Everyone knows them and has been affected by them: Inflammations. They occur in our body and directly impact our health. But what are inflammations, how does inflammaging affect our longevity, and what can we do to alleviate our inflammations? You will learn all of this in this article.
Overview of Inflammations
Inflammations are the body's own reactions to harmful internal or external stimuli. The goal of inflammations is to eliminate these harmful stimuli and initiate a healing process. Inflammations are therefore immune reactions that consist of many complex sub-steps and biological processes. Inflammations play a significant role, especially in many age-related diseases. More on that later.
Interesting facts: In medicine, the suffix -itis is used for inflammations of affected body parts. For example, dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin (Ancient Greek: Derma).
What are the signs of inflammation?
Everyone knows it: You stub your toe on the edge of the bed and it hurts like hell. At first, there is a stabbing pain, then the toe becomes red, very warm, and swells up. Additionally, movement may become somewhat difficult afterwards. Overall, these are very typical signs of inflammation.The five classic signs of inflammation are:
- Redness (Latin: rubor)
- Swelling (Latin: tumor)
- Heat (Latin: calor)
- Pain (Latin: dolor)
- Impaired function (Latin: functio laesa)
These inflammatory reactions also occur at the molecular level in our body and can be determined by inflammatory parameters in the blood. In medicine, the following parameters are examined in cases of inflammation (3):
- C-reactive protein (CRP)
- Interleukins (z.B. IL-6)
- Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)
These laboratory values can also be elevated in certain inflammatory diseases or infections.
The five cardinal symptoms of inflammation are: Rubor, Tumor, Dolor, Calor, Function Laesa.
Why do inflammations occur in the body?
Inflammations occur when stimuli from inside or outside act on the body that exceed the physiological level. For example, from injuries in accidents caused by pressure or friction. In addition, cold or heat effects can overstrain the body's resilience and thus cause inflammatory reactions. However, how cold can also be used as a Longevity Hack you can learn in our article about Cryotherapy.
Metabolic products such as uric acid crystals can cause mechanical damage within the body, which then leads to inflammatory reactions in the joints (z.B.: in gout). In addition, inflammation also arises from the action of allergens from food, z.B. the body reacts with inflammatory responses in the intestines to the wheat protein gluten in the case of celiac disease. This tolerance disorder leads to the destruction of the intestinal epithelium over time if left untreated.
In principle: Inflammations are inherently positive and have been preserved as body’s own protective measures against harmful influences for millions of years. However, in certain autoimmune diseases, these inflammatory processes can lead to self-destruction.
Nutrition can help here: Learn more about anti-inflammatory foods that you should eat daily.Scientifically proven with studies.
Before we get to the practical tips, let's clarify what role inflammations play in the aging process (Inflammaging) and why it is so important to keep an eye on them.
Inflammaging – Inflammations and the Aging Process
As we age, alongside changes in proteostasis and the accumulation of senescent cells in our body, the so-called inflammaging occurs.
Inflammaging is a term frequently used in longevity research, which is derived from the words Inflammation (English: Inflammation) and Aging (English: Aging). The so-called inflammatory aging.
This process is also promoted by senescent cells , as these can secrete pro-inflammatory substances. On a molecular level, this leads to an increased activation of NF-kB – a transcription factor that is significantly involved in the development of inflammation. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory signaling molecules such as interleukin-1b, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and interferons (IFNs) are produced in greater amounts.These age-related inflammatory reactions can deregulate signaling pathways in the body and disrupt intercellular communication . The consequences are a weakened immune system and poorly functioning body systems.
Inflammatory processes play a role in many age-related diseases such as z.B:
- Alzheimer's dementia
- Atherosclerosis
- Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Cancer
Since chronic inflammation is associated with many age-related diseases, it is important to prevent them. In this regard, u.a. an anti-inflammatory diet can also help.
Especially in the vessels of our body, low-grade inflammation develops early in life, which can lead to coronary heart disease or thrombotic diseases over decades.
Anti-inflammatory diet
Before we look at specific foods, it can already help to give your gut targeted rest periods to alleviate inflammation in the body. The so-called intermittent fasting in combination with calorie restriction has been shown in studies to lower inflammatory parameters in the blood. During this, one only eats within a specific time window during the day. For example, one fasts for 16 hours from 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM the next day and then eats from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM within an 8-hour time window. During fasting, the body u.a.The so-called autophagy is activated – a biological process in which cellular homeostasis is cleaned up.
However, the specific selection of certain foods can also prevent or reduce inflammation.
The intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids can demonstrably alleviate inflammation. In addition, certain secondary plant substances, the so-called polyphenols can help. These lower the aforementioned NF-kB level, which plays a significant role in the development of inflammation.Furthermore, polyphenols can positively influence other inflammatory parameters such as Interleukin-6 . Therefore, a plant-based and colorful diet rich in fruits and vegetables has a beneficial effect on our health.
Polyphenol-rich foods are u.a.:
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Cocoa powder
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Soy products
- Green or black Tea
However, almost all plant-based foods contain a certain amount of these secondary plant compounds.
Conclusion on the topic of Inflammaging
Inflammation is a risk factor for some age-related diseases.Therefore, it makes sense to cultivate healthy habits that reduce inflammation. These include, in addition to a balanced diet rich in polyphenol-rich fruits and vegetables , also the intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The so-called intermittent fasting can also help alleviate inflammation. If you want to learn more about the causes of the aging process and inflammaging , then check out our blog series on the hallmarks of aging .
