Science of ageing: Causes, effects and treatments

Ageing, as per the current understanding, may be considered as the accumulation of various molecules as well as cellular damage over time which results in a very complicated physiological process is poorly understood. Ageing leads to a gradual decrease in the physical and mental capacity with an increased risk of disease and death. Researchers have proposed various hypotheses like free radical theory, telomerase theory, wear-and-tear theory, etc. in order to explain these inexplicable phenomena which are also influenced by environmental factors, radiation and lifestyle. The human yearning for longevity has led to the development of various treatment methods including manipulation of a metabolic pathway, the use of antioxidant drugs to prevent oxidation due to free radicals, telomere-based therapy, hormonal therapy using peptide hormone, usage of Anti-ageing compounds, vitamins (e.g. ALT 711), and change in lifestyle, etc. Presently, research on ageing includes investigations into novel methods to reverse ageing and genetic approaches to increase the lifespan as a longer lifespan-contribute to not only the wellness of an individual, but also that of-the society as a whole.