Why do we age?

First, we need to better understand what aging actually is.

Humans breathe and eat, so energy balance should not be the cause (in fact we eat too much, but let's ignore this modern human habit for now …). However, metabolism comes at a cost. Byproducts are generated. Cell division, for example, is very well regulated, but not 100% perfect. As a result, the processes of life are unfortunately destructive. The human organism is capable of repairing damage, but not 100% of it. Consequently, over time we lose this battle, and errors and damage accumulate. We age. This also means that we are increasingly at high risk of age-related diseases.

Aging research has become very popular in recent times, but also controversial and provocative. Researchers around the world are trying to explore aging at the genetic and molecular level: What happens during aging? When does aging begin, and how can it be slowed down — or perhaps even reversed? Harvard professor David Sinclair is one of the scientists who proposes that aging should be classified as a "disease." This implies that aging can sooner or later be "cured." However, this theory faces much criticism.

Other scientists argue that "age is clearly a risk factor for a wide variety of diseases — but aging itself is not a disease." There is one proposed definition of aging on which the scientific community is gradually converging. Science defines 12 interconnected "hallmarks of aging":

1. genomic instability,
2. telomere attrition (the protective end caps at the ends of chromosomes),
3. epigenetic alterations (cells gradually lose their identity),
4. loss of proteostasis (balance in protein homeostasis),
5. disabled macroautophagy (waste disposal within cells),
6. deregulated nutrient sensing,
7. mitochondrial dysfunction (disruption of energy production in cells),
8. cellular senescence (cells gradually lose their identity),
9. stem cell exhaustion (stem cells are not infinitely available or reproducible),
10. altered intercellular communication,
11. chronic inflammation
12. (microbiome) dysbiosis (imbalance in the composition and function of microorganisms, especially in the gut)

These hallmarks of aging change at a different pace in each individual.

The interesting part, however, is that these hallmarks of aging follow the premise that it is possible to slow down, stop, or reverse aging through therapeutic interventions targeting them.

But does it make sense to fight for a longer life? Here too, there is broad agreement: ** only additional healthy years are worth striving for.**