Today, science can do the most to slow down human ageing. To this end, it focuses on understanding the causes of ageing.

A recent study divides the causes of ageing into primary, secondary and tertiary causes.

Causes of ageing

- Four are signed up root causesThese include lesions in genes, lesions in the switches that activate genes, shortening of telomeres (the caps that protect the ends of chromosomes) and failures in the quality control of protein removal.

• Gene lesions

They can be caused by an external agent, such as solar radiation or chemical toxins, or they can be endogenous. These failures can lead to premature ageing or tumour processes.

Mutations in DNA can lead to premature ageing. This is the case of accelerated ageing in some children, who often do not survive to the age of 13, known as progeria (Hutchinson-Gilford disease).

• Chromosome end attrition

Over time, the telomeres, which are like the sheaths that protect the edges of chromosomes, wear out Influence of the environment Living habits and exposure to the environment are known to influence genes. This is the case with smoking and solar radiation. Cigarettes are behind 30% of tumours.

• Degenerative diseases caused by uncontrolled proteins

If excess protein is not properly removed, it accumulates, which can lead to diseases such as Alzheimer's, where senile plaques form, which are deposits of beta-amyloid protein.

- Other secondary causes that can accelerate ageing can be free radicals and various metabolic disturbances. One of them may be an abuse of food.

- And there could still be talk of tertiary causes. For example, the depletion of stem cells tissue damage and the consequent impossibility of cell renewal. Or errors in cell communication, such as inflammation, a process that is chronically associated with cancer.

Anti-aging treatment at Biosalud

A series of biochemical and biophysical tests are carried out on blood and urine to determine the patient's biological age in order to compare it with their chronological age. In this way, it is discovered whether the patient is physiologically ageing or, on the contrary, suffering from pathological ageing. After the specific tests, a personalised and therefore the most effective anti-ageing treatment is applied.