Cellular ageing and its impact on health

We age because our cells age. Two processes occur that unleash a perfect storm. On the one hand, the progressive degeneration of cells, and on the other, the loss of their regenerative capacity.

The research into these processes is growing. Many groups of scientists, from various universities around the world, are currently working on studies and clinical trials to explore the cellular ageing processes. There are several theories about this: some claim that ageing is caused by somatic mutation, other theories suggest the existence of gerontogenes that accelerate these processes, and there are those that blame free radicals, oxidative stress, and the shortening of chromosome telomeres.

As we age, our cells undergo a number of changes that affect their functionality and their ability to regenerate, which ultimately leads to age-related diseases that gradually diminish the quality of life. Nevertheless, in recent decades, the advances in the understanding of the mechanisms underlying cellular ageing have opened up new avenues for intervening and, in some cases, reversing this process.

One of the study paths is related to the accumulation of damage in the DNA, proteins, and other cellular components. This damage can be caused by free radicals, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. As cells age, their ability to repair this damage diminishes and dysfunctional and senescent cells progressively accumulate.

The activation of autophagy mechanisms, a cellular process responsible for the elimination of damaged or unwanted cellular components, is another promising theory in the research on how to reverse ageing. Stimulation of autophagy has proven effective for improving cellular health and extending lifespan in a variety of animal models.

Dr. Mariel Silva from the Well-ageing Medicine unit at SHA Wellness Clinic Spain explains that autophagy, a fundamental process in cellular homeostasis, repair, and longevity, allows the selective elimination of damaged cellular organelles, misfolded proteins, and other components that, if they accumulate, could be harmful to the cell.

“Autophagy is a cellular stress response mechanism. Some stressful situations, such as lack of nutrients, activate autophagy as a survival strategy. Probably, this is the reason why calorie restriction, a process associated with longevity, has been found to induce autophagy,” says Dr. Silva.

At SHA Wellness Clinic, we apply safe and innovative therapies to reverse cellular ageing. These include the NAD & Mito-rebalancetherapy  which aims to balance the levels of NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a coenzyme present in almost every cell in the body. This therapy is an anti-ageing treatment that attacks several flanks of ageing at once, improves general health, increases the body’s energy levels, improves mental clarity, and promotes a pleasant sense of well-being.

Dr. Rosario Garcia, an expert in Revitalising Medicine at SHA Wellness Clinic, explains that during the ageing process, the production of NAD decreases naturally, while its decomposition increases. “In oxidative stress processes caused by an unhealthy diet, exposure to environmental toxins, lack of sleep, and chronic stress, NAD levels are depleted. In general, an unhealthy lifestyle, characterised by sedentary behavior, poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking, contributes to lower NAD levels in the system,” she points out.

With a holistic approach based on integrative medicine, the Well-ageing Medicine unit at SHA Wellness Clinic studies the therapies that succeed in reversing cellular ageing and combines healthy nutrition – recommended and monitored by a nutritionist – with the latest-generation technology, in order to slow down as much as possible the processes leading to cellular ageing.