CHANGES WITH AGING - JOINTS & BONES
During our lifetime, our joints take a lot of pressure
from just normal movement. Add to that any additional
pounding and stress sports activities may add, and it
is no wonder they start to wear out as early as age
40-50.
Joint Cartilage
Cartilage provides the lubricating surface of most
joints. It contains no blood vessels, depends upon the
blood supply of the synovium (the tissue that produces
joint fluid) for nutrients that pass through the joint
fluid. With aging, the water content of cartilage decreases,
and changes in the underlying bone may influence the
cartilage and thereby reduce its ability to adapt to
repetitive stress.
Supplements
To Protect & Build Joint Cartilage
Bones
Tissue and bone aging starts around the age of 50.
Aging affects and reduces the bone cells that produce
bone more severely than those cells that reabsorb bone
resulting in bone density loss. This loss occurs at
highly individual rates. This loss of density significantly
impacts the bone strength, the smallest trauma may cause
the bone to collapse.
Supplements
To Maintain Bone Density & Help Prevent Osteoporosis
Skull
Our skull appears to thicken with age increasing the
skull dimensions. This increase is greater deep in the
skull and in the frontal sinuses located just over the
eyes.
Long Bones
Bone growth has also been demonstrated well into advanced
age in the ribs, the fingers, and the thigh one, the
femur. This change in the femur results in a wider but
weaker mid-portion of the bone. Many fractures of the
femur in elderly are attributed to falls. In many cases,
the reverse is true. A spontaneous fracture of the femur,
causes the fall.
Osteoarthritis
 Osteoarthritis
is the most common joint disorder, characterized by
joint pain, tenderness, and functional disability. 68
million Americans over 65 years of age are expected
to be affected by osteoarthritis by the year 2010. That's
70% of the population.
The full cause of osteoarthritis
is not yet known. The disease not only affects the articular
cartilage, causing it to degenerate, but also involve
the entire joint. This leads to damage to the joint
tissues. Known contributing factors are post traumatic
joint instability, failure of the neuromuscular system
to protect against repetitive loading, or metabolic
events leading to joint remodeling.
Latest
News on Treatments for Osteoarthristis.
Supplements
To Help Prevent Arthritis & Reduce Inflammation
& Pain
Prevention
With both bones and muscles, conditioning appears
to have a greater influence than nutrition, vascular
supply or cell production rate. Hence the best preventative
is regular
exercise that includes all muscle groups.
Nutrition
affects bone and mineral metabolism, and blood vessel
and neurological abnormalities accelerate muscle degeneration.
Hormones,
including growth hormone, estrogens, androgens modify
our musculoskeletal integrity. Human
Growth Hormone [HGH] has become very popular in
an attempt to slow the aging process.
NEXT: Nervous
System
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