Tag Archives: Inflammation

Inflammaging: Chronic Inflammation and Healthy Aging

July 9, 2020

In recent years, the scientific community has been increasingly focused on a rarely recognized yet widely prevalent condition that contributes to an array of diseases, including cardiometabolic diseases, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and depression. Chronic inflammation, although it may progress slowly, is the root cause of most chronic diseases and poses a significant threat to public health and longevity.

Trending in many medical specialities chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with changes in stem cell structure and deterioration is being referred to as “inflammaging”. The condition, which often results from an accumulation of health risk factors such as environmental causes, dietary habits, UV exposure, and sleep patterns, is linked to a number of age-related diseases – including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. To delay and support healthy aging while protecting the body from illness, medical experts continue to investigate the prominent role of chronic inflammation and its implications on the development of anti-aging therapies.

Causes of Chronic Inflammation

Current literature has identified several underlying molecular causes of the phenomenon of inflammaging. The condition stems from a failure of the immune system to mitigate responses to illness or injury; factors can include the body’s failure to eliminate bacterium or fungus, exposure to a toxic substance, or the presence of an autoimmune condition. With age, immune responses tend to become less well-regulated and thus, may result in consistently elevated levels of inflammatory agents such as C-reactive protein, chemokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-a.

Further, inflammaging can have a direct impact on skin health and vitality. Chronic oxidative stress can cause accelerated tissue damage, weakening skin structure and leading to the breakdown of elastin and collagen, ultimately impairing the skin’s barrier function. This contributes to the development of many unwanted dermatologic symptoms – wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, and textural changes.

Preventative Techniques 

As chronic inflammation is difficult to treat, employing adequate preventative measures is of utmost importance. Improving overall health by maintaining a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and consistent sleep patterns can be beneficial to supporting optimal functioning of stem cells in the body.

Highly processed foods contribute to the inflammatory response, increasing the risk of and worsening existing chronic inflammation. On the other hand, consuming a diet rich with anti-inflammatory foods – high in nutrient–dense vegetables, fruit, and unprocessed foods – can aid the body in regulating the immune response which becomes more challenging with age.

Additionally, experts emphasize the role of the gut microbiome in preventing chronic inflammation; research has found that the gut microbiota of elderly patients often has decreased diversity, leading to weakened barriers against bacteria and thus, increased risk and prevalence of chronic inflammation. To help maintain gut health it is recommended to increase the consumption of probiotic-rich foods – yogurt, kefir, and fermented products – and maintain a well-rounded diet.

Another important preventative measure to consider is the routine and careful use of sunscreen to protect the body against harmful UV exposure, which drives pro-inflammaging factors. To aid this, skincare products with the right ingredients can shield skin stem cells from the negative effects of environmental stressors and break the cycle of inflammaging.

While knowledge in the relatively novel field of inflammaging is continuously expanding, the role of chronic inflammation in the biological aging process and development of age-related disease has become well-known. Clinicians looking to gain a better understanding of current clinical evidence and strategies for targeting inflammatory activity are invited to attend the Inflammaging – Ways to Slow the Clock session taking place during our Longevity, Aging, and Immuno Competency Virtual Event.

Mushrooms as Medicine?

February 5, 2018

Mushrooms have been used in Eastern medicine for centuries, treating everything from asthma to gout. The food is now being marketed in the West as part of a medicinal regimen to prevent cancer, and/or stimulate higher brain function. While there are relatively few trials that have been conducted in humans to support these claims, there are studies that have confirmed the food’s anti-tumor properties.

While mushrooms are inherently healthy and low in calories, scientists at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, assert that mushrooms are particularly good for us because of what they do before humans harvest them. Viki Sabaratnam, the scientist in charge of the school’s mushroom research center, states: “Their basic function in the environment is recycling of large molecules, and in the process they produce these fruit bodies, we call them, and they accumulate some of these components.”

These components include dozens of nutrients like selenium, vitamin D, potassium, and compounds known as beta glucans, which can help fight inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is a primary contributor to many diseases associated with aging, including cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia. In the lab, researchers have reported many promising benefits from mushrooms, ranging from killing cancer in human cells to reducing insulin resistance in diabetic mice.

While the research on humans has not been prolific, and has been re legated to small and specifically targeted populations, a few outliers exist: shitake mushroom extracts have been found to help prolong the lives of stomach cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy; maitake (hen-of-the-woods) and scaly wood mushroom extracts seem to strengthen the immune system of some breast cancer patients. Reishi extracts have been credited with reducing obesity in mice by altering gut bacteria, and in the lab, extracts of oyster mushrooms appear to inhibit growth of breast and colon cancer cells.

Sabaratnam’s research focuses on how mushrooms might someday help fight off dementia, which impacts approximately 50 million people today–with 10 million more added each year. She and her team reviewed studies of 20 different medicinal mushrooms thought to improve brain function, and about 80 different metabolites isolated from those mushrooms that were tested in cells in the lab and in mice. Their findings indicate that these metabolites improved recovery and function in damaged neural cells, and also had antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

“We have shown in lab experiments, yes, some of these properties are there…but it’s quite a long way to go” in terms of the mushroom extracts’ effect on humans. The edible mushrooms that contain high levels of nutrients and antioxidants are high in fiber and lower in cholesterol, and make for a positive addition to any diet.

The Power of Ginger

June 5, 2017

A new review published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences assesses findings of 60 studies surrounding ginger—as a supplement, or ingredient in food and drink. Although experts have not yet determined a specific dosage for preventive purposes, the review concludes that ginger consumption is medically sound and helpful.

The studies “have built a consensus that ginger and its major constituents exert beneficial effects against obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and related disorders,” wrote authors from China Agricultural University. The researchers focused their studies on the different aspects of metabolic syndrome—a combination of three or more risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Metabolic syndrome now affects almost a quarter of the world’s population: a growing health problem that has reached reportedly pandemic proportions.

Scientists have researched potential strategies in order to both prevent and treat metabolic syndrome, specifically non-pharmaceutical options. As ginger has a long history of treating a variety of ailments and illnesses, due to its phytochemicals and antioxidants, the general consensus is that there are several mechanisms behind ginger’s ‘superfood powers.’ The paper details the ways in which the spice plays a significant role in fat burning, carbohydrate digestion, and insulin secretion; ginger has also demonstrated an ability to inhibit oxidative stress—a form of cellular aging—in addition to anti-inflammatory properties.

During a study in which ginger was fed to rats, ginger significantly reduced body weight and systemic inflammation, while simultaneously lowering cholesterol and blood sugar. The accumulation of studies suggest that consuming ginger can also enhance calorie burn and reduce feelings of hunger, likely associated with weight loss in overweight adults. Associate professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University Marie-Pierre St-Onge states that while the field is still developing in terms of assessing the impact of various spices, on humans, “The research is very promising.”