Changes in the Human Body with Age

Changes in the Human Body with Age

Every coin has its two sides. The positive side of growing older is the experience we acquire through time. The negative side includes deteriorating health in terms of physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Although we cannot avoid aging, our knowledge about it will help us understand how to deal with it. The following are the main areas in which the body undergoes Changes in the Human Body with Age.

Age-related Changes in Skin and Hair

Skin and hair changes are perhaps the most obvious. With time, the skin gets thinner, less elastic and becomes dry. Wrinkles and age spots start to develop due to a drop in collagen and elastin levels. These changes can be accelerated by UV radiation exposure. Hair loss and greying hair is another major change which can be attributed to the decrease in melanin and hormonal imbalance.

Declining Muscle Mass and Strength

After the age of 30, substantial decline in muscle mass known as sarcopenia begins. This loss follows a linear trend and increases with age. It has debilitating effects on strength and mobility if not countered with most basic level of an exercise. However, as we age, a combination of weight bearing exercises and strength training can help offset the decrease in muscle mass.

Bone Density Reduction

With age come a number of problems including lowering levels of estrogen which causes bone density to decrease especially among women post-menopause. This will increase the risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis. It is also worth noting that these changes can be prevented by regular physical exercise, healthy food containing calcium, and vitamin D with the avoidance of tobacco and alcohol abuse.

Joint Stiffness and Arthritis

By getting older the joints also change, first they get stiffer and more painful, and as time goes on, arthritis may develop. One debilitating illness that is common with the elderly is osteoarthritis; it is caused by cartilage that slowly wearing off its place between two bones. Doing low tension exercises such as swimming or walking are good for those looking to relieve pains associated with useless joint activity.

Metabolism Slows Down

With aging, our metabolism tends to slow down considerably which may cause one to gain weight and has challenges when one tries to work on losing weight. This calorie-burning function of the body declines as muscle makes up a smaller bulk of the body, and other hormonal transformations make it less efficient. For that reason, it becomes necessary to change our diet, making sure that the caloric content is reasonable enough to ensure we won’t gain weight that is unhealthy.

Changes in the Cardiovascular System

Similar to other organs and tissues of the body, the heart and blood vessels possess the capacity to age as well. With age, the individual is at risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, heart attack and stroke. The blood vessels could become more stiff, and as the workload on the heart increases to pump blood – it could result in hypertension. Factors such as keeping stress levels in check, eating right, and doing exercise can greatly assist in preventing heart diseases in older people.

Cognitive Decline

Cognitive changes occur as a function of aging, albeit, the magnitude may vary across individuals. With aging, memory, attention, and the speed of information processing tends to deteriorate. While some may not be able to go beyond MCI (mild cognitive impairment), there are others who seem to cross that threshold and develop more debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Such activities tend to include mentally challenging tasks, social engagement and adhering to a specific nutritious diet meant for the brain.

Digestive System Slows Down

The effect of old age can influence even the digestive organs with advanced age; due to the lack of proper food movement through the intestines, constipation or other such disorders may follow. In older people, there may be a drop in the amount of digestive acid produced in the stomach, which more often affects the body’s ability to efficiently assimilate necessary nutrients. Nonetheless, older people should be able to maintain their digestive health by remaining active, drinking a lot of water, and eating a lot of fibrous foods.

Hormonal Shifts

Apart from visible changes in the body, there comes a change in the hormonal levels also, with the midlife being the most affected. For instance, menopause is said to be a crucial time for women because during this period there is a fall in the levels of estrogen and progesterone, and these hormones affect one’s health from the bones to the emotions. Testosterone levels begin to wane, leading to a loss of muscle mass and sex drive in men, as well as some changes in mood quite frequently.

Conclusion

There are changes in the body that will be present in the older population, and while aging cannot be ignored, there are techniques to cope and even reverse some effects of the aging process. And such lifestyle practices as doing exercises regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, engaging in the brain or mental activities, and even being social would contribute in promoting one’s physical and mental health. Grasping the full specifics of such changes would give one an upper hand in preparing the body and mind towards old age, which would in turn, enhance the quality of life.

FAQs: Changes in the Human Body with Increasing Age

1. Which one is the most noticeable of the changes of the body with age?

Features that show aging include thinning skin, grey hair, reduced body muscle bulk, reduced rate of metabolism, reduced body bone density, biomedical joint stiffness, decreased cognitive functioning, altered vision and hearing ability.

2. How can I prevent muscle wasting in my old age?

There are two key ways through which muscle mass can be maintained: engaging in regular strength and resistance training as well as consuming diets that are rich in proteins.

3. Why do the bones become weak with aging?

This is majorly attributed to low levels of female osteoporosis and male androgen hormone. The levels of these hormones decline significantly as women get older. When this hormone is low, the body tends to absorb bone rather than build it, which leads to weakness and greater susceptibility to fractures and diseases like osteoporosis.

4. Is it possible to stop cognitive decline during aging?

Aging does result in cognitive decline but there are a number of ways to mitigate it — keeping active in the brain, being socially involved, having a good and healthy diet, and working out consistently.