Aging: A Dynamic, Life-Process

As living beings, we are made up of cells which must continuously renew themselves; in fact, it is estimated that all our cells are renewed approximately every 7 years.

This is why rest and nourishment are essential to our existence.  Our diet supplies the energy required to help rebuild the cells, molecules and damaged tissues, while sleep provides the opportunity for the work to take place. 

As we age, our skin loses its elasticity and starts to wrinkle; our hair loses its colour, texture and vitality; our nails become fragile and weak.  Not surprisingly, our internal organs suffer the same fate.  Our heart, our arteries and our veins work less efficiently; our muscles lose their tone.  It is estimated that we lose close to 50% of our muscle mass when we reach our 60s.

Needless to say, this loss in muscle mass leads to a diminution in our basal metabolism, and if we maintain our caloric intake, this can quickly lead to fat accumulations - often in the least-desired areas.  Beyond the merely aesthetic considerations, when this fat accumulates between the various internal organs, the risk of chronic diseases linked to aging (cardio-vascular, cancer, inflammatory diseases of the intestines, joints, etc.) increases.

Our internal tissues are also affected: our bones lose their density and their strength, and our cartilage weakens and is more vulnerable to degradation and joint diseases.

In the case of arthritis, in North America alone, it is estimated that more than 30% of people between the ages of 45 and 65 years of age, and 50% of people over the age of 65 will be diagnosed  with this disease.  Other researchers estimate than more than 50% of people 35 years of age and over (75% of persons age 50 and over, and 90% of persons age 70 and over) suffer from some form of this disease and that it is the single, greatest cause of premature disability of our times.

There is increasing evidence to support the belief that alterations in the collagen, proteoglycan and glycosaminoglycan molecules are responsible for the structural modifications which take place in our tissues and organs, all of which occur as a result of aging and disease.  And these structural modifications are believed to be due to chemical ''attacks'' by free radicals and the non-enzymatic glycation which result from the metabolism of our food, pollution, toxins, UV light, cosmic rays and other toxins in the environment, all of which modify our connective molecules by damaging them and chemically altering them.  This damage accumulates with time, as are cells become less efficient in preventing and repairing the structural damage.

Yet, it is possible to intervene and influence the aging process by

postponing these consequences.  The adoption of a healthy life-style -- such as a healthy diet, sufficient exercise, a healthy attitude and the judicious use of suitable food supplements -- can help us to age healthfully.  For instance, by ingesting hydrolized collagen, we can ''revive'' our cells, so to speak, and put them back to work by supplying them with the raw materials they need to help renew connective tissues.