 2011)
Physical activity and risk of cognitive decline: a meta-analysis of prospective studies (Journal of Internal Medicine 2011) “This is the first meta-analysis to evaluate the role of physical activity on cognitive decline amongst nondemented subjects. The present results suggest a significant and consistent protection for all levels of physical activity against the occurrence of cognitive decline.”
Physical Activity in Older Subjects Is Associated With Increased Coronary Vasodilation (J Am Coll Cardiol Img, 2011)
Physical Fitness as a Protective Factor for Cognitive Impairment in a Prospective Population-Based Study in Germany. (J Alzheimers Dis. 2011)
Socializing May Keep Elderly Minds Sharp
Training-related brain plasticity in subjects at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. (Brain. 2011)
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