Chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, known in science as inflammaging, accelerates aging and raises the risk of disease, infohub.kz reports.
As people age, the immune system undergoes changes that trigger persistent low-grade inflammation. Unlike the acute reactive form that arises from infection or injury, this process has no obvious symptomatic focal points and gradually damages the body's tissues.
Experts note that the key drivers of inflammaging are cellular senescence, telomere shortening, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Senescent cells that accumulate over time lose the ability to divide and release a set of inflammatory molecules that damage neighboring healthy tissue. The condition is closely linked to declining endurance as well as to the development of cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic disturbances. Visceral obesity, physical inactivity, chronic psychological stress and age-related changes in the gut microbiota also contribute to maintaining the inflammatory background.
Gerontology researchers are actively studying ways to counter the phenomenon. These include the use of senolytics to clear senescent cells, regulators of autophagy and metabolism, and correction of the gut microbiome. At the same time, the researchers stress that regular physical activity and a balanced, fiber-rich diet remain the most accessible ways to lower systemic inflammation.