This is a good review by Oudshoorn et al on the important subject of vitamin D in the elderly.Vitamin D is a pleiotropic hormone. Besides the effects on classical tissues like bone and intestine, vitamin D has an effect on many more tissues. Effects of vitamin D metabolites can occur via endocrine, paracrine or autocrine…
Read moreThis fascinating review Vijg and Campisi discusses question, which may be of interest to all of us, that is whether or not it is possible to extend life expectation. Slowly life expectations is increasing with a target of 120-125 years being seen as possible though at the moment 85 years is a good possibility for…
Read moreIt is so easy to be simplistic about the aetiology of cancer. This review is of great interest in this respect. Read the full article and be cautious in future.Two paradigms central to geroscience research are that aging is associated with increased oxidative stress and increased cancer risk. Therefore, it could be deduced that cancers…
Read moreLongevity is a curious and important point. Does one want to live to old age. Does one want to die old and alert or become time expired and senile and old.This question has been highlighted by two reportsOne by the WHO who showed that in two districts of Glasgow that the expectation of live differed…
Read moreAgeing It is painful to read Nutrition papers proposing that some element of the diet is affecting expectation of life and that in the olden golden days life expectation was better. This is palpably not the truth.In developed countries the expectation of life has increased over the last 200 years from the late 40s to…
Read moreAgeing is of interest to everyone, except the young who welcome growing older and those who don’t make old age.Many ageing related genes which alter longevity for good or bad have been identified. A gene that influences ageing is the daf-16 gene which is called a gerontogene.The protein encoded by daf-16 is a transcription factor…
Read moreThere are many theories of why we age, Curious we accept the ageing of a car or some tool more than ourselves. We accept growth but decline and its anticipation of death is less attractive. More personal perhaps.Theories of ageing include the accumulation of toxins produced by gut bacteria (curable by eating yoghurt) and reduced…
Read moreMuscle loss ( sarcopenia ) and ageing.As people grow older their muscle mass declines. There is a loss of muscle mass of 3-5% each decade which accelerates after the age of 60. The causes of this are not knownProminent aetiological possibilities include altered endocrine function or changes in tissue response to nutrients. It is not…
Read moreInfluence of age on mastication : effects on eating behaviour.Nutrition Research Reviews 2004, 17, 43-54 Mioche et al During the process of eating food is first chewed. This is process wherein the food is broken down by rhythmic movement of the jaws up and down. The teeth break up the food and saliva is added…
Read more