More to ageing than lifestyle
April 14, 2011 - 9:25AM
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Old age comes to us all – just not at the same rate. And it may not arrive in quite the way we thought it did, according to chemists at the Australian National University. Led by Dannon Stigers and Chris Easton, the research team have discovered a new way in which age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, heart disease and cataracts can develop - a discovery they hope will open the door to new forms of treatment. "It has changed the way we think about how ageing-related diseases develop," says Stigers. "We now need to acknowledge that it may not be enough to advise people to eat the right foods and exercise regularly."
The chemists' discovery relates to protein damage caused by free radicals. These molecules are often mentioned in relation to skin ageing, but the toxic material that builds up when proteins are damaged is also linked to a wide range of degenerative diseases. Smoking, fatty food and environmental pollutants are all culprits, but the body also produces its own free radicals, and as we age, our natural defences against them weaken.
Until now, it has been assumed that free radicals cause the protein molecules themselves to degrade. But Stigers and Easton have discovered that the problem may lie in part with amino acids - the building blocks from which the proteins are made. "What this is saying is, these diseases are likely to build up over a much longer period of time than was previously thought," Easton explains. "You can target them much earlier .... So there are new targets for disease – to stop those amino acids from building up."
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Australians have more reason to worry about ageing than most. Today, 13 per cent of the population is over 65 - a figure expected to double by 2050. The government is braced for a diminished workforce, an eight per cent drop in GDP and increased spending on health, pensions, and age-related care - which already account for a quarter of the government budget. So a robust old age isn't just about individual wellbeing anymore, it's vital to the nation's health. As a result, the rumoured cuts to medical research funding are a worry. As David Le Couteur, professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Sydney, puts it: "Old age is the major factor in disease and disability and older people are the main users of healthcare services and the main cause of healthcare costs. But why old people get sick and how to manage them once they get sick is still an area in its infancy."
Combating free radicals with antioxidants is one way to keep the worst effects of old age at bay. "Vitamin E cream is something that we can put on the skin to stop protein degradation," Easton points out. "People take Vitamin E supplements or eat foods that are high in vitamin E. The other thing you can do is eat lots of onion and garlic because it has these antioxidants. Or of course the most popular one is to drink lots of red wine."
However, while diet and exercise still matter in the fight against ageing, lifestyle is not the only factor at play. Stigers' and Easton's research may lead to the development of new drug treatments; meanwhile, genes also play their part - some of us simply have better defences against free radicals than others.
The research is still in its early stages. "The correct application is still a long way off - we don't have a magic bullet," admits Easton. But other experts in the field are intrigued by their findings. Le Couteur calls it "a fascinating concept into abnormal proteins accumulating in old age. The next step will be to explore that in humans or animals."
However, he warns that the ANU findings should not turn heads away from the importance of a healthy lifestyle – exercise above all. "It certainly isn't enough to advise people to eat the right foods and exercise regularly. But the things that we 100 per cent know from evidence is that the key things people need to do if they want to live to a healthy old age is not smoke, and exercise regularly."
"Anyone in ageing can put their hand on their heart and say to anyone who wants to live to a healthy old age these are the key things to do."
Follow Life&Style on Twitter @Life_Style_News (source: smh.com.au)
April 14, 2011 - 9:25AM
5 Star Bali Beachfront Resort Affordable Luxury at Prime Location
Sexy at 70 ... Raquel Welch appears to be ageing very slowly.
Old age comes to us all – just not at the same rate. And it may not arrive in quite the way we thought it did, according to chemists at the Australian National University. Led by Dannon Stigers and Chris Easton, the research team have discovered a new way in which age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, heart disease and cataracts can develop - a discovery they hope will open the door to new forms of treatment. "It has changed the way we think about how ageing-related diseases develop," says Stigers. "We now need to acknowledge that it may not be enough to advise people to eat the right foods and exercise regularly."
The chemists' discovery relates to protein damage caused by free radicals. These molecules are often mentioned in relation to skin ageing, but the toxic material that builds up when proteins are damaged is also linked to a wide range of degenerative diseases. Smoking, fatty food and environmental pollutants are all culprits, but the body also produces its own free radicals, and as we age, our natural defences against them weaken.
Until now, it has been assumed that free radicals cause the protein molecules themselves to degrade. But Stigers and Easton have discovered that the problem may lie in part with amino acids - the building blocks from which the proteins are made. "What this is saying is, these diseases are likely to build up over a much longer period of time than was previously thought," Easton explains. "You can target them much earlier .... So there are new targets for disease – to stop those amino acids from building up."
Advertisement: Story continues below
Australians have more reason to worry about ageing than most. Today, 13 per cent of the population is over 65 - a figure expected to double by 2050. The government is braced for a diminished workforce, an eight per cent drop in GDP and increased spending on health, pensions, and age-related care - which already account for a quarter of the government budget. So a robust old age isn't just about individual wellbeing anymore, it's vital to the nation's health. As a result, the rumoured cuts to medical research funding are a worry. As David Le Couteur, professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Sydney, puts it: "Old age is the major factor in disease and disability and older people are the main users of healthcare services and the main cause of healthcare costs. But why old people get sick and how to manage them once they get sick is still an area in its infancy."
Combating free radicals with antioxidants is one way to keep the worst effects of old age at bay. "Vitamin E cream is something that we can put on the skin to stop protein degradation," Easton points out. "People take Vitamin E supplements or eat foods that are high in vitamin E. The other thing you can do is eat lots of onion and garlic because it has these antioxidants. Or of course the most popular one is to drink lots of red wine."
However, while diet and exercise still matter in the fight against ageing, lifestyle is not the only factor at play. Stigers' and Easton's research may lead to the development of new drug treatments; meanwhile, genes also play their part - some of us simply have better defences against free radicals than others.
The research is still in its early stages. "The correct application is still a long way off - we don't have a magic bullet," admits Easton. But other experts in the field are intrigued by their findings. Le Couteur calls it "a fascinating concept into abnormal proteins accumulating in old age. The next step will be to explore that in humans or animals."
However, he warns that the ANU findings should not turn heads away from the importance of a healthy lifestyle – exercise above all. "It certainly isn't enough to advise people to eat the right foods and exercise regularly. But the things that we 100 per cent know from evidence is that the key things people need to do if they want to live to a healthy old age is not smoke, and exercise regularly."
"Anyone in ageing can put their hand on their heart and say to anyone who wants to live to a healthy old age these are the key things to do."
Follow Life&Style on Twitter @Life_Style_News (source: smh.com.au)================================================
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