While up to about the age of 30 there are ten times as many reserves to ensure that the body can function, after that these reserves slowly decrease, without the immediate onset of disease because of it. The decline in performance can occur at different rates in each person and even in each organ or organ system, such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, or digestive systems – it can lead to physical collapse without the presence of a specific disease, but conversely, it is possible to feel vital and fit well into old age.
What happens in our bodies as we get older?
Aging has a wide variety of effects on the body, which are studied in gerontology. Physical changes include the following areas:
- Cardiovascular system
- Respiratory tract
- Gastrointestinal tract
- Kidneys and urinary tract
- Blood and immune system
- Hormones
- Brain and nerves
- Sensory organs
- Bones and muscles
- Skin
What changes occur with aging, you will learn below.
1) Cardiovascular system
While the heart beats 200 times per minute under stress in 20-year-olds, the heart can only beat much slower in older people. In addition, the elasticity of blood vessels decreases and blood pressure increases slightly. Cardiac arrhythmias also become more frequent because collagen is deposited in the excitation conduction system.
2) Respiratory tract
The fine structure of the alveoli becomes coarser with age – as a result, the lung tissue becomes less elastic and the respiratory values for both inhalation and exhalation deteriorate. As a result, less oxygen is absorbed into the blood and the body is less able to respond to stress. Lung tissue becomes more susceptible to pneumonia and COPD.
3) Gastrointestinal tract
The swallowing mechanism and gastric emptying deteriorate, and the intestinal wall in the colon becomes more permeable to diverticula.
4) Kidneys and urinary tract
In the mid-80s, a person has 30% less functional kidney tissue than a younger person, which causes toxins to be excreted more slowly and also causes drugs to linger longer in the body.
5) Blood and immune system
Although the bone marrow, which is responsible for blood formation, is increasingly replaced by connective tissue in old age, red blood cells are still produced sufficiently. The situation is different with some immune cells: Their proportion decreases by about a quarter with age, which has a negative effect on defense functions.
6) Hormones
Basically, all hormones seem to require higher concentrations in old age to have the same effect as in younger years.
7) Brain and nerves
After age 60, the brain shrinks by up to 6%, pronounced changes in areas responsible for motor function, vision, and speech. While memory, retentiveness and mental agility decrease, the ability to formulate the content of thought increases with age.
8) Sensory organs
Smell and taste as well as sight, hearing and sense of balance decrease with age. Hunger and thirst are also perceived less.
9) Bones and muscles
Bone and cartilage structures are built worse, bone fragility increases. Muscle mass and therefore muscle strength decrease, leading to slower reaction times.
10) Skin
The skin has a poorer blood supply in old age, sweat and sebaceous glands produce less secretion. As a result, the skin becomes more susceptible to injury and infection and does not heal well.
