• Question: so what happens to your body when you age? and if you use your body physically does that have a profound affect on your ageing process??

    Asked by punx not dead to Siana, Sara, Richard on 12 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Richard Unwin

      Richard Unwin answered on 12 Nov 2015:

      During our life our bodies are constantly being damaged and we have excellent systems for repairing and fixing cells and tissue. However, it’s never perfect and there are only a limited number of time we can do it, so over time some tiny bits of damage build up and make these systems work less well (wear and tear) – and that’s ageing. Lots of studies suggest that physical activity and keeping your body healthy can help you age ‘slower’ (we call this ‘healthy ageing’), presumably since keeping a healthy weight reduces the damage done, and using your body and getting your blood pumping round helps these repair processes.

Comments

  • Photo: Peter

    Peter commented on :

    Ageing leads to a progressive decline in our physiological health. For example muscle mass declines about 1% per year after the age of 50y and muscle strength changes even faster about 2% per year. Bone mineral density becomes less often leading to osteoporosis and increased risk of fracture. The white and grey matter in our brain also begins to shrink which can lead to a reduction in cognitive function (memory, speed at which we process information) and in some cases diseases such as alzheimers. The good news is researchers have conducted studies which show that large amounts of muscle and strength loss can be restored in older adults through resistance training such as doing a push up against the wall and squatting up and down for a start. Older people can also progress to more advanced exercises using therabands and dumbells. Researchers have shown that aerobic exercise such as walking can increase the volume of brain white matter 1 – 2% per year. Bottom line, use your body or lose it! 🙂