Time passes.  Nothing we can do about that.  But is it inevitable to suffer the decline in appearance and ability because of age?

People have been asking that question probably as we've been around. Dating back thousands of years, experts have found references to attempts to retain youthful energy, flexibility, looks, use of all the senses, sexual drive and performance, and overall health.  And for as long as people have been interested in the effects of aging, scientists have studied and tried to answer these questions:

• Why do body systems and functions diminish with age?
• What causes the physical deterioration we associate with aging?
• What processes are behind these effects?
• Do certain behaviors, habits, lifestyles or errors accelerate aging?
• Are there ways to prevent the effects of aging?
• Are there ways to reverse the effects of aging?

This field of research has produced hundreds of books, whitepapers and medical journal articles, and many theories about the causes and prevention of aging effects.  In general, though, the theories fall into these categories:

Genetic or DNA Theories

Blame the parents – if these scientists are right, you inherited your aging patterns, rate and effects from your folks.  It’s all coded into your genes, they say, so everything from disease to hair graying to loss of skin elasticity is predetermined.  What’s worse, the DNA that carries these codes is easily damaged further by environmental factors like pollution, stress, chemicals, radiation, even poor nutrition;  this means that every time cells divide, they’re a little worse off and duplicate their damaged state.  You can see why the effects are cumulative, and how this eventually leads to poor function at the cellular level, loss of your ideal “youthful” state, and all the breakdowns associated with age.

The good news:  recent science news says we can prevent or repair the damage to DNA with precise hormone replacement therapy and certain amino acids.  Barring that, you can help by reconsidering some of your vices, too – as usual, these pesky doctors want us to have healthy lifestyles!

Stress-Busting, or the Neuroendrocrine Theory

Other scientists blame the stress and wear-and-tear of daily living for disrupting the ideal balance of hormones in the body, which leads to cellular and organ decline.  Basically, the hypothalamus, which normally tells all the other glands when to release hormones and how much, becomes less accurate over time, affecting the regulation of hormones all throughout the body.  This damage to the hypothalamus is believed by some researchers to be caused by the stress hormone cortisol.  Cortisol is just about the only hormone that increases with age, again due to cumulative effects:  when cortisol damages the hypothalamus, then the body responds by producing even more cortisol, which leads to more damage… and so on.  A snowball effect, so to speak.

The good news: We now know of certain cortisol adjusters, like DHEA, hormone replacement therapies and some prescription meds.  And before long, we should expect to see some very effective natural supplements that work as hormone regulators hit the market, too. In the meantime, some good old-fashioned relaxation is in order.  A great excuse to hit the hammock, treat yourself to a massage or add a stress-busting walk to your routine.

Free-radical Theory

This line of reasoning was made most famous, ironically, by cosmetics companies who first talked about it in relation to aging, wrinkling skin.  The theory is based on the presence of little nasty scavengers in the body called free radicals, which are just molecules that have a “free” electron.  This causes destructive reactions with healthy molecules, where electrons are stolen away and new free radicals are formed. This sets up conditions for many of the things we blame on aging: loss of muscle tone, loss of elasticity in the skin, lowered energy levels, destruction of DNA and RNA, and deterioration of tissues from the cell level on up.  

We know that free radicals are formed naturally in the body by everyday processes like eating, drinking and breathing, and that’s because oxygen is such a powerful creator of free radicals.  Think of how quickly fresh fruit turns brown when it’s cut open and exposed to the air!  But scientists have also learned that free radical production is very dramatically accelerated by junk-food diets and non-nutritive diets, as well as the use of alcohol, tobacco, street drugs, and some medications and radiation.  So the first line of defense is to eliminate some of the bad influences from the body. 

For the naturally occurring radicals, you can employ anti-oxidants, also called free radical scavengers (kind of brings to mind a Pac-Man-like muncher of the bad guys).  There are many known anti-oxidants, with more being discovered or verified all the time, which mainly include vitamins C and E, beta carotene, grape seed extract (that’s one of the reasons why red wine in moderation is good for you) and melatonin.

Membrane Theory

It’s also been noted that as we age, the cells lose their electrical and heat transfer capabilities that are part of normal function, and become less and less efficient at transferring sodium, potassium, chemicals and hormones.  The Membrane Theory attributes this to a cellular toxin called lipofuscin, which builds up in the brain, heart, lungs and skin (in fact, those yucky brown or liver “age spots” are accumulations of this lipofuscin toxin).  There’s a connection between excessive lipofuscin and Alzheimer’s Disease, too. 

Sounds awful and inevitable, doesn’t it?  But researchers have pinpointed a few things that seem to fight these toxic deposits and perhaps even eliminate them.  There is at least one promising prescription drug now on the market, as well as the natural substances DMAE, and amino acids Acetyl-L Carnitine and Carnosine.

Other theories

Science is looking at other causes of aging effects:  the ways sugars and proteins are metabolized; the way cellular waste materials build up and affect the body; and the chemicals involved in energy production and how they cause cumulative damage to cells.  In every case, researchers identify natural substances, amino acids, nutrients or vitamins that address the aging scenario.

What you can do about aging

For the average consumer or even the well-informed user of natural health products, the task of slowing or even reversing aging is very complex.  Some take a multi-vitamin and hope for the best, while others create expensive homemade cocktails of many individual tinctures, pills, powders and bulk herbs.  The trouble with either of these approaches, though, is that correct amounts and proportions of nutrients and herbals aren’t at all easy to attain, and potency of active ingredients even harder to gauge.

What many health practitioners recommend is a pharmaceutical-grade, calibrated supplement from a reputable, quality manufacturer – preparations that eliminate the guesswork and have a strong record of success among users.

For Men and Women

One of the best all-around anti-aging remedies that addresses all the concerns of the theories above is Human Growth Hormone, best in the form GenF20 HGH.

This formula stimulates the body to release its own human growth hormone, which combats all these age-related problems:
 

For both men and women, GenF20 HGH is a terrific all-around remedy.

Sexual decline with age

One of the most troubling losses with age is sexual vitality.  Both men and women suffer loss of sex drive, lessening of sexual function, and hormonal changes that effect the entire reproductive system.  Men may lose erection strength or ability, feel a decrease in sensation and climax power, and notice a decrease in the amount of ejaculate they produce. Because men’s sexuality is so tied to his sense of well-being, its been shown that sexual loss can cause depression, which further compounds his sexual ability.  For these reasons, it’s important for men to replenish and support their reproductive systems with VigRX, a potent tonic and replenisher for men that meets all the criteria of excellent quality, ideal manufacture and correct balance of ingredients.

 Women undergo many hormonal changes as they age, too, leading to a number of troubling sexual effects:  loss of libido, diminished or almost no natural lubrication, loss of sexual sensation, and weak climax or even an inability to reach climax. For women, a quality supplement designed specifically for reproductive support is advised; with the delicate nature of female hormonal balance, it is especially important to choose a good formula like Provestra.  Provestra is a once-daily tablet that provides an excellent balance of nutrients and herbal nourishment for the correct function of the female reproductive system.  Many women use this particular formula in younger adulthood specifically for increasing their sex drive and sexual pleasure, and it’s also very effective for maintaining hormonal balance and the desired level of sexual satisfaction even as women age.

Obviously, aging presents a wide range of physical challenges.  Your best defense is to continue to seek out information as researchers discover more about aging, and to use the breakthrough info to select top-quality defenses against aging, such as the natural supplements mentioned here.  With a good lifestyle and these new weapons on your side, you’re much more likely to enjoy aging gracefully.