Progress in control of aging was very slow in the early years of gerontological research, a few decades ago. Research ers did not understand why various procedures (such as dietary restriction in young rats) or substances (like RNA) prolonged animal life spans. The discoveries of several mechanisms of aging have vastly accelerated the rate of progress.
Now it is possible to predict beforehand, with more success than earlier researchers could, materials that might prolong life span by intervening in a particular mechanism. It is the knowledge of the biochemical “map” of different biological aging mechanisms that allows scientists to have some success in predicting newer and better ways to control each aging
mechanism. Mechanism by mechanism, aging is becoming
defined and partially controllable, rather than mysterious and
inevitable.
Several sections to follow explain how the major known mechanisms of aging are thought to work in your body and what types of aging damage occur as a result of each one. This information, while not essential to your taking actions to slow your own aging, will prepare you to make far better decisions in that regard. For example, if your family tends to get
atherosclerosis, which is largely a result of free radical peroxidative (abnormal oxidation of fats) damage and immune failure (two major aging mechanisms), you’ll want to take actions in particular against these mechanisms of aging.
You may find the discussions of aging mechanisms somewhat more demanding and slower reading than the preceding material. After all, biochemistry is an unfamiliar field for you, with new words and concepts. Don’t try to memorize any of this or to learn it entirely the first time through. Don’t make understanding this material a chore. You don’t have to.
There will be no exam and no judgments pronounced on you.
You can spend as little or as much time on it as you wish (an auxiliary reading list is provided in an appendix for the really ambitious reader). Just remember that whatever choices you make for slowing your own aging will be based on your own knowledge, whatever your level of understanding. The more you know, the better you can decide what to do.
Before proceeding with more detailed discussions of each aging mechanism, we’ll give a brief overview-introduction to the most important ones and to the basic biochemical structure of your body.
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