Ageing

Many people live well into their 80s - and beyond. As the body ages, however, various systems slow down and the risk of disease increases. Even though you can't stop time, you can forestall some of the negative effects of ageing with a healthy lifestyle and well-chosen supplements.

What it is   Put simply, ageing is the process of growing old. Every part of the body is affected. Among other changes, hair turns gray, skin develops wrinkles, joints and muscles lose flexibility, bones become weak, memory declines, eyesight diminishes and immunity is impaired.

What causes it  Cells in the body divide a set number of times, and then they die and are replaced by new cells. With age, this process slows down, and all body systems start to deteriorate progressively. Though some of this decline is normal and inevitable, many researchers believe that unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals accelerate the process, making us old before our time. Some damage of this kind is unavoidable because free radicals are produced during normal cell activity. But you may be able to slow down the ageing process by avoiding outside factors that foster the formation of free-radicals - cigarette smoke, pollution, excessive alcohol and radiation from X-rays or the sun - and by enhancing your body's own antioxidants defenses. Manufactured by the body cell and obtained from food, antioxidants are powerful weapons that can disarm free radicals.


SYMPTOMS

• Slowing of cognitive processes: difficulty in accessing memory and learning and remembering new people and events.
• Sensory decline: delay in refocusing eyes and impaired ability to hear high-pitched sounds.
• Weakened immune system: increased susceptibility to colds, flu and other illnesses.
• Decline in muscle and bone mass.
• Increased risk of developing heart disease and cancer.

WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

• You need a complete physical checkup every year after the age of 50. See your doctor right away, however, if you are concerned about the risk of age-related diseases.
• Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

Supplement recommendations
SUPPLEMENT	DOSAGE	COMMENTS
Vitamin C	1000 mg vitamin C.	Reduce vitamin C dose if diarrhoea develops.
Vitamin E	500 IU a day with food.	Check with your doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs.
Green tea extract	250 mg twice a day.	Standaridsed to contain at least 50% polyphenols.
Folic acid / Vitamin B12	400 mcg folic acid and 1000 mcg vitamin B12 once a day.	Take sublingual form for best absorption.
Carnitine	500 mg L-carnitine twice a day.	If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.
Evening primrose oil	1000 mg 3 times a day with food.	Can substitute starflower oil.
Glucosamine	500 mg glucosamine sulphate twice a day. Take with food to minimise digestive upset.	Increase to 3 times a day if you have osteoarthritis.
Ginkgo biloba	1000 mg twice a day (as dried leaf in capsule or tablet form).	Standardised to contain at least 24% flavone glycosides.

How supplements can help   Some supplements should be used daily by everyone concerned about the effects of ageing. Vitamin C and Vitamin E are antioxidants that fight free radicals. Vitamin E protects the fatty membranes that surround cells. It also improves immune function in older people and reduce the risk of some age-related conditions, including heart disease, some forms for cancer, and possibly Alzheimer's disease. Green tea extract, long prized for its longevity-promoting properties, and grape seed extract (100 mg twice a day) are other antioxidants that may be more potent than vitamins C and E.

Folic acid, a B vitamin, maintains red blood cells and promotes the healthy functioning for nerves. Moreover, it protects the heart by helping the body to process hormocysteine, an ammino-acid like compound that may raise the risk of heart disease. Folic acid is assisted by vitamin B12 which fosters healthy brain functioning. Taking this vitamin is important because many older people lose the ability to adsorb it from food, and low B12 levels can cause nerve damage and dementia. The amino-acid-like substance carnitine contributes to a healthy heart because it helps to transport oxygen to the cells and produces energy. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is essential to a number of body processes. As it ages, the body loses its ability to convert the fats present in foods to GLA.

In addition, certain supplements are vital to specific problems. Glucosamine helps to maintain joint cartilage and eases the pain of arthritis. Because it enhances blood flow, the herb ginkgo biloba may improve such age-related conditions as dizziness, impotence and memory loss.


What else you can do

• Protect yourself from strong sun. Ultraviolet rays make skin age faster.
• If you smoke, quit. Smoking speeds up bone and lung deterioration.
• Build and maintain bone and muscle mass with weight-bearing exercise, such as walking and weight training.
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day - they're rich in the antioxidants that combat free radicals.

Source - The Healing Power of Vitamins Minerals and Herbs (Readers Digest)