INFLAMMAGING
WHAT CAUSES INFLAMMAGING?
Ever wondered why some people age "gracefully" and live healthier longer lives, while others show signs of premature aging and chronic illness? Evidence shows many chronic diseases (arthritis, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and some cancers) initiate years before recognized symptoms manifest due to low-grade chronic inflammation.
The clinical term for low-grade, chronic inflammation leading to “age-related” chronic illnesses and physiological aging is InflammAging. Surprisingly, the abundance of research suggests that the root cause of InflammAging is associated with two critical biological events – a decline in mitochondria function and the activation of our immune system.
A DECLINE IN MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION
A decline in mitochondrial function (the “engine” of our cells) has been connected to the normal aging process and the development of a variety of diseases commonly associated with aging.
A car engine left continuously running will wear down. This is a simplified version of our body’s aging process. While mitochondrial are the most efficient “engines” ever built, as we age, they simply wear out and decline in function, resulting in physiological aging. Appropriate maintenance and care can keep a car’s engine running efficiently and extend its “life.” Our lifestyle can affect our mitochondrial “engines” in a similar fashion.
Low physical activity, poor diets, processed foods high in fat, sugar, salt and flavor additives, tobacco use, excessive alcohol intake, mental stress, and exposure to noxious substances are the equivalent of inappropriate maintenance and care of a car’s engine.
MITOCHONDRIAL DAMAGE & THE IMMUNE RESPONSE
When mitochondria are damaged and their function declines, they release “danger signals,” which tell our body’s immune system to produce natural, inflammatory molecules. Mitochondrial damage results in the continual release of these inflammatory molecules, resulting in low-grade, chronic inflammation, pre-mature physiological aging, and an increased risk of developing “age-related” diseases – InflammAging.
SelectWell® HELPS YOU ADDRESS INFLAMMAGING
The good news is through improved lifestyle, proper nutrition, and high-quality supplements, one can enhance anti-inflammatory and antioxidant protection and slow, even reverse, mitochondrial damage. SelectWell’s exclusive InflammAging panel measures several specific markers associated with mitochondrial damage along with important nutrient levels to give you personal insight into your InflammAging risk.
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